Back-to-back glory for sensational Setanta
Setanta joint captains Grace Mackey and Niamh Ahearne lift the AZAP Print Intermediate Camogie Championship after defeating Muinebheag in the final.
Setanta left Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday as the new AZAP Print Intermediate Camogie Champions after sublime performance saw them run out 12-point winners over Muinebheag.
Louise Browne was the star of the show, scoring a phenomenal 1-7, as well as a goal assist, as she led the way for Setanta all afternoon. The win means Setanta have now become back-to-back county champions, winning the 2025 Junior Championship and now delivering the intermediate title just 12 months later.
These two sides have developed quite the rivalry this season following Setanta's promotion to the grade. Muinebheag have had the better of things, winning well in the early stages of the league before beating Setanta again when the sides met in the league final, although this time a far closer affair.
Setanta's progress continued during the Championship round robin, where the two clubs played out a well-contested draw. But the tables have now well and truly turned, as Setanta completely blew Muinebheag out of the water to earn themselves the 2026 Intermediate crown.
The game got off to a frantic start, with both side's surviving goal-mouth scrambles in the opening two minutes.
It was Setanta who took the lead in the fifth minute when Louise Browne pointed a free from distance following a foul on May Breen-Parle.
Muinebheag were under the cosh again from the puck-out, but managed to keep their powder dry before eventually clearing their lines and winning a free inside the Setanta half. Rebecca Kelly's magnificent effort came back off the upright, where Emma Byrne gathered the breaking ball before firing into the net for a goal in the 11th minute.
Setanta responded within 60 seconds, however, raising a green flag of their own courtesy of a high, looping effort from Browne that sailed over the head of Muinebheag goalkeeper, Emily O'Hara, and into the net. Browne then landed another monster score to leave her side two points up midway through the half.
The wind picked up in the second quarter and Setanta took full advantage, knocking over six unanswered points into the O'Hanrahan's end before half time.
First came another score from Browne, who gathered a long free in from Niamh Gray before popping her shot over the bar. She was on the scoresheet again in the 24th minute, splitting the posts from all of 50 metres out.
Breen-Parle and Sinead Thompson extended the lead before Browne pointed a 45 and closed out the half with another score from 45 metres when she gathered a loose ball after Breen-Parle had rattled the crossbar. That left Setanta in dream land at the interval, leading 1-8 to 1-0.
Muinebheag needed a score early in the second half if they were to have any chance of clawing their way back into the final. Emma Byrne went close, hitting the side netting in the 34th minute; but Setanta went on the attack from the puck out and extended their lead further through the talismanic wing forward, Louise Browne.
Rebecca Kelly and Eve Sinnott led the charge for Muinebheag, but it was Zoe Clarke who finally raised a white flag for the Bagenalstown girls only seconds after coming on in place of Ebony Darcy.
Byrne then pointed a free in the 40th minute to close the gap to seven, but Setanta did well to slow the game down and stem the Muinebheag momentum. And the lead was back to eight points midway through the half when Paige Challoner nudged over a free for Carlow town team.
Muinebheag began hunting goals in the final ten minutes, with a free from Rebecca Kelly drawing a great save out of Kayla Holden in the Setanta net.
But the result was put beyond any semblance of doubt five minutes from time when Browne played a long ball in towards Hannah Cusack, who took her shot first time and picked out the bottom corner of the Muinebheag net to raise a second green flag for Setanta.
Siobhan Sinnott landed one last score to give Setanta a fully deserved 12-point win.
L Browne 1-7 (0-1f, 0-1'45), H Cusack 1-0, S Thompson, M Breen-Parle, P Challoner (f), and S Sinnott 0-1 each.
E Byrne 1-1 (0-1f), Z Clarke 0-1.
Kayla Holden; Sorcha Aherne, Grace Mackey, Emma Pender; Nicole Salmon, Niamh Gray, Grainne Thompson; Niamh Ahern, Siobhan Sinnott; Sinead Thompson, Paige Challoner, Louise Browne; Hannah Cusack, Casey Tobin, May Breen-Parle.
Emma Lyons for Salmon (45), Clodagh Murphy for Tobin (47), Keira Doyle for Challoner (56), Isobel Edwards for Cusack (60+2).
Emily O'Hara; Kelsey Cody, Niamh Minchin, Roisin Meaney; Sophie O'Reilly, Eimear Lillis, Leanne Carroll; Rebecca Kelly, Katie Tunstead; Sophie Walsh, Eve Sinnott, Emma Byrne; Roisin Collins, Ava Byrne Ebony Darcy.
Zoe Clarke for Darcy and Hollie Sinnott for Cody (both 36), Roisin Lillis for Collins and Anna Minchin for O'Reilly (both 53), Laura Kelly for Walsh (59), Abbey Cody for O'Hara (inj, 60+3).
Brian Deering.
