What a day for the Portumna U13 Camogie Team! On 7 June in Ballinderreen, our talented young players delivered a stunning performance in the Cup Shield Final, taking on a tough Liam Mellows side — and coming out on top with a well-earned victory!
Final Score:
Portumna 4-01
Liam Mellows 1-00
A massive congratulations to the entire Portumna camogie squad, who showcased incredible teamwork, skill, and determination from the first whistle to the final play. Their hard work and dedication paid off in the best way possible — lifting the Cup Shield trophy and ending the season on a high!
It was a proud moment for the club, the coaches, the families, and the entire community. What a way to finish the season!
Commiserations to Liam Mellows, who played with great spirit and contributed to a thrilling and competitive game of camogie.
“We have played Liam Mellows with this group on 3 occasions in a year so we know each other well, they are a big strong side,” said Ivan Muldoon, who has coached this team with Denise Hayes since they started playing camogie.
“It was a tight game. Our backs worked really hard and kept their forwards at bay. Our goalie, Iola Canning, made some great saves. Our forwards and midfielders took their chances and we came out on top in the end,” said Ivan.
“It is great to win a final, it rewards the girls for their hard work throughout the year and they deserve the rewards for the efforts they put in, in training and at home.”
So how do they prepare for a match like this?
“We train with the U13s once a week, so we concentrate on different skills every session. And we encourage all the girls to get out every day to practice for at least 20 minutes a day.” said Denise.
“Ivan and I have been with these players since they started camogie at around five years of age. They are a lovely group of girls. They always arrive to training on time with a smile on their face, train hard, and never leave without saying thanks to both Ivan and I. They are a pleasure to be around.”
The Portumna girls are certainly punching above their weight.
“We’ve a very young U13 team – most still play at U11 level so essentially they are coming up against teams of 13 year olds but it never fazes them. All we ever ask of them is to work hard, support each other and do their best. Win, lose or draw, Ivan and I are very proud of them,” said Denise.
The victorious team marked their win with a celebratory beep tour of the town, followed by a well-earned meal at Supermacs. A huge thank you to Olivia Muldoon for sponsoring the team’s food — Olivia is a fantastic supporter of the Portumna Camogie Club, and has always welcomed the players to celebrate their achievements at Supermacs.
The stellar victory was celebrated across Portumna.
“This is a special group of girls that also won the shield last year at u12,” said Club Chairperson Shane Madden.
“Congrats to our U13s on their victory over Liam Mellows in the cup shield final. Ivan and Denise are beginning to see the fruits of their efforts over the last number of years. Again, well done! A brilliant achievement!”
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all the coaches, parents, and supporters who have backed the team throughout the year — your support means everything. We look forward to watching these young players continue to grow over the next few years.