St. Judes hope to halt St. Vincents' drive for five
Pictured ahead of the PTSB Dublin Camogie Club Championship Senior Final is St. Judes captain, Sinéad Nolan. PTSB is proud to sponsor the PTSB Dublin Leagues and Championships across all four codes within Dublin GAA, Dublin LGFA and Dublin Camogie, from minor level upwards.
By John Harrington
St Jude’s captain, Sinéad Nolan, knows nothing less than their very best will suffice if the Tempelogue club are to stop St Vincents’ drive for five PTSB Dublin senior camogie titles in a row this Friday evening in Parnell Park.
The Marino outfit have been the dominant force in Dublin camogie in recent times, but if any club can halt them in their tracks it’s St. Judes
They still have a veteran corps of players, including Nolan, who won Dublin championships in 2018, 2020, and 2021, and in two of those years they were triumphant over St. Vincent’s.
In recent championship meetings they’ve been second best to their great rivals, but it’s been by fine margins so St. Judes are entitled to believe they can really put it up to the favourites.
“Obviously, they have a lot of experience winning finals, and they’ve won the last four, and they’re physical, strong and skilful,” says Nolan.
“But we just have to bring our absolute best performance on Friday and see where that gets us. We’re really looking forward to it and to seeing what we can do.
“Anytime we play Vincents, there’s usually only a point or two in it, but we’re under no illusions that it’s going to take a really good performance from us on Friday, if not a perfect one, to get over the line. It’ll come down to every single ball, but that’s what we’re preparing for and what we’re ready for.”
St. Judes have put huge work into their underage structures in recent years and are now reaping the rewards of that effort with a new generation of young players coming through to the senior set-up.
“We have a good handful of girls who’ve been there for the guts of 10 years, but we’ve also had a massive number of younger girls come through,” says Nolan.
“We have a lot of younger players playing on the panel this year, and they’ve brought huge energy with them. They’ve brought nothing but good things to the panel and have really pushed the more senior players as well.
“The club set-up is excellent in terms of the academies. You’re up there on a Saturday morning and there are literally hundreds of kids running around with hurls in their hands, so it’s absolutely brilliant, and that’s definitely coming through.
“You can see it every year in the under-16 and minor teams, they’re really strong, and that’s helping us build.”
Pictured ahead of the PTSB Dublin Camogie Club Championship Senior Final between St Vincents and St Judes are St Vincent's captain, Danielle Smith, and St Judes captain, Sinéad Nolan. PTSB is proud to sponsor the PTSB Dublin Leagues and Championships across all four codes within Dublin GAA, Dublin LGFA and Dublin Camogie, from minor level upwards.
A win on Friday would be timely for St. Judes. It would be a hugely satisfying reward for the 10-plus years of effort that long-serving players like Nolan have given to the cause, and likely be a springboard for further silverware to come for their younger team-mates.
“For the past five years winning the Dublin championship has been our goal, so it would be absolutely massive, not only for the team but for the whole club, if we could do it.” Says Nolan.
“There’s so much support for our team in Judes. That’s not just in the lead-up to this match; it’s throughout the entire championship. Whether you’re getting a coffee at the club, down at the local shops or wherever you are, someone will stop you and ask how things are going and how the camogie is going.
“There’s such interest in it right across all four codes. For the whole club, winning the championship would be absolutely massive.”