Gráinne Mullan and Katie Homes inspire Eoghan Rua to junior A title

Eoghan Rua (Derry) 1-11 Clanmaurice (Kerry) 1-10

A goal from Ireland hockey captain Katie Mullan and a second-half masterclass by Gráinne Holmes were among the key features as Eoghan Rua edged out Clanmaurice in a thrilling AIB All-Ireland junior A club camogie final at the O'Raghalllaigh grounds in Drogheda.

Holmes rolled back the years as she followed an economic opening period, in which she slotted two neat points, with a superlative performance that yielded five more and reminded us of the talent she was in her pomp for club and county before serious injury threatened her career.

Mullan’s 24th minute goal was a crucial score, as it came in a period when her side was playing second fiddle and actually enabled them to go in at the break leading by 1-04 to 0-06.

Clanmaurice wrestled back the advantage briefly at the beginning of the second half but in the final quarter, it was all about Eoghan Rua, as Brendan McLernan’s charges took over completely, finding more space and gaining returns with their pace and direct running.

They conceded an injury-time goal to the magnificent Jackie Horgan, who finished with a goal and six, but had done enough to claim the silverware.

Clanmaurice, who were also runners-up in the 2020 championship, flew out of the traps with the opening two points from Horgan and Patrice Diggin but Eoghan Rua responded with scores from Shauna Doherty and Rosanna McAleese.

It was at this juncture that Diggin and Kate Lynch began to exert control around the middle and though Méabh Duffy, captain when Eoghan Rua completed the All-Ireland two-in-a-row in 2011 and 2012 and who gave birth to her daughter towards the end of last year, was prominent at centre-back, such was the flow in her direction that Horgan became a