1978 National Camogie League

National Camogie League 1978
Winners
Champions	Kilkenny (1st title)
Captain	Mary Fennelly
Runners-up
Runners-up	Limerick

The 1978 National Camogie League is a competition in the women's team field sport of camogie was won by Kilkenny, who defeated Limerick in the final, played at Adare.^[1]^[2]

Arrangements

Kilkenny, the 1977 senior champions, defeated Antrim, Down, Dublin and Wexford en route to the final while Limerick the 1977 All-Ireland junior champions, defeated Clare, Cork, Galway and Tipperary.

Final

Kilkenny led 1–2 to 0–3 at half–time and responded to an equalising goal by Pauline McCarthy to eventually win a keenly contested final between two well matched sides. Marion Doyle’s point at the very end reduced the margin to two points. Agnes Hourigan wrote in the Irish Press:

This was a game that Limerick could have won had they taken their chances. They had three good scoring opportunities in the first half and muffed a 15-yards free in the closing stages. The winner’s experience was the vital difference between the two sides. Helena O'Neill, now Mrs McCormack, interrupted her honeymoon to take part in the final and played a vital role in her side’s victory, scoring all four point. The winners’ success was all the more meritorious as they had to field without two of their star players Liz Neary and Angela Downey.

^[3]

The O'Brien sisters’ brother Jim was an All-Ireland hurler while Vera Mackey also came from a hurling family.

Final stages

November 12
Final

Kilkenny	2-4 – 1-5 ^[4]^[5]^[6] >^[7]	Limerick
Helena O'Neill 0-4; Ann Downey 1-0, Peg Muldowney 1-0		Pauline McCarthy 1-0; Brid Stokes 0-2, Marian Doyle 0-1. Helen Mulcair 0-1. Carrie Clancy 0-1.

Adare

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Mary Cribben (Kildare)

Kilkenny

Limerick


Kilkenny:
GK	1	Teresa O'Neill (St Paul’s)
FB	2	Ann Downey (St Paul’s)1-0
RWB	3	Mary Holden (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
CB	4	Bridie Martin (St Paul’s)
LWB	5	Mary Canavan (St Paul’s)
MF	6	Helena O'Neill (St Paul’s)0-4
MF	7	Peggy Muldowney (Gowran) 1-0 43'
MF	8	Mary Fennelly (St Paul’s)
RWF	9	Mary Purcell
CF	10	Carmel Doyle (St Paul’s)
LWF	11	Margaret Farrell (UCD)
FF	12	Jo Dunne (Carrickshock)
Substitutes:
MF		Kay Dowling for Muldowney 43'


Limerick:
GK	1	Helen Butler (Ballyagrsn)
FB	2	Marjorie Neville (Croagh-Kilfinny)
RWB	3	Bernadette O'Brien (Ballyagran)
CB	4	Geraldine O'Brien (Ballyagran)
LWB	5	Liz Hayes (Ballyagran)
MF	6	Anne O'Sullivan Half time'
MF	7	Helen Mulcair (Croagh-Kilfinny)
MF	8	Pauline McCarthy
RWF	9	Breda Darcy
CF	10	Carrie Clancy (Ahane)
LWF	11	Vera Fitzpatrick
FF	12	Breda Stokes (Croagh-Kilfinny)
Substitutes:
MF		Marian Doyle for Anne O'Sullivan Half time'

References

^ Moran, Mary (2011). A Game of Our Own: The History of Camogie. Dublin, Ireland: Cumann Camógaíochta. p. 460. 978-1-908591-00-5
^ National Camogie League on Camogie.ie
^ Report of final in Irish Press, November 13, 1978
^ Report of final in Irish Independent, November 13, 1978
^ Report of final in Irish Times, November 13, 1978
^ Report of final in Irish Examiner, November 13, 1978
^ Report of final in Irish News, November 13, 1978