News – Philadelphia Hurling and Camogie Club

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News Articles

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Na Toraidhe – Junior Camogie National Champions

Na Toraidhe Camoge, captained by Melissa Doman defeated St. Louis in the semi-final with a score of 1-4 to 0-2, then defeated Indianapolis, allowing no score resulting in a win with the score of 3-7 to 0-0. The camogie team made their first appearance at USGAA finals in Philadelphia in 2018. From that team, six players were able to hoist the cup for the first time in club history! The players are Audrey Rittenhouse, Jessica Lynch, Jessica Frey, Katrina Terry, Tara Chadwick, and Melissa Doman. Tara Chadwick, a Physical Therapist from Tipperary, has been a cornerstone for the camogie team since she joined the club in 2018. The camogie team practices with the hurlers, which allows for physical and intense trainings. The camogie team was very well traveled this year, competing in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore this season. The camogie team’s mantra for this season was “Gold Medal Mentality”, which is printed on the back of their jerseys to remind each player to have that winning mindset and play the game with a gold medal mentality. The camogs were successful this year due to Melissa and Tara’s leadership both on and off the field. The players were able to work around difficult schedules and work as a team on the field.

Top Row: Melissa Doman, Sam Gladnick, Cori McConville, Audrey Rittenhouse, Meghan Piacentino, Kay Sim, Kate Konieczny, Deirdre Cunnifee, Lauren Kolar, Laura Ryan
Front row: Shannon Daly, Jessica Frey, Tara Chadwick, Lily Heinemann, Eilish Haley, Katrina Terry, Jessica Lynch, Bridget Herrmann

Na Toraidhe – Junior B Hurling National Champions

Na Toraidhe, a premier hurling and camogie club from Philadelphia, won the Junior B North American hurling championships in Chicago this past weekend. Founded in 2012, the club prides itself in combining the fighting Irish spirit with the camaraderie of The City of Brotherly Love. The team, captained by Ben Liptock, defeated the Chicago Michael Cusacks 0-19 to 1-13 in the championship match. Earlier in the weekend, Na Toraidhe won against Denver Gaels by a score line of 3-21 to 1-11, then defeated Indianapolis in the semi-final 1-22 to 1-11. The final match was a nail biter, with Na Toraidhe trailing at one point by as many as 7 points. In the final minutes, Na Toraidhe was able to pull ahead and walk away with a 3 point victory over the hometown team, Michael Cusacks. The men started the game inspired by the victory of the club’s camogie team, who only minutes before the start of the final match had shut out their opponents in the camogie finals. The hurling team featured two sanction players, Oliver “Bav” Baverstock and Daire Crotty, who were a fantastic additions to the club. The team’s goalie, Ollie Bergin, helped inspire the team both as a coach and his onfield play. The team also won with the help of hometown veteran players like Brian Sullivan, Tyler Madden, Sean O’Connell, Peter Travers and Jeff “Yeager Things” Yeager. Na Toraidhe won the Junior C national championship in 2019 in Virginia, and was able to make it to the 2021 Junior B final match, falling short to Twin Cities. Na Toraidhe is proud to bring home 2 championship trophies back to Philadelphia this year. It was a bittersweet ending for Brian Sulivan who joined the club in 2013. This was Brian’s last game with the club, as he moves to Raleigh for the 2023 season. When asked for comment on the incredible year for the club, captain Ben Liptock remarked, “This team is so tough, we are named after rebels and we refuse to be intimidated no matter what we are up against. We are solid from our starters through our subs, and we trust each other to show up and fight when it matters most.”