You might remember back in July we wrote about, what really was a comical situation, regarding the Ardrahan senior camogie team and their malfunction with numbers before their opening championship game against Mullagh.
We’ve included the link but what happened was their jerseys arrived late, they didn’t play the first half wearing their correct numbers. And when the error was picked up on, rather than change the team sheet, they changed their match jerseys making any form of reporting impossible.
Now, while pointing out the silliness of what happened, there was some attempted humour too and it was great to be able chat with Shauna Healy afterwards and laugh about it. Sure, didn’t my club Ballinasloe leave their jerseys at home the day they won the 2013 All-Ireland Junior club football title.
Camogie – OPINION: Ardrahan Need to Make Up the Numbers https://t.co/ecCJhut63L
— Galway Daily (@GalwayDaily) July 11, 2018
However, when our discussion turned to matters on the field, Healy was as focused as ever. Having just come off her best year with Galway and surely a deserved All-Star nomination, she brought that form into club action as Ardrahan gave a solid reminder they still mean business at home.
It wasn’t a good start for Fintan McNamara’s team. Two heavy losses to Mullagh and Sarsfields conceding eight goals. Many pundits were already writing off their semi-final chances. And they were facing an Eyrecourt team who were unlucky not to get something against Mullagh.
And we did have another jersey situation. But this time it was just a colour clash and Ardrahan came out in black and showed a bit of All-Black magic in taking Eyrecourt apart. Caomhe Cahill struck after just 40 seconds, Shauna Healy got a goal on the quarter hour and they led 2-12 to 0-2 at half-time.
Throw in Brenda Kerins’ third after the restart and Ardrahan hit their autumn in full fettle ahead of what could be a winner-takes-all clash with Oranmore/Maree this Sunday (16th September).
Oranmore/Maree have suffered since drawing the first day against Sarsfields and the reigning champions had to settle for a share of the spoils again in Friday’s second game in Duggan Park.
St. Thomas, having been a sleeping contender for some years and are one big win away from really making a mark on Galway camogie. With talent all over the field from Lorraine Coen and Heather Cooney in defence, to Deirdre Burke and Sarah Healy further up, there’s a title in them.
It wouldn’t have been won last Friday but a win against a dominant power was within their grasp as goals from Sarah Healy and Finola Keely put them three ahead of Michael McGrath’s charges in the closing stages before settling for a 2-10 to 0-16 draw.
The draw, after wins over Eyrecourt and Oranmore/Maree, is enough to guarantee Vinny Healy’s team a quarter-final spot. But if they play with the same attitude this Sunday against Mullagh in Gort, an automatic semi-final place is within their reach.
That being said, you still can’t write off Mullagh and Sarsfields setting up a rematch in October. Mullagh are getting wins even if being made work for them. And Sarsfields showed the determination of champions to stay unbeaten even if they’ve two draws in three games.
Siobhan McGrath produced an exhibition and finished the game with 13 points. The young minor is going to be tightly marked (she has to be!) but it doesn’t faze her as she shows examples of her unlimited potential. They will be favourites to beat Eyrecourt on Sunday and that will book their qualification.
Only three rounds but the senior camogie championship is turning into an exciting race. And we haven’t even gotten to the Senior B teams yet. Roll on Sunday!
Senior A Championship Results – Round 3
Ardrahan 3-23 Eyrecourt 0-5
Sarsfields 0-16 St. Thomas 2-10 (Draw)
Mullagh 3-12 Oranmore/Maree 1-9
| Pld | Pts | |
| MULLAGH | 3 | 9 |
| ST. THOMAS | 3 | 7 |
| Sarsfields | 3 | 5 |
| Ardrahan | 3 | 3 |
| Oranmore/Maree | 3 | 1 |
| Eyrecourt | 3 | 0 |
Footnote:
These are the six Senior A clubs in Galway but three of them didn’t even put up the result of their games from Friday night on their Facebook pages (and only one of those clubs was a losing team).
If clubs don’t make their senior teams championship matches a bit deal, then they can’t be complaining if they don’t get the coverage or support they feel they deserve.
