Breaffy head for Coola with a Connacht final in sight
Breaffy captain Meadbh O'Shea in action during the AbbVie Mayo junior 'A' final against Kilmoremoy in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park earlier this month. Picture: Pauline Flatley
Breaffy haven't been doing things the easy way this season, and Monday's trip to Sligo is the latest chapter in a memorable year.
Their AbbVie Mayo Junior A title was the first adult LGFA championship in the club’s history, and they left it until the final seconds at MacHale Park. Kilmoremoy, fancied by many beforehand, scored the first five points inside nine minutes and led 1-9 to 0-6 at the break. An Amy Golden goal on 39 minutes kept Breaffy in touch, but a Ciara Whyte chip had them seven behind on 43 minutes.
Points from Vivienne Ward and Niamh Curran trimmed the gap, and Curran punched home a goal on 58 minutes when a long Ward free dropped short. With Breaffy still two adrift deep in injury time, Katelyn McManamon won a penalty, and Ward held her nerve to fire it home for a 3-12 to 2-14 win.
If the county final tested their nerve, the Connacht quarter-final against Roscommon champions Four Roads tested their staying power. On home soil, Breaffy looked set for a comfortable afternoon when they opened up a seven-point lead in the first 25 minutes, with the scores spread across Aisling Flanagan, Vivienne Ward and the Moran trio of Sophie, Emily and Katie.
Four Roads refused to go away. A Clodagh Finneran goal before half-time sparked a revival that cut the gap to a single point with eight minutes of normal time left. Breaffy found an answer, and Sophie Moran’s two late goals stretched the lead to nine early in injury time.
Even then, goals from Donna Kelly and Síofra Finneran meant the Mayo champions needed a fine save from goalkeeper Niamh Flanagan in the final seconds to close out a 2-12 to 3-7 win. Chloe Fahey’s driving runs from midfield stood out, and McManamon was central to things again, this time with a commanding display at full-back.
Shamrock Gaels bring plenty of drama of their own. They are Sligo Junior A champions after a 2-16 to 2-14 extra-time win over neighbours Eastern Harps at Markievicz Park on October 10, a result that also earns them promotion to intermediate next season. Orlaith Scanlon was the key figure, with a goal in normal time and another in extra-time.
The Gaels had the breeze in the first half and led by four at the break, but Harps fought back to force extra time with a late equaliser and then went four clear early in the additional period, before Scanlon’s second goal turned the game back in the Gaels’ favour. It was a measure of revenge too, as Harps had beaten them 3-11 to 4-9 in the group stage.
There is little to separate these sides on form. Both are newly crowned county champions, both have shown they can come back when a game seems to be slipping away, and both carry a real goal threat.
Breaffy will be wary of having conceded five goals across their last two games, while Shamrock Gaels have home advantage and fresh legs, with this their first outing since the county final.
The winners will meet St Brigid’s (Leitrim) or Gráinne Mhaols (Galway) in the Connacht final.
