Clinical Claremorris are champions of Connacht

Connacht LGFA Junior Club Final 

Claremorris 2-13 

St. Brigid’s 2-8

Claremorris overcame a stiff challenge from Leitrim champions St. Brigid’s to win the Connacht junior club championship in Boyle last Sunday for the very first time.

Aidan Brennan’s youthful outfit were asked serious questions throughout and St. Brigid’s will look back in anger over eight poor first half wides and a second half penalty miss.

But the Mayo champions were economical with the opportunities that came their way and injury-time scores from Ashleagh Sammon and Marina Cawley ensured Claremorris became the first Mayo side to win the provincial junior title since MacHale Rovers in 2019.

Claremorris have been goal happy in this year’s championships, firing 28 of them in their procession to the Mayo title and another four past CT Gaels in the provincial semi-final and it came as no surprise that they raised a green flag once more early on when 40 seconds into this final, Rebecca Kean played in Nina Wallace to fire into the net, with Kean adding a point seconds later.

St. Brigid’s responded well and the dangerous Éimhín Quinn found the net on five minutes after an unfortunate slip of the hands by Claire Keane but Claremorris captain Laura Kelly finished off a brilliant move involving Sarah Dee, Keane and Bree Hession to score the South Mayo’s sides second goal on seven minutes.

As St. Brigid’s fluffed their lines in front of the posts, Claremorris had ice-cold blood running through their veins as super scores by Bree Hession (two), Nina Wallace, Kean and Kelly made it 2-6 to 1-1 on 19 minutes.

That flurry would be the final scores for Claremorris in the first half as St. Brigid’s finished strongly with four frees from Éimhín Quinn and a fine point from Síomha Quinn to leave only four between the sides at the interval, 2-6 to 1-5.

Half-time came at the wrong time for the Ballinamore-based side as points from Kean (free) and Ashleagh Sammon stopped the rot for Claremorris.

Sammon and Kean (free) traded points with Aisling and Éimhín Quinn (free) to keep Claremorris six points ahead before a real ‘sliding doors’ moment in this game arrived. Referee Aaron Clogher awarded a penalty but Síomha Quinn’s bullet from the spot came back off the post.

Kelly kept the scoreboard ticking for Claremorris but on 53 minutes Mary McKeon found the net to bring the gap back to four. But St. Brigid’s would score only one more point through Niamh Donegan in the closing stages and coupled with Ciara Gaffney being sinbinned late on, St. Brigid’s race was run, and Sammon and Cawley pointed in injury-time for a magnificent win.

They will now have a small break before the All-Ireland junior championship stages begin later this month.

Scorers – Claremorris: Laura Kelly 1-2, Nina Wallace 1-1, Rebecca Kean 0-4 (2f), Ashleagh Sammon 0-3, Bree Hession 0-2, Marina Cawley 0-1.

St. Brigid’s: Éimhín Quinn 1-5 (5f), Mary McKeon 1-0, Aisling Quinn, Síomha Quinn and Niamh Donegan 0-1 each.

Claremorris: Claire Keane; Sarah Dee, Ellie Maguire, Aisling Cummins; Amy Cummins, Siómha McNulty, Sile Hughes; Alana Fitzpatrick, Kayleigh O’Brien; Marina Cawley, Rebecca Kean, Bree Hession; Ashleagh Sammon, Nina Wallace, Laura Kelly. Subs: Deirbhile Horkan (for O’Brien ht); Joanne Regan (for Wallace 39); Sienna Kelly (for Dee 49).

St. Brigid’s: Maeve Quinn; Edel Shanley, Josephine Maguire, Niamh McNiffe; Niamh Donnegan, Ciara Gaffney, Dearbhla Gunn; Aisling Quinn, Lauren Donohoe; Tara Fitzpatrick, Éimhín Quinn, Ciana Stringer; Caoimhe Gaffney, Síomha Quinn, Mary McKeon. Subs: Rachel Dolan (for Donohoe ht); Caoimhe Prior and Sinéad Quinn (for Gaffney and Fitzpatrick 58).

Referee: Aaron Clogher (Roscommon)