Offaly 2-12 Wexford 2-10:Offaly held off a spirited Wexford side with in dominant second half performance to win the Gala All-Ireland camogie final for the second successive year.
Last year’s junior champions, under the stewardship of Faithful legend Joachim Kelly, showed great character to finish strongly after seeing their good work in the first half wiped out by Wexford’s scoring burst of 2-04 in the opening 20 minutes of the second period.
Fiona Rochford, who was switched to full-forward in the first half, bagged both of Wexford’s goals in the 45th and 49th minutes. The second brought the sides level at 2-08 apiece but, crucially, Offaly hit back with four of the next five points.
Ailsa Hayden notch up their first score in 15 minutes to put them in front and Siobhan Flannery followed up with a wonder score, her fourth of the day.
Inspirational Wexford captain Claire O’Connor reduced the margin to the minimum from a free.
But Offaly skipper Michaela Morkan was colossal at centre-back and the midlanders kicked on. Emma Dunne and Arlene Watkins slotted the points which made Linda Bolger’s riposte an insufficient one.
It had looked like a much more comfortable day at the office for Offaly when the magnificent Elaine Dermody threatened to win the game on her own.
The Drumcullen player struck for goals in the eighth and 29th minutes, and with Flannery driving over three points and Jean Brady providing two, they were full value for their 2-07 to 0-04 interval lead despite the fine work of Wexford centre-back Louise Codd.
Wexford made two substitutions at half time and with the switch of O’Connor and Rochford paying major dividends they made a thrilling contest of this final.
Significantly though, they never managed to get their noses in front and it was Offaly who showed the greater staying power to claim the Jack McGrath Cup.
Offaly: A Kennedy; F Stephens, L Keena, K Brady; S Sullivan, M Morkan, L Sullivan; A Watkins 0-1, M Crean; J Brady 0-2, A Kelly, S Flannery 0-4; K Nugent, E Dermody 2-3(0-1f), T Hannon. Subs: M Davis for Kelly (43); A Hughes 0-1 for Nugent (45); E Dunne 0-1 for Flannery (56)
Wexford: H Jacob; J Hayden, L O'Leary, C Atkinson; F Doran, L Codd, S Kehoe; E Moran, L O'Connor; F Rochford 2-1, S Nolan, S Redmond 0-1; S Kehoe, C O'Connor 0-5(3fs), Lisa Bolger 0-1. Subs: E O'Connor for Nolan (ht); B Curran for Doran (ht); Linda Bolger 0-1 for Kehoe (54)
Gala All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final
Wexford 1-12 Galway 1-10
Gala All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Championship Final
Offaly 2-12 Wexford 2-10
Gala All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship Final
Antrim 1-09 Waterford 1-09