Sun. Feb 9th, 2025

Horgan the hero as Clanmaurice win back-to-back 

ByLuke Allen

Sunday, 15 December 2024, 18:04
HurlingAnother incredible achievement for Clanmaurice and Kerry.

A dominant display from Clanmaurice at Croke Park delivers their second All-Ireland Title in succession 

Clanmaurice: 2-16 

Ahascragh-Caltra: 1-1 

Clanmaurice are All-Ireland Intermediate Champions for the second year in succession thanks to a devastating spell either side of the break, in which former UL Star, Jackie Horgan scored 2-1. The Player of the Match had 2-3 in total and was ably assisted in the scoring stakes by Patrice Diggin and Ciara Spillane throughout. 

Good teams win All-Irelands, but great teams go back-to-back, and the Munster Champions have proven themselves as a great team at this level, in a statement victory at GAA Headquarters this afternoon.  

Coach Eddie Murphy praised the squad’s desire and relentless will-to-win in the lead up to the game and that was evident throughout the 60 minutes. Packs of black jerseys surrounding the Ahascragh-Caltra players as they tried to burst forward was a feature of the day.  

Clanmaurice also had their shooting boots with them on the day, with no less than seven of their starting 15 on the scoresheet. Their first score, in fact coming from the left boot of Jackie Horgan after Patrice Diggin’s missed penalty. 

They would go onto score the next four points of the afternoon, in an opening 20 minutes where Ahascragh-Caltra couldn’t get going. It was the Galway champions first appearance in Croke Park at this level. Their opponents have been here five times in the last eight seasons, and it showed. 

Aoibhe Glynn threatened to start her side’s charge at the title, five minutes from half time, with a rifled shot to the top corner of the Davin End goal. Joint captain Aoife Ní Cheallaigh first picked the pocket of the Clanmaurice captain, Diggin on her own 65’ and soloed down the line to create the opening. The chance appeared to have been thwarted by Sara Murphy at full back, but Glynn somehow managed to get the ball into her hand and beat Aoife Fitzgerald from an acute angle. 0-5 to 1-0. 

The hope was short lived though. Horgan added a point to put three between the sides. Then 60 seconds later, Murphy found Kate Lynch with an excellent long ball. The centre forward drew her defender, before cleverly picking out Horgan on her own at the edge of the square. She made no mistake with the finish, 1-6 to 1-0 at the break. 

The second half didn’t start any better for the Tribeswomen. Clanmaurice added 1-3 in the 10 minutes following the resumption of the game. Behan and Diggin with smart points, before Horgan finished the game as contest with her second of the match on 38 minutes. 

In a move that typified their performance, Diggin emerged from a ruck on sideline where a swarm of black jerseys had stopped yet another Ahascragh Caltra attack. She floated a pass towards Amy O’Sullivan on the 21-yard line. The ball broke to Horgan once more, who found the top corner and take complete control of the final. 

It would take Ahascragh Caltra until the 57th minute to register their second score of the game through joint captain, Sarah Noone. The centre back can be proud of her performance as she was heavily involved in most good things her side got through in the game. 

But today was the Kerry side’s day, they enter the senior ranks of the Munster Club Camogie Championship for the first time next season. It’s going to be some Christmas in Clanmaurice.  

Scorers for Clanmaurice: J Horgan 2-3, P Diggin, C Spillane 0-4 each, A Behan, K Lynch 0-2 each, A O’Sullivan 0-1.

Ahascragh Caltra: A Glynn 1-0, S Noone 0-1.

Clanmaurice: A Fitzgerald, R McCarthy, S Murphy, M Costello, A Behan, N Leen, A O’Connor, P Diggin, D O’Leary, C Spillane, K Lynch, L Collins, A O’Sullivan, A-M Leen, J Horgan.

Subs: E Ryall for O’Connor (55), J O’Keeffe for Horgan (56), C Moloney for O’Sullivan (57).

Ahascragh Caltra: L Noone, D Kelly, H Cullinane, M Higgins, R Blehane, S Noone, C Ní Cheallaigh, A Fitzpatrick, A Ní Cheallaigh, C Power, A Glynn, C Murray, E Reaney, L Kirwan, S Murray.

Subs: M Mulryan for Power (HT); J Higgins for Murray (40), L Glynn for Blehane (40), E Blehane for Glynn (52), G Gerard for Ní Cheallaigh (57).

Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin)