Cork camogie: 18 clubs, four divisions, a university and a school have landed the big prize

AS we count down to Sunday's SE Systems Senior County Camogie Championship final, it’s nice to take a trip down memory lane and see where all the titles have gone.

Without doubt, the most coveted prize in Cork camogie is a senior county championship title and since the competition’s inception in 1932 only 24 names have been engraved as holders of Cork camogie’s most prestigious title.

Eighteen clubs, four divisions, one university and one school have had the honour of being crowned senior champions.

Seandún bid for the division’s second title at Castle Road on Sunday, while Sarsfields will be hoping to make it three.

Let’s take a little wander through our recent past and meet those who have won the title.

In 1932, a group of schoolgirls made history taking the Science Cup for the first time when the pupils from St Aloysius becoming the first winners.

1933 saw Nora Kelleher carry the trophy in triumph as Muskerry became the first division to take a senior title. They had to wait until 2007 before Catriona Foley followed in her footsteps.

Kitty Cotter led Mayfield to their only crown in 1935 and in 1936 there were new champions as UCC, led by Lil Kirby, defeated Hillside.

Lee Hosiery were led by Mary Valley to the first of their successes in 1937.

In 1938 new champions climbed the victory rostrum as Old Aloysians Past Pupils were crowned champions. They were captained by Renee Fitzgerald. The club would later go on and add 14 more titles to their collection.

1947 heralded success for another divisional side when Imokilly defeated Lee Hosiery. Imokilly added a further five titles taking, a five in a row from 1972 to 1976.

Mary Delea led Blackrock to glory in 1948 when the Rockies proved too strong for the champions Imokilly as they brought the first of two titles to the famous southside club.

1950 was Glen Rovers’ year as Siobhan O’Brien led her side to victory over Blackrock. The Glen went on to add a further 21 titles and they lead the roll of honour with the most titles — 22 in total having completed two record-breaking seven in-a-rows from 1960 to 1968 and from 1990 to 1996.

It was 1969 before another new name was added to the roll of honour. It was again past pupils who were creating history when Mary Crowley led the South Presentation Past Pupils to title number one. They made it three in a row, winning again in 1970 and 1971.

1977 saw another new name added to the roll of honour with the emergence of Éire Óg as champions led by Marion McCarthy–Reck. The Ovens girls went on to add titles on three further occasions.

East Cork was to the fore as Breda Landers led Killeagh to their first success in 1980 and they made it three titles in a row and were back to take their fourth title in 1984.

There was a big gap between 1980 and 1997 before new champions emerged when Eithne Duggan led Bishopstown to the first title of their four-in-a-row success from 1997 to 2000.

We had new champions again in 2001 as the girls from Cloughduv were victorious and they retained the title the following year.

HOODOO

In 2003, Fr O’Neill’s finally broke the hoodoo that had followed them when Fiona O’Driscoll carried the cup in triumph back to Ballymacoda as O’Neill’s defeated Inniscarra.

The following year divisional side Carrigdhoun took their first title. There was a new name again in 2006 as St Finbarr’s were victorious.

Again in 2008 we had new winners with Douglas emerging to take the honours and they added title number two in 2011. A new chapter began in 2009 as St Catherine’s got over the line.

Inniscarra took the first of their four titles in 2010, and Milford made it four in a row setting the pace with their first title in 2012.

It was 2020 before a new force emerged to be crowned champions as Courcey Rovers won their maiden crown and last year a new division emerged as Seandún took their first title and became the fourth divisional side in the history of the championship to be victorious.

Sunday it’s all to play for again.

We won’t have a new name engraved on the Punch Cup but either Sarsfields will make it three wins or Seandún will win their second in two years.