Minor A Leinster Camogie Shield Final

Change is on the way it would seem in the world of Camogie. On Saturday afternoon last, at a sun-splashed St Peregrines GAA club, the Dublin and Offaly minor Camogie players wore the mantle of change lightly on their shoulders, as they played their part deliberately, purposefully and in measured fashion in the unfolding skorts/shorts drama that will perhaps go down as a cathartic moment in the history of The Camogie Association. 

Thrust somewhat unexpectedly into the limelight around an increasingly highly-publicised issue, the players from both teams grasped the nettle, connected with each other via social media during the week leading up to their Leinster Minor A Shield Final, and decided among themselves on a course of action directed at demonstrating their collective support for their Senior Inter-county colleagues who are campaigning for the choice to wear shorts when playing competitive Camogie. Despite the stated fondness of many of these players for the skort, they strongly share the view that those preferring to wear shorts should be allowed to do so. 

The players themselves, via the 2 captains, Eile Caffrey of Dublin and Kate Pilkington of Offaly, decided independently of mentors that they would show support for their Senior colleagues by taking to the field in shorts and wearing the shorts during the warmup. They agreed in advance to change back to wearing skorts in the event the game would be abandoned should they insist on wearing shorts.  In a powerful visual moment, the 2 teams lined up together togged out in shorts for a group photo, a photo that was distributed far and wide on social media. Ultimately the game would have been abandoned had the girls not reverted to their skorts, so after returning to the changing rooms the teams re-emerged in skorts as the clock ticked towards the point of no return.  

From the drama of the skorts/shorts saga, the focus shifted rapidly towards the drama of the on-field Camogie action. As a sporting spectacle, the game had everything. The skills execution and intensity of the play were at a high level from the start, and the referee seemed in the mood to let the play flow which suited everyone, spectators and players alike. The Dublin girls managed to edge ahead of Offaly as the first half wore on, and aided by the slight breeze found their scoring range with the help of some fine shooting from out the field by Caitlin McKenna, Laoise Conaghan, Anna Magee, Abbie Kenny, Chloe O’Shea, Roisin Nolan and Aoibhinn O’Gorman.  

Dublin seemed slightly more adept than Offaly at getting their key link players, Niamh Hyland, Reka Kiss Kallo, Sadhbh McCann into space with ball in hand, giving them the advantage in terms of picking out the shooters, and the runners coming off the shoulder, keeping the pressure on the Offaly rearguard. However, the Offaly girls stood firm for most of the first half, and with a brilliant performance from their goalkeeper ensured the scoring opportunities were confined mainly to points from out the field. 

The traffic was by no means all heading in the direction of the Offaly goal however. On the contrary with Kate Pilkington in fine form in the air, plucking some great puckouts out of the sky. Offaly launched numerous attacks into the heart of the Dublin defence, and with their forwards moving the Dublin defenders out of position, a number of great opportunities opened up, which but for some stout defending from Seodhna O’Riain, Susie Dalton, Eile Caffrey and Caoimhe Brady might have led to a much tighter scoreline at the halfway mark.  

Around the 20 minute mark, the game turned on what was a great flowing movement the length of the pitch from a long puckout by Ella Walsh in the goal, and finished to the net by the unstoppable Caitlin McKenna. A vital score in the context of the game, the goal gave Dublin momentum as the half-time break approached.  However Offaly responded with a great goal of their own, leaving no doubt that the game was far from over. The work rate from both teams was relentless during the first half, most noticeably around the middle of the field where for Dublin the amount of work done in particular by the likes of Sadhbh McCann, Aoibhinn O’Gorman, Reka Kiss Kallo, Chloe O’Shea, Abbie Kenny helped ultimately turn the tide in Dublin’s favour. 

Dublin needed the cushion of a lead at half time, because straight away at the restart Offaly tore into the girls in blue. Offaly notched up 3 points in a row over the course of the early stages of the second half, and caused a few nervous moments in the Dublin setup. Dublin had made some changes to the lineup at half time to inject fresh legs, and as the new girls, Eva Collis, Rebekah Verling and Grace Hughes settled into the game, the ship was steadied for Dublin. 

Dublin upped the ante once more, and with some searing runs through the middle by Chloe O’Shea and Abbie Kenny in particular, and added competitiveness via the introduction of Kate Keaney into the half forward line and Clodagh Hogan into the full forward line, further scores were added by Dublin. This period of dominance ultimately led to the final nail in the Offaly coffin, when Caitlin McKenna, who picked up the award for player of the match, rattled the net with a great finish, effectively ending the game as a contest with her second goal of the game. Towards the final 15 minutes of the game Dublin introduced Ava O’Neill, who showed very fine touched at wing back, and Beth Maguire who slotted over the final point on the Dublin side in her return to the Dublin fold, leaving the final score at 2-14 to 1-4 in favour of Dublin. 

All that remained of a great day was for Eile Caffrey to lift the Shield trophy on behalf of her delighted Dublin teammates, and Caitlin McKenna to pick up her award for player of the match, having notched up 2-4 over the course of the game.  A great match, a great day, and very well done to Dublin and Offaly girls, some stars of the future on show for sure.