Barrett bags Parke winner deep in extra-time
Aghamore captain Mairead Mooney in a tussle for possession with Parke/Keelogues/Crimlin’s Laura Walsh during the Mayo LGFA Division 3 Cup Final in Bekan last Sunday. Picture: David Farrell Photography
It took extra time and a Connie Barrett goal at the death to finally separate Parke K/C and Aghamore in the Division 3 ladies final.
A Parke goal on the 13 minute mark saw captain Emma Walsh hit the back of the net following a lovely flowing move set up by Leah Conway and Alannah Kelly. Walsh’s volley-like strike, which added to Gracie O’Brien’s point cancelled out Aghamore’s early lead which they established through a Niamh Mooney brace and an Aoife Lilly free.
Laura Walsh fired over twice for Parke and Megan Davitt’s point gave them a strong lead and Aghamore, desperately needing something, found two points before the break through Ciara Delaney and Niamh Mooney.
Ellen Neylon got Aghamore moving in the right direction with a well-taken strike but the east Mayo side were dealt a hammer blow when first, Megan Davitt re-established a two-point gap and then Emma Walsh scored her second. Alannah Kelly was involved again, finding O’Brien in plenty of space, who laid it off to Walsh who finished well.
It took Aghamore the rest of the second half but they took gradual bites out of the Parke lead until it was no more. Siobhan Mooney’s point was followed by a pair of points from Aoife Lilly from frees. Kate Morley brought them to within a point and in the dying embers, Louise Cassidy leveled matters.
Into extra time, with her second point Siobhan Mooney gave Aghamore the lead for the first time since the 12th minute. It lasted no length as Leah Conway hit back for the Black & Amber, Louise Cassidy popped over a free but the sides were deadlocked again by half time in extra time as Alannah Kelly scored a well-deserved point.
Niamh Mooney opened up some daylight for Aghamore, scoring back-to-back points but Parke refused to be beaten. Connie Barrett burst forward and cut the gap to a point before Saoirse Donohue’s brace of points put Parke back in front. Mooney equalized again but then came the decisive moment as Barrett got on the end of an attack and hit the back of the net for what was surely the winner.
Leah Conway’s free proved a vital insurance score for Parke, putting them four ahead and time ran out on Aghamore, after such a brave effort from them to get back into this game.
