1956 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship

The 1956 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship was the high point of the 1956 season in Camogie. The championship was won by Antrim who defeated Cork by a four-point margin in the final, having created a major surprise by defeating serial champions Dublin in the semi-final, and interrupting what would otherwise have been a run of 19 championships in a row by Dublin.[1][2][3][4][5][6] The championship featured what were reportedly two of the best camogie matches in the history of the game in its 12-a-side phase, the final and the semi-final between Antrim and Dublin.[7]

All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship 1956
Championship Details
Dates
Counties
Sponsor
All Ireland Champions
Winners Antrim (4th title)
Captain Madge Rainey
Manager
All-Ireland Runners-up
Runners-up Cork
Lil Coughlan
Manager
Matches played

Structure

Mayo refused to play Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final because of concerns about the polio outbreak there. The semi-final between Dublin and Antrim prevented a run of 19 Al Ireland finals in succession for Dublin. Maeve Gilroy scored 2-2 and Grace Connolly two goals, Mairead Rainey and Marian Kearns a goal each in Antrim’s 6-2 to 6-1 victory. The Irish News described it as

“what was generally voted the greatest camogie game ever played in Ulster. The game was characterised by spates of clever play on both side, with Dublin on the whole the more finished in accurate ground and overhead stickwork. At the three quarter stage they led 5-0 to 4-2 only to fall two points behind when Antrim scored their fifth goal. Dublin however regained the lead with their sixth goal a few minutes later. In a great rally, amid tense excitement, the Ulster champions fought back with great determination for Ita O’Reilly to place Marian Kearns, who crashed home what proved to the match winning goal with a magnificent cross-shot, which caught the Dublin defence out of position and their goalkeeper unsighted.[8]

Final

Teresa Kearns, the 14-year-old Antrim goalkeeper from Cloughmills, made a huge contribution to victory, stopping an array of shots from the Cork attack, including a memorable save from Noreen Duggan. Mitchel Cogley wrote in the Irish Independent

The youngest player on the field made probably the most significant contribution to Antrim’s victory. This was the 14-tyear-old Theresa Kearns, who with Antrim leading 4-3 to 4-2 and Cork pressing desperately, brought off a save from star Cork forward Noreen Duggan which equaled that of Art Foley from Christy Ring the previous week. The parallel went further for, from this escape, Antrim swept away for their fifth goal, which lcinched the issue and brought the title up north. There was nothing between two teams in fleetness of foot, skilful stickwork and length of striking, but Antrim’s defence was the sounder under heavy pressure and the positional play of the forwards was better than that of the Cork girls.[9]

Final stages
Antrim6-2 – 6-1Dublin
Antrim5-3 – 4-2Cork
Antrim
Cork
ANTRIM:
GK1Teresa Kearns
FB2Moya Forde
RWB3Ethna Dougan
CB4Winnie Kearns
LWB5Deirdre O’Gorman
MF6Eilis McCamphill
MF7Ita O’Reilly (0-1)
MF8Maeve Gilroy (0-1)
RWF9Marion Kearns(2-0)
CF10Madge Rainey (1-0) (Capt)
LWF11Chris Hughes (1-1)
FF12Grace Connolly (1-0)
CORK:
GK1Sheila Cahill
FB2Bridie Lucey
RWB3Betty Walsh
CB4Joan Clancy
LWB5Teresa Murphy
MF6Lil Coughlan (Captain)
MF7Lily McKay
MF8Anna Crotty (1-0)
RWF9Angela Lane (2-0)
CF10Noreen Duggan (0-2)
LWF11Mona Joyce
FF12Maura Hayes (1-0).
Substitutes:
LCFL Magowan for Murphy  36'
CFM Maloney for Coughlan  49'

MATCH RULES

  • 50 minutes
  • Replay if scores level
  • Maximum of 3 substitutions

See also

References
  1. Moran, Mary (2011). A Game of Our Own: The History of Camogie. Dublin, Ireland: Cumann Camógaíochta. p. 460. 978-1-908591-00-5
  2. Report of final in Irish Press, October 1, 1956
  3. Report of final in Irish Independent, October 1, 1956
  4. Report of final in Irish Times, October 1, 1956
  5. Report of final in Irish Examiner, October 1, 1956
  6. Report of final in Irish News, October 1, 1956
  7. greatest camogie matches of all time
  8. Report of semi final in Irish News, September 9, 1956
  9. Report of final in Irish Independent, October 1, 1956
Preceded by
All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship 1955		 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship
1932 – present		 Succeeded by
All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship 1957
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