1987 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship

The 1987 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship. The championship was won by Kilkenny who defeated Cork by a nine-point margin in the final.^[1] The match drew an attendance of 5,496.^[2][3][4] It was the last All Ireland championship to be played over 50 minutes.

Irene O'Leary cashed in on two goalkeeping lapses in the final 60 seconds to earn Cork a place in the final against Wexford who had led for much of the game. Angela Downey took her scores from limited opportunities in the second semi-final and her sister, Ann, added two long-range points.

A first half goal each from Angela and Ann Downey won the final from Kilkenny. Mary Geaney scored Cork's goal. During the presentation ceremony Bridie McGarry accurately predicted that Kilkenny would be back for four in a row in 1988. Pat Roche wrote in the Irish Times:

It speaks well for the players eyesight, let alone their accuracy, that they could see the mini-posts dwarfed in the shadows of the main construction. But it was still another good day for the game and proved yet another opportunity for the Downey sisters to impress in an outstanding Kilkenny win. Kilkenny's captain Bridie McGarry was the star of the winner's defence. There was no doubting the skills of Angela Downey in the Kilkenny attack. Whenever she got even the half chance, you could bank on a Kilkenny score. She darted like a frightened coursing hare in and around the Cork defence to slap over four points in a five-minute spell. Her sister, Anne, was equally effective further out, maintaining the flow towards over-worked Cork rearguard.^[5]

Christy Ring was marked by Shem Downey in the 1946 All- Ireland senior hurling final. In an amazing coincidence. Mary Ring and Angela Downey marked one another in the camogie final 41 years later.

Kilkenny

Cork

KILKENNY: GK 1 Marie Fitzpatrick (St Brigid's Ballycallan) FB 2 Rita Weymes RWB 3 Deirdre Malone (St Brigid's Ballycallan) CB 4 Bridie McGarry (St Paul's) (Capt) LWB 5 Biddy O'Sullivan (Shamrocks) MF 6 Clare Jones (St Paul's) MF 7 Ann Downey (St Paul's) (1-1) MF 8 Anna Whelan (Lisdowney) RWF 9 Jo Dunne (Carrickshock) CF 10 Liz Neary (St Paul's) LWF 11 Angela Downey (St Paul's) (1-7) FF 12 Breda Holmes (St Paul's) (1-2)

CORK: GK 1 Marion McCarthy FB 2 Eileen Dineen RWB 3 Mary Ring CB 4 Anne Leahy  35)' LWB 5 Linda Mellerick MF 6 Sandie Fitzgibbon MF 7 Clare Cronin MF 8 Liz Dunphy RWF 9 Irene O'Leary (0-1)  45)' CF 10 Val Fitzpatrick (Capt) (0-4) LWF 11 Colette O'Mahony  32)' FF 12 Noelle O'Driscoll (0-1) Substitutes: RWF Mary Geaney (1-1) for O'Mahoney  32)' RWF Cathy Landers Harnedy for Leahy  35)' RWF Mary Spillane for O'Leary  45)'