What a year for Sarsfields - winning the club All-Ireland in March, the league and championship titles in Galway, and now their second All-Ireland crown.
This latest success for Sarsfields was hard fought in the end. Just a goal separated these two ambitious teams at the final whistle, but it was the New Inn outfit that prevailed over Loughgiel Shamrocks winning their second successive AIB club camogie crown by 2-14 to 1-14.
This third title in the past four years is a significant achievement for the small Galway village.
Coached by former Galway hurler, Michael "Hopper" McGrath, his daughters once again led from the front, with midfielder Niamh winning the Player of the Match, having notched four points, two from play and two from frees.
And it was sister Siobhán who kick-started the game with a goal after just 33 seconds while also adding five frees over the course of the game, while sisters Clodagh and Ciara also played their parts.
"An unbelievable team performance," said Niamh McGrath. "We really dug it out. Loughgiel put it up to us, they’re a super team and they’ll be back no doubt, so we’re just absolutely relieved and delighted.
“We had a great start but we knew Loughgiel would throw everything they had at us. They’d have their purple patches and vice versa, and my heart was in my mouth near the end. Thank God we got the pivotal scores when we did and got over the line."
The Sarsfields' midfielder, in acknowledging she was the cause of their goal in the first half, said the message at half time was "just not to panic and get over the mistakes".
"I think in the third quarter and towards the end, we ground it out and showed our experience."
Sarsfields had to dig deep and grind out the victory, something they have gained with their experience over the last seven years playing at the top level of club camogie in Ireland.
They enjoyed a dream start with Siobhán McGrath finding the back of the Loughgiel net after 40 seconds. Credit must go to Eimear Boyle in the Loughgiel Shamrocks net who denied the initial shot, but McGrath got at the end of the rebound and made no mistake.
One of the team's young starw Caoimhe Kelly added a point two minutes later with McGrath adding a close-range free after five minutes to leave them five points ahead.
Mary McKillen, Róisín McCormick and Lucia McNaughton helped to get Loughgiel off the mark after six minutes, but Niamh McGrath, with a point from play, and Siobhán, with a free, ensured Sarsfields maintained a four-point lead.
Sarsfields were dealt a major blow on the 22nd minute when centre half back Maria Cooney was forced off due to the injury. This rattled Sarsfields and Loughgiel took advantage, scoring 1-3 on the trot trough a McCormick free, a Caitrín Dobbin goal for Loughgiel, and two points from Annie Lynn, putting their team two points ahead.
However Kelly and Klara Donohue settled the ship to leave the sides deadlocked at 1-6 a piece at half-time.
Although McCormick gave Loughgiel the lead with a free inside a minute of the restart, Sarsfields produced a 1-3 scoring spree without reply through Siobhán McGrath and Shannon Corcoran before McGrath set up Rachel Murray on the 37th minute for their second major of the day - a goal that was the difference between the teams at the game's end.
Niamh McGrath pointed a long-range free two minutes later to leave them 2-9 to 1-7 ahead before Loughgiel staged a comeback, scoring 0-5 without reply through McCormick frees and a point from Dobbin.
After Siobhán McGrath and McCormick exchanged frees, and with five minutes remaining, Sarsfields dug deep. Points from Niamh McGrath, one from play and a fantastic long-range free, Siobhán McGrath, through a free, and substitute, Sarah Spellman, ensured Sarsfields had a four-point lead heading into injury time.
McCormick added a ninth free in the 62nd minute, but it was too late for Loughgiel as Sarsfields ran out three-point victory.
"It’s the best one yet to be honest,” said Siobhán. “To do back-the-back in the same calendar year, it’s what dreams are made of. All the obstacles we had to come through, doing it without Orlaith, Maria having to come off after 20 minutes, Sarah Spellman, fair play to her [who came on for Cooney having suffered her own cruciate injury]. She was unbelievable there, she played about 50 minutes and that just shows the heart and determination we have.
“I was lucky [with the goal], there was so much space and they got the ball straight into me. You’re in the full-forward line, that’s your job.
“Fair play to Loughgiel Shamrocks they just never, ever gave up. A few times we thought we were in the clear, we went five points up but they stayed battling to the last minute and no doubt they’ll be here again.”
Scorers for Sarsfields : S McGrath 1-5 (0-5fs ); N McGrath 0-4(fs ); R Murray (1-0 ); C Kelly (0-2 ); K Donohue, S Corcoran, S Spellman 0-1 each Scorers for Loughgiel Shamrocks: Loughgeil: R McCormick 0-9fs; C Dobbin 1-1; A Lynn 0-2; L McNaughton, M McKillen 0-1 each.
Sarsfields: L Glynn; R Kelly, L Ward, K Gallagher; T Kenny, M Cooney, J Daly; Clodagh McGrath, N McGrath capt, K Donohue, R Murray, C Kenny; S Corcoran, S McGrath, C Kelly. Subs: S Spellman for Cooney 24, Ciara McGrath for Kelly 60+ 2, C Cahalan for Corcoran 60+4 .
Loughgiel Shamrocks : E Boyle; C Campbell, K Lynn, C McKillop; M Lynn, Ú McNaughton, S Doran; A Boyle, L McNaughton; C Laverty, M McKillen, A Connolly; C Dobbin, R McCormick, A Lynn. Subs: K McKillop for Connolly 45, C Boyle for Campbell 49, C Higgins for Laverty 60+2 .
Referee Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny ).
