Two Wexford under 14 camogie teams travelled to Dublin last Saturday for All-Ireland Blitz Day with the A panel qualified for Division 1 and the right to play in the Mary Moran Cup competition and the B team competing for the Rosina McManus Cup in Division 3.

The A Team had the slightly tougher group having Kilkenny Galway and Clare in their group, with the top two teams due to qualify for an All-Ireland semi-final.

The A team got off to a flying start against Kilkenny with full forward, Ciara Butler causing all sorts of problems for the Kilkenny defence. Kilkenny were dispatched on a score line of 2-08 to 2-03. Up next was Galway. The Wexford girls settled into the match and began to close the gap in the last few minutes of the match Galway were in the lead 1-05 to 1-02 when Wexford were awarded a free 25-metre from goal. Sarah Doyle went low with her free only to have the ball cleared by Galway and the Wexford girls ran out of time.

The last group match was against Clare and knowing that there was a possibility of progression coming down to score difference the Wexford girls upped their performance to outscore Clare 3-11 to 1-05.

Kilkenny beat Galway leaving Wexford, Kilkenny and Galway joint top place with four points each. On a superior score difference Wexford topped the group with Kilkenny finishing second and Galway being eliminated.

Tipperary loomed next in the semi-final. it was tough physical battle but Wexford duo and joint captains Cora McGrath Aoibhe MacSweeney were dominant at midfield.  

Wexford held a three-point lead in the dying minutes of the game.

In the scrabble to clear the ball the referee blew the whistle the Wexford side-line jumped with joy believing the referee had blown the full-time whistle only to see her extend her arms and indicate a penalty for Tipperary.

The Tipperary free taker struck the ball with all her might in an effort to tie the match, however, Wexford goalkeeper Melissa Doran bravely placed herself in the path of the ball and stopped the shoot with her body,

Up next in the Final were Dublin.

Wexford stetched to a seven point lead – 2-04 to 0-03 – Dublin did get a late free which they converted into a goal but it was too little too late for home side and Wexford claimed their first top grade All Ireland title since 2012 on a score line of 2-04 to 1-03and amidst joyous scenes the Joint Wexford captains Cora McGrath and Aoibhe MacSweeney were awarded the Mary Moran Cup.

To add icing to the cake the Wexford A team were awarded the Cothrom Na Feinne award for fair play.

The Wexford A panel was Melissa Doran (Craanford), Zoe Tobin Cosgrave (Kilrush), Niamh O’Rourke(Kilrush), Claire McCarthy (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown), Rebecca Oligive, Cora McGrath (jt-Capt. Rathgarogue-Cushinstown), Roisin Hughes (Ballynastraw Gaels), Aoibhe MacSweeney (jt-Capt. Kilrush) Robyn O’Connor (Glynn- Barntown), Ciara Butler (Glynn-Barntown), Aoibhinn Mernagh(St Martins), Sarah Doyle (Craanford), Amy  Tobin  Cosgrave (Kilrush), Nicole Guillen (St Ibars), Nicola Corrigan (Kilrush), Ellie Kehoe (Cloughbawn), Karen Tomkins (Kilrush), Elizabeth Dempsey (Cloughbawn), Orla Redmond (Oylegate) and Caoimhe Byrne (Rathnure).

The B Team were to face the Derry A team and the Clare B team in the initial round robin stages.

The Wexford B Team were in a separate venue at O’Toole’s GAA Club and competed in the Rosina McManus Cup.

The girls did their county proud by topping the group with impressive wins over the Derry A team (1-05 to 1-03) and Clare B team 5-09 to 1-03. The girls then progressed to the All-Ireland semi-final stage, but unfortunately lost 4-07 to 0-4 to the strong Laois A team.  

The Wexford B team panel; Lauren Smith (Duffry Rovers), Aoife Kinsella  (Kilrush), Aoife Cullen (St Martins), Ellen Gill (Cloughbawn), Grace Harding Kenny (St Ibars), Jane Sinnot (St Martins) Tara O’Connor (jt-Capt. Ballynastragh Gaels), Abbie Walsh (jt-Capt. Kilrush), Imogen Deas (St Martins), Eimear Byrne (Kilrush), Jacqui Kehoe (Bunclody), Ellen Gill (Cloughbawn), Sarah Walsh (Oulart), Sophie Kirwan (Monageer), Kate Roche (Rosslare), Chloe Murphy and Kate Butler (both Kilrush), Caoimhe Curtis (Cloughbawn), Grainne O’Neill (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown), Sadhbh Buttle, (Kilrush), Aoife Farrell (Bunclody), Caoilfhionn Ni Nuallain (Ballygarrett), Lizzie Walsh (Glynn-Barntown).

The manager was Noel Mac Sweeney and his selectors included Megan Roche, Nick Finn, Pat Redmond, Geraldine Curtis, Tara O’Brien, Vivienne Byrne and Mick Kelly.