St Finbarr's suffer heartbreak in All-Ireland camogie final losing to Athenry in a classic game for the ages

Athenry (Galway) 0-14 

St Finbarr’s 0-12 

Heartbreak for the Barrs as they lost out to Athenry in the replay of the AIB All-Ireland Club Camogie championship final at FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday night in terrible cold conditions.

Having drawn at Croke Park before Christmas, in a top-class encounter, there was never going to be much between these sides again in the replay.

Such was the interest in this game 2,590 supporters made their way to Thurles on a freezing cold evening that some were questioning should the game looking at the pitch have been played at all?

Nearly half the pitch was near frozen and it didn’t improve at any stage. 

But credit to both sides they got on with it, but at times you could see they were finding it hard to get their balance.

Full credit to the Galway side they finished magnificently to take the title as it ended in heartbreak for the Barrs.

Orlaith Cahalane put the Barrs in front in the third minute, with Eva McGlynn replying for Athenry.

Sabina Rabbitte put the Galway side in front from a 45 and with six minutes gone she missed the chance to increase their lead from another 45.

Rabbitte set up Clodagh Burke for Athenry’s third point to increase their lead to two.

But a superb pass from Orlaith Cahalane set up Eimear Hurley for the Barrs second score, to make it 0-3 to 0-2 after 12 minutes.

Another point from Burke put two between the sides before Hawkeye was called in to deem O’Driscoll’s shot had gone wide, with Athenry thinking it was over the bar.

Another 45 from Rabbitte put her side 0-5 to 0-2 in front as the Galway team were enjoying the better of the exchanges at this stage.

That became a four point lead after 21 minutes when Jessica Gill split the posts from distance as the Barrs were finding it hard to clear the ball from their own half.

A great run and score from Kate Wall saw the Barrs reduce the deficit as they started to settle more.

Kayla Madden and Wall exchanged points to make it 0-7 to 0-4 with 28 minutes played.

A harsh call for steps on Dervla Higgins gave Sorcha McCartan the chance to point for the Barrs and she made no mistake from the free to put two between the sides.

That proved to be the last score of the half as Athenry led by 0-7 to o-5 at the break.

Athenry had two goal chances in the first few minutes of the second half when O’Driscoll shot wide with the goal at her mercy.

The same player was bearing down on goal again, but this time she was denied by a superb tackle by Aisling Egan.

With 36 minutes gone there was only one between them when McCartan scored from a free, to make it 0-7 to 0-6.

McCartan pointed another free to see the sides level after 37 minutes as the Barrs were playing much better at this stage.

Another free from McCartan put the Barrs in front after 41 minutes, the first time they led since the third minute.

That became a two point lead when Cahalane got her second of the game.

With 45 minutes gone Nicole Olden got on the scoresheet with their fifth point, without reply, of the second half.

At this point it was all Barrs and another magnificent point from McCartan made it six without reply, as they led by 0-11 to 0-7.

Rabbitte pulled a point back for Athenry as they never panicked, with their six point comeback at Croke Park no doubt fresh in their minds.

O’Driscoll put two between the sides to set it up for a dramatic finish, as the Barrs led by 0-11 to 0-9 with 10 minutes to go.

And the Barrs lead was soon down to one when Rabbitte was on target again, her first from play, to make it 0-11 to 0-10 with five minutes left.

They were back on level terms with two minutes to go when Therese Donohue pointed as it looked like heading for extra time.

In injury time Olwen Rabbitte scored for Athenry to put them back in front but McCartan equalised at the other end from a free.

Clodagh Burke put Athenry back in front and Gill pointed from a free to put two between the sides as they hung on for the win.

Scorers for Athenry: S Rabbitte 0-4 (0-2 45, 0-1 f), C Burke 0-3, J Gill 0-2 (1f), E McGlynn K O’Driscoll, K Madden, T Donohue, O Rabbitte 0-1 each.

St Finbarr’s: S McCartan 0-6 (5f), K Wall, O Cahalane 0-2 each, E Hurley, N Olden 0-1 each.

ATHENRY: L Freeney; T Kilkenny, K Screene, D Higgins; L Casserly, O Rabbitte, S Feeney; K Madden, E McGlynn; T Donohue, J Gill, E Keane; K O’Driscoll, S Rabbitte, C Burke.

Subs: A Jordan for E Keane (47), M Noone for E McGlynn (52).

ST FINBARR’S: C Hurley; S Punch, A Egan, A O’Neill; G Cahalane, M Cahalane, S Daly; K McCarthy, A Shannon; N Olden, K Wall, H O’Leary; O Cahalane; S McCartan, E Hurley.

Subs: C Golden for S Daly (ht), E Wigginton Barrett for E Hurley (54), L O’Donovan for N Olden (58).

Referee: Brian Kearney, Kildare.