1978 National Camogie League

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The 1978 National Camogie League is a competition in the women's team field sport of camogie was won by Kilkenny, who defeated Limerick in the final, played at Adare.^[1][2]

Kilkenny, the 1977 senior champions, defeated Antrim, Down, Dublin and Wexford en route to the final while Limerick the 1977 All-Ireland junior champions, defeated Clare, Cork, Galway and Tipperary.

Kilkenny led 1–2 to 0–3 at half–time and responded to an equalising goal by Pauline McCarthy to eventually win a keenly contested final between two well matched sides. Marion Doyle’s point at the very end reduced the margin to two points. Agnes Hourigan wrote in the Irish Press:

This was a game that Limerick could have won had they taken their chances. They had three good scoring opportunities in the first half and muffed a 15-yards free in the closing stages. The winner’s experience was the vital difference between the two sides. Helena O'Neill, now Mrs McCormack, interrupted her honeymoon to take part in the final and played a vital role in her side’s victory, scoring all four point. The winners’ success was all the more meritorious as they had to field without two of their star players Liz Neary and Angela Downey.

^[3]

The O'Brien sisters’ brother Jim was an All-Ireland hurler while Vera Mackey also came from a hurling family.

Kilkenny

Limerick

Kilkenny: GK 1 Teresa O'Neill (St Paul’s) FB 2 Ann Downey (St Paul’s)1-0 RWB 3 Mary Holden (Ballyhale Shamrocks) CB 4 Bridie Martin (St Paul’s) LWB 5 Mary Canavan (St Paul’s) MF 6 Helena O'Neill (St Paul’s)0-4 MF 7 Peggy Muldowney (Gowran) 1-0  43' MF 8 Mary Fennelly (St Paul’s) RWF 9 Mary Purcell CF 10 Carmel Doyle (St Paul’s) LWF 11 Margaret Farrell (UCD) FF 12 Jo Dunne (Carrickshock) Substitutes: MF Kay Dowling for Muldowney  43'

Limerick: GK 1 Helen Butler (Ballyagrsn) FB 2 Marjorie Neville (Croagh-Kilfinny) RWB 3 Bernadette O'Brien (Ballyagran) CB 4 Geraldine O'Brien (Ballyagran) LWB 5 Liz Hayes (Ballyagran) MF 6 Anne O'Sullivan  Half time' MF 7 Helen Mulcair (Croagh-Kilfinny) MF 8 Pauline McCarthy RWF 9 Breda Darcy CF 10 Carrie Clancy (Ahane) LWF 11 Vera Fitzpatrick FF 12 Breda Stokes (Croagh-Kilfinny) Substitutes: MF Marian Doyle for Anne O'Sullivan  Half time'

• Camogie Association