Loreto Kilkenny’s Junior A camogie team followed the example set by their Senior counterparts seven days earlier when beating Presentation Athenry in their O’Neills All-Ireland Post-Primary semi-final.
Indeed the younger representatives’ feat may have been even better, as they had to go into enemy territory and emerged from Gort with a comprehensively favourable result, 5-16 to 3-5.
All Ireland Junior A Semi Final: Loreto Kilkenny 5-16 Athenry 3-5 full time @kclr96fm @KKPeopleSport @OfficialCamogie
— Loreto Principal (@LoretoKilkenny) February 18, 2017
It was no surprise that Rachel and Hannah Kelly played such major roles in the stunning victory, given that they are members of the senior squad and indeed played in last year’s All-Ireland Senior A final loss to St Brigid’s Loughrea.
The James Stephens duo were also stars of last year’s All-Ireland success at Junior level and they tormented the Pres defence, scoring 3-10 between them (2-4 for Rachel and 1-6 for Hannah). Maddy Lawson and Elizabeth Keher also weighed in with goals.
Remarkably, the semi-final pairings were identical to those at Senior A level but Cross & Passion prevented a repeat in the decider with a resounding victory over their own over Thurles’s Ursuline Convent, at Ballycastle.
This sets up a repeat of last year’s gripping semi-final that Loreto just squeezed by and if the Noresiders are to win a three-in-a-row and a sensational seventh title in eight season, they will need to be at their very best.
Additional reporting Daragh Ó Conchúir.
