By Eanna O’Reilly

SUNDAY sees Sarsfields line out in their sixth consecutive All-Ireland senior camogie club final (Croke Park, 4:15pm), in what has become an annual fixture for the east Galway club.

Michael ‘Hopper’ McGrath’s charges are seeking to win the Bill and Agnes O’Carroll Cup for the fourth time when they take on Clare and Munster champions Truagh-Clonlara. After losing out to Kilkenny club Dicksboro in a disappointing final defeat 12 months ago, Sarsfields have the chance to atone for that loss in Croke Park this weekend.

The Galway champions have shown a remarkable level of consistency since making the breakthrough at senior level in 2016 when they won their first Galway senior camogie title after a replay victory over Mullagh. This year’s county final win over St. Thomas’ was their eighth title in nine seasons and was just as convincing as any previous championship win.

Their dominance within the county shows no sign of slowing down  as Sarsfields maintain their ability to come through tight matches, while still emphatically defeating most of their challengers within Galway. After beating St. Thomas’, Oranmore-Maree, Mullagh, and Carnmore, Hopper McGrath’s charges had a close run semi-final with Athenry, which required extra-time to separate the sides.

Nevertheless, Sarsfields were left standing and duly defeated St Thomas’ in the final to win the Catherine Donnellan Cup for the sixth consecutive year, on a day when Caoimhe Kelly took home the player of the match award.

Interestingly, ten players who lined out in their first senior championship win in 2016 also started in the 2024 county final. Sarsfields subsequently maintained their record of never having lost an All-Ireland club semi-final when overcoming Loughgiel Shamrocks (Antrim) a fortnight ago in a dramatic semi-final victory.

McGrath’s charges rarely, if ever, allow an opposing team to build a big lead against them, but they found themselves in a tight corner after conceding three goals in the opening ten minutes to the Ulster side. This would certainly have spelled curtains for most teams, but the resilience which characterises this Sarsfields side shone through in adversity.

Bit by bit, they clawed back the deficit and eventually took the lead for the first time in the game in the 62nd minute. As they have so often done, Sarsfields came through when it mattered by a single point to book their place in the final once again and break Loughgiel hearts in the process.

Pictured: Sarsfields’ Caoimhe Kelly on the attack against Finuola McVeigh of Loughgiel Shamrocks in the All-Ireland Club senior camogie semi-final. The Galway champions will be seeking a fourth national title at Croke Park on Sunday.