Cathy Mulholland in a tussle for the loose ball, with two Cork defenders in the All Ireland Junior Camogie Final Photo by L McNally

'All-Ireland Junior Championship Final
Down 2-4 (10) Cork 4-5 (17)

Down came into this game full of expectation. Having come through a tough Ulster Championship they were expected to be in with a shout of picking up their first All-Ireland Junior Championship in 13 years. However, it was Cork who claimed the day.

But you won’t hear any excuses from Down, no if onlys and no what ifs. On the day Cork were just that bit better.

Down started the game nervously enough and found themselves 1-1 down after just 5 minutes and even at that early stage things look ominous as Cork seemed to settle into their stride much quicker. However, a goal from full forward Cathy Mulholland and a Catherine McGourty point brought the Mourne girls back on level terms after ten minutes and things looked good as Down began to play with some fluency in their game. Then Mairin McAleenan goaled to put Down ahead for the first time in the match and when Karen Gribben pointed to stretch their lead to four, Down looked to be taking control. But back came Cork with a goal and a point and things were level again. Undeterred, Down replied firstly with a Karen Gribben point and then one from McAleenan to put two between the teams as the interval approached. These though, turned out to be Down’s last scores of the game.

With the first-half into injury time Cork struck back, firstly with a point and then dramatically with a goal just on the whistle to take the advantage and a two point lead into the break. (2-4 to 3-3)

The second half began as the first had, with Cork getting in for an early goal to stretch their lead to five points. Try as Down might, they just couldn’t get their game flowing as it had during the first thirty minutes. Cork to their credit kept the Mourne girls pinned back in their own half for most of the second period and, it was but for some do or die defending and a number of great saves from ‘Keeper Teresa McGowan that kept Cork at bay. Indeed Cork were to add only two more points to their tally but, crucially, Down didn’t get on the scoreboard in the second half at all as Cork dominated the midfield area and didn’t allow Down to settle on the ball at all.

So it just wasn’t to be for Down, this year at least. Naturally at the final whistle there was disappointment but as team Manager Bernie McNally acknowledged Down will fight another day; “Unfortunately it just wasn’t to be. We played well, well at least as well as Cork let us but we’re a young team and we’ll be back. At half time I though it was anybody’s game but Cork just kept us pinned back in the second half and it was hard for us to get any chances at all. But I though we fought very hard and the players gave their all which, at the end of the day is all you can ask.

For Down though, we’ll be back. This is a young team and today was an experience for them. I know they’ll learn from it, and be better for it too.”

Down team

1.Teresa McGowan (O'Donovan Rossa)

4. Clare McGovern (Liatroim Fontenoys) 3. Moya Maginn (Clonduff) 2. Anne Morgan (Liatroim Fontenoys)

7. Deborah Kelland (Ballyholland) 6. Pauline Green (Drumaness) 5. Karen Murray (Portaferry)

9. Lisa McCrickard (Liatroim Fontenoys) 8. Jennifer Braniff (Ballycran)

12. Fiona Duff (Portaferry) 11. Mairin McAleenan (Liatroim Fontenoys)10. Catherine McGourty (Ballycran)

15. Fionnuala Carr (Clonduff) 14. Cathy Mulholland (Ballyholland) 13. Karen Gribben (Clonduff)

16. Orla Maginn (Clonduff) 17. Mary McPolin (Clonduff) 18. Ciara McCarthy (Ballycran) 19. Brenda Gallagher (Liatroim Fontenoys) 20. Angeline Fearon (Attical) 21. Mary Gilmore (Ballycran), 22. Katrina Fegan (Warrenpoint), 23. Colleen Grant (Kilcoo), 24. Pauline Trainor (Longstone)