Naas claim fourth senior Camogie title in a row
Naas celebrate their status as Senior Camogie Champions for 2025 Photo: Aisling Hyland
AN impressive haul of 2-5 from full forward, Caoimhe Maher, led Naas to a four in a row of titles as they carried too much power, skill and experience to convincingly defeat first time County Finalists, Maynooth, in the Cúl Sliotars Kildare Camogie Senior Final on a benign night at Cedral St Conleth’s Park on Friday night.
The vocal Maynooth support roared on their team from start to finish, a team that opened brightly in each half but each time the defending champions reasserted themselves to wrestle control and score goals at vital times in the game. The opening goal came in the 20th minute when Maher set up corner forward, Aoibhín Delaney, to finish past Ellie Heffernan in the Maynooth goals. Maher, the equally impressive wing forward, Aoife Stynes, Rebecca McDermott and Róise Hennessy all contributed handsomely to the Naas tally in the first half which saw them take a 1-11 to 0-2 advantage in at half time. That sizable Maynooth support had to wait until the 21st minute before they had something to cheer about. Their sole scorer on the night, Roisin Forde, who had a great battle with Naas defender, Aoife Keane all night, opened their account with a pointed free. Forde added a second from play three minutes later as a mini Maynooth revival appeared on the cards just before half time.
Once again Maynooth were on the front foot early in the second half and Forde scored a brilliant long range 70 yard free in the 34th minute. Sadly, for Maynooth, that was to be their last score of the game as once Caoimhe Maher scored the Naas second goal, set up by Aoife McDermott three minutes later, the battling Maynooth side could find no way back into the game. The third Naas goal was of the fortuitous variety as a long delivery from Aoife Stynes deceived keeper, Ellie Heffernan and ended up in the Maynooth net in the 52nd minute. The fourth Naas goal arrived five minutes from time when substitute, Sophie Hazzard’s shot came back off the cross bar and Caoimhe Maher reacted quickest to fire home her second of the evening. Maher, Stynes, Allie McGrath and Sara Carroll kept the scoreboard ticking over for the champions throughout the second. Their teak tough defence shut out any threat of a Maynooth opening and the Sean and Annie Conway Memorial Cup went back to the County Town for the fourth year in a row.
C Maher 2-5, A Stynes 1-5, A Delany 1-1, R McDermott 0-4 (1f), R Hennessy, S Carroll, A McDermott, A McGrath 0-1 each.
R Forde 0-3 (2f)
Roisin Roche; Aoife Keane, Aíne Conway, Fahsai Nic Choncradha; Kate Murphy, Niamh Hegarty, Aoife McCarthy; Róise Hennessy, Sara Carroll; Aoife McDermott, Allie McGrath, Aoife Stynes; Rebecca McDermott, Caoimhe Maher, Aoibhín Delany. Subs: Órlaith Delany for Nic Chonchradha and Sophie Hazzard for R McDermott (45), Grainne Dowling for McGrath and Ciara Ryan for Hegarty (53), Rachel Byrne for McCarthy and Millie Kelleher for Delany (57), Rebecca McDermott for Maher (60).
Ellie Heffernan, Sadhbh Buckley, Sadhbh Horgan, Casey Noone; Keeva Flynn, Niamh Hayes, Ella O’Connor; Niamh Krahn, Hannah Davis; Niamh Farrell, Ruth Millett, Hannah Merrick, Sinead Turreau, Roisin Forde, Tara Rafferty. Subs: Fiona Lynch for Farrell (HT), Martha Gilligan for O’Connor (43), Sile Flood for Buckley (51).
Brian Kearney
