Claremorris inflict more final misery on Westport in thriller
Mixed emotions at full time as Claremorris players celebrate while some Westport players dejected at full time after the Mayo U21 A final in MacHale Park. Pictures: Conor McKeown
Not for the first time this year, Westport had county success snatched away from them as Claremorris substitute Jake Mullin grabbed all the headlines with a goal in the fourth minute of injury-time to grab victory from the jaws of defeat.
It was a breathless finish to this year’s U21 ‘A’ championship campaign, especially for all involved with Claremorris and Westport. Three minutes of injury-time were signalled by the fourth official, and even when that had elapsed, Westport still led by two, 1-14 to 0-15, and history from the club's senior final several weeks ago surely couldn’t be repeated. It was.
Claremorris kept attacking and attacking the Westport goal. In the fourth minute of added on time, Claremorris looked to be on the verge of winning a penalty after Dara Hurley went on a meandering run through the heart of the Westport defence and was brought to the ground. Still, the referee waved play on, the ball ran loose, and substitute Jake Mullin grabbed the ball and just slammed it into the far low corner of the Westport net across the face of Conor Meaney’s goal.
Everyone was stunned. The game resumed from the kick out, but just 25 seconds later, it was over as referee Enda Nolan blew for full-time. Westport players fell to their knees in disbelief. Again. Claremorris were absolutely overjoyed. Westport were caught at the death in the senior final, and now were caught at the death in this, the U-21 final. You just couldn’t script it.
“I never really experienced anything quite like that in my life before,” explained an emotional Rio Mortimer in speaking to the afterwards. “Winning county finals are sweet, but when you win one like that, there is something different about it. We didn’t play all that well here today, let’s be honest, but that just shows it’s a testament to this group.
“This bunch of players, we have been together a long time, and we just never threw in the towel. There, at the last stroke of the game, the ball fell to Jake Mullin, and he just stuck it into the net.
“He didn’t get much game time for us this year, but he didn’t waste his chance when he came on here today, as we all saw. He took his chance, and we are all so delighted and thankful to him. Delighted.”
This game took a long time to get going. Conditions were ideal for the last weekend in November, but for some reason, it had a slow start. The first quarter was coming to an end, and the sides were level on just 0-2 apiece. However, there was an improvement in the second quarter and finally scores began to come, and by half-time, Westport led by the minimum, 0-9 to 0-8.
Starting number 18, Fionn O Cinnseala was a clever move by the Westport management, as he was very effective. He kicked two points from play and played roles in his side's other points being kicked by Ben Holmes, Darragh Hoban, goalie Conor Meaney with a free, and a two-pointer apiece by Leon Askin and the very hard-working Conal Dawson from a free.
At the other end, the full-forward line did all the scoring with brothers Adam and Darragh Beirne kicking five of their seven points, with Niall Hurley adding two from play also. Just six minutes had elapsed in the second half when Westport goaled to go four up, 1-10 to 0-9, a lead they would hold until the last few seconds. A wonderful ball in from the MacHale Road side by Fionn O Cinnseala found the awaiting Ben Holmes, and he finished to the net in style. The entire second half saw Westport hold this three/four-point lead, never really in doubt and surely they would hold out as three minutes of injury-time was signalled.
Two minutes into this, Adam Beirne narrowed it down to two and how crucial that point was. Jake Mullin’s name will be long remembered after what occurred moments later, and the Billy Kenny Cup will be resting in the South Mayo town for the next twelve months.
“We have been together for a long time, this group and we know the quality we have in the dressing-room,” continued Mortimer. “It is not lost on us that there is this sort of stigma in Claremorris, that our club is always good at underage, etc. We hear that stuff all the time. It is our mission now, and it’s our job to turn that around and start changing this to show that we are not just a bunch of underage players and that we are here to compete long term.
“We targeted senior this year, but it didn’t happen for us. We are not going to give up, and this group will stay together. I know this group of lads, it’s a great bunch to be involved with and we are really determined to work hard, work for one another and eventually we will come out the other end.” Afterwards, vice-chairman of Mayo County Board, Michael Diskin, presented the trophy to the winning captain, Adam Beirne, while Niall Hurley received the man of the match award.
Scorers - Claremorris: Darragh Beirne 0-0-7 (3f), Niall Hurley 0-1-2, Jake Mullin 1-0-0, Adam Beirne 0-0-2, Dara Hurley and Paul Gilmore 0-0-1 each.
Westport: Conal Dawson 0-2-1 (1tpf,1f), Ben Holmes 1-0-1, Fionn O Cinnseala 0-0-2, Leon Askin 0-1-0, Darragh Corrigan, Conor Meaney (1f), Darragh Hoban and Elcmar O’Toole 0-0-1 each.
Claremorris: Evan Campbell; David Hurley, Rio Mortimer, David Slattery; Paul Gilmore, Mark Noonan, Oran McNulty; Harry Smyth, Craig Cassidy; David Lally, Dara Hurley, Johnny Commins; Darragh Beirne, Niall Hurley, Adam Beirne. Subs: Sean O’Connell (for Lally h/t), Jake Mullin (for Smyth 56), Conor O’Brien (for McNulty 60).
Westport: Conor Meaney; Peter McGowan, Tom Lambert, Darragh Corrigan; Leon Askin, Lorcan Silke, Danny Brennan; Conal Dawson, James Noonan; Dara Dawson, Joey Holmes, Darragh Hoban; Fionn O Cinnseala, Ben Holmes, Fionn O’Hora. Subs: Elcmar O’Toole (for B Holmes 34), Evan Durkan (for Hoban 54), Michael McDonnell (for Silke 57), Anto Browne (for C Dawson 60+2).
REF: Enda Nolan (Balla).
