Cuddy shines as Castletown win Division 1 camogie title
Castletown PS who won the Division 1 Camogie final at the Cumann na mBunscol finals in Laois Hire O'Moore Park. Photo: Alf Harvey.
Castletown PS 5-5
Holy Family Senior School 3-3
CASTLETOWN PS are the 2025 Cumann na mBunscol Division 1 Camogie champions after a hard-fought win over Holy Family Senior School. Castletown were well ahead at half time but were made to fight for their victory by a great Holy Family performance in the second period.
This game began as a head-to-head battle between Doireann Cuddy and Poppy Browne as the pair traded scores in the early goings, with Cuddy racking up 2-1 while Browne had 1-1 – all inside the opening five minutes.
But Cuddy went on a serious tear after that, rattling in her third goal midway through the half. The Castletown midfielder then slotted over three consecutive scores from play, leaving her team with an eight-point lead at the break, up 4-3 to 1-1.
Holy Family made some changes in the forwards at half time and they almost made an immediate impact. The Castletown defence stood strong for as long as they could until Beth Lindsay made the desired impact with a well-taken goal from the substitute.
The Portlaoise school were in for their third goal moments later thanks to a great finish from Olivia Canavan to reduce the deficit to four points. Cuddy continued to steer the ship for Castletown from midfield, playing in Clodagh O’Connor whose shot sailed over the bar.
The tide was turning back in Castletown’s favour and they made the most of their purple patch, adding a fifth goal thanks to a classy strike along the ground from Lilian Bennett. Brown hit back with two quick scores for Holy Family but some fine saves from goalkeeper Poppy Dunne kept Castletown seven points ahead. Bennet added a score late on as the girls in blue were crowned champions for 2025.
Castletown PS: Doireann Cuddy 4-3, Lilian Bennet 1-1, Clodagh O’Connor 0-1.
Holy Family Senior School: Poppy Browne 1-3, Beth Lindsay and Olivia Canavan 1-0 each.
Poppy Dunne, Keeva O’Brien Holmes, Faye Lyons, Molly Byrne, Erin Cuddy, Doireann Cuddy, Lilian Bennett, Ruby Grehan, Clodagh O’Connor.
Subs: Saoirse Egan-Breen, Naoise Doheny, Katie Kelly.
Darcie Carroll, Leah Kavanagh, Aoibhe O’Shea, Sofia Murphy, Olivia Canavan, Ruby Browne, Lily Blendell, Poppy Browne, Sarah Skehan.
Subs: Katie Blendell, Áine Bannon, Beth Lindsay, Anna Scully, Alannah Cahill, Mya Dunne
