Ulster Champions 2022
Senior Medallion Shield final:
St Colm’s Draperstown 0-8 Our Lady’s Newry 0-7
St Colm’s Draperstown bounced back from defeat by two points to Sacred Heart Newry two years ago in the Senior Medallion Shield final to take their second title at this level with a narrow win in the Mid Ulster Sports Arena over the other Newry school, Our Lady’s.
This was not a classic final in the sense of open camogie with brilliant scoring as 11 of the 15 points scored came from frees. But it was tense throughout and the teams were level on no fewer than six occasions.
Tiarna Kelly’s saves between the posts for St Colm’s were excellent and she kept her side in the game. However the accuracy of central defender Cliodhna Hickson from frees was the real difference in a game of small margins. While Our Lady’s shot wide with as many frees as they scored, Hickson coolly found the posts on six of her seven shots – and some of those were from distance or out on the wing.
The real pressure score was the winning point from wide on the wing 35 metres from goal with five minutes left on the clock. Our Lady’s had scored the previous two points and looked to be gaining momentum. That score took the sting out of the Newry attack and ultimately won the game for St Colm’s
Cliodhna was also a towering presence in general play with full-back Shannon Scullion also impressive and the midfield pairing of Sinéad McGuigan and Anna McDaid hard-workers. Up front however Aoife Doyle and the rest found Our Lady’s defence really solid throughout the game.
The three Morgans in that defence were very good particularly Clonduff’s Katie Morgan with Ellen Shields, Ceallagh Byrne and Siobhan McKinley also catching the eye.
Hickson pointed twice from long-range frees with a point from Ceallagh Byrne in between before Ellen Shields edged Our Lady’s ahead at the water-break with two frees.
Aoife Doyle pointed on the re-start and Shannon Burns (their only scorer from play) put St Colm’s ahead. However just before the half-time Ceallagh Byrne swopped points with Hickson to leave Draperstown with their noses ahead at 0-5 to 0-4 at the change of ends.
After another free by Ellen Shields had the teams level, Hickson with two frees again pushed her team into the lead going into the final quarter.
Amy Morgan and Ellen Shields tied the teams again at 0-7 each. But from the resulting puck out St Colm’s worked the ball down to win the free from which Hickson notched the winner.
After winning their first Senior Medallion Shield in 2009, St Colm’s went all the way to collect the All-Ireland title. This team of course has similar form. Two years ago, as under 16s, they won an All-Ireland junior title just before lockdown.
They now have a quick turnaround as they are off to Dublin to play Hartstown Community School in an All-Ireland senior quarter-final this Saturday.
St Colm’s : Tiarna Kelly, Orlaith Henry, Shannon Scullion, Niamh Hamill, Leanne McCullagh, Cliodhna Hickson 0-6 (fs), Rachel McCullagh, Sinéad McGuigan, Anna McDaid, Grace Kelly, Aoife Doyle capt 0-1 (f), Shannon Burns 0-1, Hannah Scullion, Mary Jo McEldowney, Shona Fullerton.
Subs: Holly McKenna for H Scullion (44).
Our Lady’s : N McConville, S McAneney, R Monaghan, C Morgan, Katie Morgan (Aghaderg), Katie Morgan (Clonduff), L Devlin, C Byrne 0-2, E Shields 0-4 (fs), A Hendron, S McKinley, CR O’Neill, C Agnew, M Murphy, A Morgan 0-1.
Subs: E Cassidy for M Murphy (HT), C Savage for A Hendron (35), E-B Rooney for C Agnew (45)
Referee: John Devlin (Tyrone)
