St Lachtain's retain club title

Camogie All-Ireland Final/St Lachtains 1-9 Davitts 1-4: Reigning All-Ireland champions St Lachtain's of Freshford, Kilkenny, …

Camogie All-Ireland Final/St Lachtains 1-9 Davitts 1-4: Reigning All-Ireland champions St Lachtain's of Freshford, Kilkenny, claimed back-to-back titles at Cloughjordan yesterday - defeating Davitts of Galway, 1-9 to 1-4, in the All-Ireland club final.

In a tight first half, St Lachtain's full forward Marie O'Connor struck gold in the 21st minute. Davitts narrowed the gap before the break with a Lourda Kavanagh point, but it still left the champions ahead, 1-5 to 0-3.

Davitts, now enjoying wind advantage, started the second period brightly - with Kavanagh cancelling out an Imelda Kennedy free a minute earlier. And the Galway side gave their big support something to cheer when Kavanagh shot her side's only goal of the day, to leave just two points between the teams.

However, Davitts couldn't narrow the gap any further and the Bill O'Carroll Cup remains in Kilkenny for another year.

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In the junior All-Ireland final, reigning champions Liatroim Fontenoys of Down retained the McBride Cup - defeating first-time finalists Newmarket on Fergus of Clare, 3-7 to 0-8, in Cloughjordan. The winners trailed 0-2 to 0-6 at the break, but the turning point came eight minutes into the second half when Máirin McAleenan, shot her first of three goals.

ST LACHTAIN'S: L Comerford; S Cash, G Dillon Maher, F Dowling; M McCarthy, M Costelloe, D Delaney; I Kennedy (0-6, four frees), A Dalton; S Connery, E Costelloe, A Fitzpatrick; E Fitzpatrick, M O'Connor (1-3), D Minogue. Subs: M Hickey for A Dalton (55 mins).

DAVITTS: K Power; O Watson, A Broderick, L Flynn; R Broderick, A Kelly, L Gohery; D Murphy, P Hayes; Caroline Kelly, Caithriona Kelly, D Gillchrist; O Forde, L Kavanagh (1-4, 0-3 from frees), M Kelly. Subs: Y Donnelly for M Kelly (22 mins), A Tuohy for O Forde (53 mins), D Kelly for D Gillchrist (58 mins),

Referee: J Pender (Kildare).