1974 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship

All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship 1974
Championship Details
Dates
Counties
Sponsor
All Ireland Champions
Winners	Kilkenny (1st title)
Captain	Hannah Dineen
Manager
All-Ireland Runners-up
Runners-up	Cork
Captain	Marion Sweeney
Manager
Matches played	2

The 1974 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship was the high point of the 1974 season. The championship was won by Kilkenny who defeated Cork by a four-point margin in the final for a historic first success.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] The match was replayed, the third time this had happened in a final in the history of camogie.^[6]

Open Draw

This was the first championship to be held under the open draw. Maol Muire Tynan later to become a prominent journalist, played in goal as Kilkenny defeated Tipperary| 1-7 to 1-1 in the new open draw quarter-final at Gowran. Tipperary failed to score in the second half as Carmel Doyle scored Kilkenny’s goal. Galway kept some of their more prominent players for the junior team but put up a surprisingly good show against Cork.

Semi-finals

Kilkenny needed a last-minute point from a free by Helena O'Neill in the semi-final at Wexford Park. Cork had a somewhat fortuitous first round victory over Galway but looked a team of champions when defateing Antrim in the semi-final.

Final

Kilkenny were lucky to draw the final against Cork at Croke Park on September 15 with the last puck of the match from Helena O'Neill from an acute angle.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11] Cork had first half goals from Marion McCarthy, Nancy O'Driscoll and Marion Sweeney goaled for Cork in the first-half while Carmel Doyle and Angela Downey replied for Kilkenny.Agnes Hourigan wrote in the Irish Press:

This was one of the great finals in which the skills displayed by the Cork and Kilkenny hurlers were often evident. The high standard of play, the speed of the layers, and the accuracy of the free-takers all combined to make this a memorable game. Both sides missed chances but the Kilkenny attack muffed one opportunity towards the end that would probably have given them the title.^[12]

Replay

Kilkenny led from start to finish in the replay and the goalkeeping of Deirdre Sutton prevented Kilkenny winning by a greater margin. At the end of the game the Cork players carried Ann Carroll, now in her twelfth inter-county season, off the field. Agnes Hourigan wrote in the Irish Press:

Kilkenny gave a brilliant display in the opening half, being faster to the ball, and to the strike. Cork never gave up. They chased every ball but were not as accurate as usual in front of goal. Kilkenny clinched the issue with a goal by Ursula Grace in the 22nd minute.^[13]

Final stages

Cork v Galway

July 14
Quarter-Final

Cork	3-5 – 3-2	Galway

The Mardyke

Kilkenny v Tipperary

July 14
Quarter-Final

Kilkenny	1-7 – 1-1	Tipperary

Gowran

Wexford v Dublin

July 28
Quarter-Final

Wexford	3-7 – 2-3	Dublin

Na Fianna

Kilkenny v Wexford

August 18
Semi-Final

Kilkenny	3-2 – 3-1	Wexford
Helena O'Neill 0-5, Carmel Doyle 1-1. Mary Fenelly 0-1.		Bernie Fox 2-0, Bernie Murphy 1-0

Wexford Park
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Jane Murphy (Galway)

Cork v Antrim

August 25
Semi-Final

Cork	8-2 – 3-1	Antrim

Glenariff

Kilkenny v Cork

September 15
Final

Kilkenny	3-8 – 4-5	Cork
Angela Downey 1-1, Helena O'Neill 1-1, Ursula Grace 1-0, Carmel Doyle 0-1.		Bernie Costine 1-0, Marion Sweeney 0-2, Marion McCarthy 0-2, Nancy O'Drscoll 0-1

Croke Park, Dublin
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Jane Murphy (Galway)

Kilkenny v Cork

October 6
Replay

Kilkenny	3-3 – 1-5	Cork

Croke Park, Dublin

Drawn Final September 15 Kilkenny 3-8 Cork 4-5

Kilkenny

Cork


KILKENNY:
GK	1	Teresa O'Neill (St Paul’s) (Capt)
FB	2	Mary Kennedy (Gowran)
RWB	3	Liz Neary (St Paul’s)
CB	4	Ann Carroll (St Paul’s)
LWB	5	Bridie Martin (Lisdowney)
MF	6	Helena O'Neill (St Paul’s) (0-6)
MF	7	Peggy Carey (Gowran)
MF	8	Mary Fennelly (Carrickshock)
RWF	9	Ursula Grace (St Paul’s)
CF	10	Mary Conway (St Paul’s) (0-1)
LWF	11	Angela Downey (St Paul’s) (1-1)
FF	12	Carmel Doyle (St Paul’s) (2-0)


CORK:
GK	1	Deirdre Sutton (Glen Rovers)
FB	2	Marie Costine (Cloyne)
RWB	3	Hannah Cotter (South Pres)
CB	4	Sheila Dunne (Canovee)
LWB	5	Mary Whelton (South Pres)
MF	6	Marion McCarthy (South Pres) (1-2)
MF	7	Pat Moloney (Killeagh) (0-1)
MF	8	Betty Sugrue (South Pres)
RWF	9	Marion Sweeney (Killeagh) (Capt) (2-1)
CF	10	Anne Ryan (Old Als)
LWF	11	Nuala Guilly (Cloyne) 30'
FF	12	Nancy O'Driscoll (Éire Óg) (1-0)
Substitutes:
MF		Bernie Costine (Cloyne) for Guily 0-1 30'

MATCH RULES

50 minutes
Replay if scores level
Maximum of 3 substitutions

Replay October 6 Kilkenny 3-3 Cork 1-5