February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Mark Jones
DUBLIN — Tipperary won the county’s first ever All-Ireland camogie title with an historic 0-12 to 1-8 victory over Kilkenny at Croke Park last Sunday.
The bad memories of seven previous disappointments at the final hurdle were banished as teenager Caitriona Hennessy converted two late frees to give Tipp a thrilling success.
The game proved to be the end of the line for the extraordinary Ann Downey, who was seeking her 13th winners medal. Downey, who has taken part in 27 championships in a glittering camogie career, announced her retirement following Kilkenny’s defeat.
Cork took the junior title with a narrow 1-13 to 2-9 win over Derry, while
Waterford and Mayo qualified for the women’s football decider with victories
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over Monaghan and Meath, respectively.
Other GAA results
Galway defeated Tipperary by 3-12 to 1-16 to reach the All-Ireland under 21
hurling final, while Down got the better of Dublin by 2-14 to 1-9 in the All
Ireland minor football semi-final replay.
There were county football titles for Rathnew (Wicklow), Castleblaney (Monaghan), Glencar/Manorhamilton (Leitrim), Enniskillen Gaels (Fermanagh) and Ballylanders (Limerick), the latter bridging an 82-year gap. The Kidare hurling title was won by Coill Dubh, while Ballygalget and Portaferry drew 0-10 apiece in the Down final.
Munster rugby success
Munster made a major step forward in defense of their Interprovincial rugby title when they defeated Ulster by 25-24 last weekend at Upper Malone.
In fact, Munster were well on top for most of the game with Ulster only rallying late on and they are now four points clear at the top of the table. Leinster just got the better of Connacht 22-19 with Brian O’Driscoll scoring the match-winning try in injury time.
Davies tees off
Former world No. 1 Laura Davies offended locals with a series of disparaging
remarks about the Letterkenny course during last week’s Donegal Irish
Women’s golf open. Davies, who was beaten in a playoff by France’s Sandrine
Mendiburu for the title, described Letterkenny as "the worst course I’ve
ever played."
Bord Failte, the tournament’s main sponsors, have a made a formal complaint
to the Ladies European Tour. "We were very disappointed that one of
the Tour’s leading players should have spoken in such an ill-considered
fashion," said Bord Failte chief executive John Dully.
The LET were clearly embarrassed by Davies’s remarks and it now remains to be
seen if they will take action.
Faith in Lawrie
Despite yet another defeat, the Irish Football Association are to offer Lawrie McMenemy a new contract for the 2002 World Cup campaign. On Saturday last the North went down 3-0 to Turkey at Windsor Park, their fifth defeat in six competitive games under McMenemy. However, the IFA have decided since August to offer the Geordie another contract for the World Cup campaign.
Macken’s ‘Cruising’
Longford-born rider Eddie Macken is to take over the ride on Cruising following the breakup of the six-year partnership with the horse’s owners and Trevor Coyle. Following a run of bad results owners Mary and David McCann ended their relationship with Coyle.
Irish still of track
A plan to bring unity to Irish athletics looks like its not going to be accepted by the NACAI in its present form. And now a special congress scheduled to be held in Dublin Sept. 11 been postponed. The plan is to have a new body named the Irish Athletics Federation, which will be recognized by the IAAF and the Olympic Council of Ireland.
Irvine replaced
Rubens Barrichells will replace Eddie Irvine at Ferrari next season. And it’s expected that Irvine will swap places with the Brazilian by signing for the Stewart Ford team for next season.