Historic weekend for Jude’s who claim Division One Feile

IT WAS an historic weekend for St Jude’s GAA Club as it was the first time to enter three teams in the Dublin Camogie Feile with teams competing in Division One, Division Six and Division 10 with 58 girls playing across three teams.

There was joy for their Division One side as they came out tops in the Division One final and now go forward to compete in the National Feile.

The clubs Division 10 girls were hosted by Setanta in Ballymun where they competed well drawing in two of their group matches against Na Fianna ‘D’ and Erin Go Bragh and losing out to overall winners Setanta.

The Division Six side were hosted by Round Towers (Lusk), winning all their group matches against Round Towers Lusk (1-0 to 0-1), Cuala (2-0 to 1-0), Ballyboden (1-0 -0-0) and advancing to semi-finals against Lucan where they were very unlucky to lose by a goal in extra time.

The Division One side were hosted by Na Fianna, winning all their group matches against Ballyboden (1-04 to 0-02) with Katie Quigley (1-3 (1-2f)) Eva O’Mara 0-1) and  Na Fianna (2-07 to 1-04) with Ella Fitzgerald (1-0) Eva O’Mara (0-1) Katie Quigley (0-6f) Izzy Cowzer (1-0) finding the range. In their last game they overcame Naomh Brid (3-02 to 1-03) with Katie Quigley (2f -02f) and Izzy Cowzer (1-0) finding the range.

The semi-final; saw Jude’s overcome the challenge of Lucan 2-6 to 0-1 with Katie Quigley (2 -3(0-2f)), Sarah McDaid (0-1), Eva O’Mara (0-1) and Alex O’Shea(0-1) on target.

The final saw Jude’s pitched against Na Fianna in Abbotstown.

The half time score was 0-3 to 0-1 to Na Fianna with the Mobhi Road side winning the opening exchanges scoring two points from play and one point from a free to St Jude’s one point scored by Katie Quigley from a free.

Full time score was 0-4 to 0-4 with St Jude’s winning the second half battle with superb defending from Anna Kelly, Beth O’Grady, Lucy Kelly and Odette Caffery and excellent midfield play from Eva O’Mara and Katie Quigley with Katie also scoring a further two points from frees and Ella Fitzgerald scoring a lovely point from play saw the sides level.

Extra time of five minutes aside was then needed with St Jude’s starting strongly with Sarah McDaid and Eva O Mara (Player of the Match) putting in very strong performances winning the ruc’s and driving on their St Jude’s teammates.

Katie Quigley then took a super goal chance when she pulled on a breaking ball straight to back of the net.

The ball was no sooner pucked out by the Na Fianna keeper and down the other end of the pitch, that with a very unlucky bounce of the ball saw the sliothar in the back of St Jude’s net to make it a draw match again at 1- 04 each.

St Jude’s were determined not to lose this match and with a huge work rate over on the stand sideline together with the blocking and hooking by St Jude’s players Saoirse Howlett and Anna Kelly stopped Na Fianna advancing up the pitch.

The referee then awarded two frees to St Jude’s players Niamh Fitzgerald and Sarah McDaid which saw St Jude’s free taker Katie Quigley punish, with the last free from an acute angle on the sideline 20 metres out which was the score of the match to see it finish 1-6 to 1-4.

This saw St Jude’s clench the Division 1 Feile title for the 3rd time in their club history.

It was last won by St Jude’s in 2011 where Senior player Eimear O’Riordain who was on this winning team came up to club to present the girls their Feile medals on Sunday evening.

It was also won in 1994 where St Jude’s captain Abi Massey’s mum Sarah Massey (and one of the camogie coaches) was on that winning team.

This team have been together since the girls were three and four years of age, starting out on St. Jude’s academy. Coached over the years by Fiona Guckian, Barry O’Mara, Ben Kelly, Meadhbh O’Grady, Sarah Massey and Tom Howlett and they were just unstoppable over this Feile weekend. Their team bond, togetherness and huge work rate saw them over the line. Roll on the National Feile in June!!