Eagerly Awaited Junior Final ahead this weekend
This Saturday at 1 pm in Piltown sees the County Junior Final take place with both John Lockes and Tullogher likely to travel in numbers to support their girls through what is a big occasion for all in both clubs. Both sides have taken different routes to the final this year and both will know that if they can get their best performance on the day, they are well capable of claiming the title – and it is likely that a few key moments at either end of the pitch will dictate where the trophy ends up on Saturday evening.
For John Lockes, they have been probably the most consistent team in the Junior championship for the past three years since going out on their own as a camogie adult team in 2024 – and they were agonisingly close to claiming this title two years ago when they were pipped by Emeralds by two points while they came even closer last year when Dicksboro edged the decider by a point. The bulk of their team is relatively young and while they took some time to get going this year (they didn’t contest the latter stages of the summer league), they have been the dominant team once the championship team started – winning all five of their league championship matches, winning the championship league final against Tullogher less than a month ago, and then progressing to this weekend’s final with relative ease after they were awarded a quarterfinal walkover win before dominating Blacks & Whites in last Sunday’s semifinal. They will know that a stern test of their credentials awaits them in Saturday’s final but they have an array of talent in their team which is well capable of taking the extra step this year and claiming the title. This includes county players Rachel, Laura and Emily Phelan, Aisling O’Sullivan and Leah O’Donovan.
For Tullogher, it has been a memorable camogie season to date and backed by their considerable band of loyal supporters, they are also hoping to take the extra step and get to the summit of junior camogie. They have also been close to eventual honours in recent years as they pushed 2025 champions Dicksboro to the limit before losing by a point in last year’s quarterfinal and this year has seen them acquire the tricky task of getting out the right side of tight contests – none more so than in the summer league final against Carrickshock and again against the same opponents in last Sunday’s dramatic championship final. They also won all four of their league championship matches before losing out to John Lockes in the championship league final – however they have bounced back impressively with hard fought wins over Graiguenamanagh in the quarterfinal and in last Sunday’s semifinal. They have certainly earned their right to be in this final and they have many quality players capable of big performances on the big day. Like John Lockes, they have impressive attackers well capable of testing any defence such as Aoibheann Ryan, Kate Lyng, Rachel Murphy and Dearbhla Ryan.
So it is all to play for in Piltown on Saturday and both sides will travel in confidence that this match can be won – and while finals don’t often live up to expectations, an exciting match is highly likely for neutrals with both sides playing a fast brand of skilful attractive camogie in all matches to date this year.
