Maghera camogs make history with All-Ireland success

THERE will only ever be one first time. History. Laying the path for others. That was the Saturday story for the junior camogs of St Patrick’s Maghera.

They’d won national titles in seven-a-side competitions but a fully loaded All-Ireland had eluded them.

With seconds to go, extra-time was on the cards. After losing previous finals, they had another bite. Aoibheann O’Loughlin had other ideas. She pulled the trigger to nail the winning point.

Presentation tried to save the game but couldn’t. It was Maghera’s day.

“It’s absolutely unreal, I still can’t believe it,” said Brónach Quigg, who coached the team with Eimear Lavery and Tiarnán McHugh.

Speaking on Monday afternoon, 48 hours hadn’t fully processed writing another chapter in the school’s illustrious history.

“There were a lot of tears, tears of joy,” he said. “Today, you’re back to reality with double A level this morning, so it’s just mental all day.”

A school assembly follow later today with the buzz at fever pitch. The senior boys had a hectic weekend as they qualified for another Hogan Cup final.

From a camogie point of view, Maghera did it the hard way. Before the late winner came a first half performance where they dominated but found the Presentation ‘keeper in unstoppable form.

They knew they’d face her between the posts. They were braced for the Kilkenny eye for goal that pushed them ahead. Another final defeat on the cards? Not this time.

“We just said we’d stick to the process, that we had to keep going right to the very end,” Quigg said of their mantra.

“At half time you could see we were definitely the better team, but Presentation, came out a completely different team in the second half, they were rejuvenated.

“I would say there was a lot of people in heaven on our side on Saturday,” Quigg said of the departed members of the school community, including her late father Patsy who ploughed efforts into sport in the school.

Two years ago, Maghera were champions in Ulster at every grade of camogie. Going all the way at national level has been a bridge too far.

“They’ve come so close so many times,” Quigg added. “Two weeks ago, the seniors came so close.

“They (junior squad) just knew that they were there or thereabouts and they didn’t just have a luck on the day. Ee got that wee bit of luck on Saturday.”

Emma Quinn and Aoife McWilliams started both finals with and juniors Eimear Conway and Brianna Donaghy making an appearance in the senior final.

“It gave encouragement to the girls,” Quigg pointed out. “They could see that the seniors were so close against Kilkenny opposition.

“Presentation beat Loreto Kilkenny by a point in their Leinster final. We knew they had to be good if they were making the Loreto.”

Saturday’s success has been years in the making. A group of girls have been on the with club and school. Add in the county commitments.

Since a return from the Covid-19 lock down, they’ve put in the hard yards. A September start for a season that can spill into April.

“Every year, you know you’re good enough to win Ulster,” Quigg added.

They had a deeper focus. The March 1 All-Ireland final date was locked in somewhere too.

The school staff all chip in too. There are different levels of support needed, from coaching to helping the girls catch up on work missed in the classroom.

“It’s a real team effort from the whole SPC community, the whole school,” Quigg said.

“It’s myself, Eimear Lavery and Tiarnán McHugh who take the team. Tiarnán is our GPO.

“He joined up in September and the girls are just bouncing at every word he says, so he’s been a real difference this year.”

The success helps the school on all fronts. It’s a shop window for kids wanting to mix sport and study.

“It just creates a real buzz among all the pupils, all the teachers, all the staff,” Quigg said of the excitement in the school.

“There’s just a real buzz about the place and everyone is just delighted. With the Hogan semi-final and boys winning that on Saturday, we just want to keep it going for the next few weeks.”