High drama as Claremorris survive last-gasp scare
The girls of Claremorris NS after their win against Behy NS from Ballina in a dramatic Division 1B final in MacHale Park. Picture: Michael Donnelly
There’s no doubt but that pangs of regret will hang heavy around the corridors of Behy National School after their gallant girls team saw a ten points half-time lead whipped from them in a dramatic final against Claremorris NS. But even when the South Mayo side had needed only nine minutes of the second-half to go from a double digits deficit to leading by one point, back came Behy to lead by three points with under five minutes left to play.
Again they fell behind, by two points, but in the very final play of the game it looked like they might be set to earn a sensational victory, as Bláithín Cunnane cut in from the right wing and bore down on the Claremorris goal.
The Behy girl unleashed a screamer of a shot that, unfortunately for her team but much to the relief of Claremorris, whistled what could only have been a millimetre beyond the far post, with the full-time whistle immediately sparking despair and delight in equal measure.
Hannah O’Reilly had given Claremorris the dream start when she cooly finished to the net inside the opening minute of this 13-a-side clash but the direction of the traffic was mainly one way for the remainder of the half, as wind-assisted Behy assumed control.
Emma-Rose Walsh swiftly replied with an equalising goal and Ellie Philbin added a brilliant second in the 10th minute, unleashing a ferocious left-foot shot into the top left corner. It got even better for Behy when Alanna Walsh’s dancing feet took her inside the Claremorris cover to score her side’s third goal while Farrah Jackson finished off he first-half by scoring 1-1, the point from a free, the goal coming when her long range free dropped short but bounced over the unfortunate goalkeeper.
Claremorris were trailing 4-01 to 1-0 but with the breeze now at their backs they wasted little time in reeling in their opponents at the start of the second-half. Zuzanna Kurkowska had signalled her side’s intent when scoring 1-1 within four minutes of the restart while first-half goal scorer Hannah O’Reilly added two more in the 28th and 29th minutes, the first coming off the back of good work by Rimas Mnaa and Megan Judge, the second when receiving a pass from Abbie Kirkpatrick.
Suddenly Claremorris were a point to the good, 4-2 to 4-1, but while Emma-Rose Walsh was unfortunate to send a Behy goal chance narrowly wide, the North Mayo pupils hadn’t long to wait until they regained the lead.
Emily Cawley showed extreme bravery to keep her eyes firmly fixed on the ball and punch home a fifth goal for Behy with 10 minutes left to play, while a point from Bláithín Cunnane – who was picked out by Farrah Jackson’s quick free – extended the lead to three.
When Emma Monaghan had a shot tipped onto the post by Behy goalkeeper Kayla McKiernan, Claremorris could have been forgiven if feeling a little sorry for themselves. Instead, they equalised with two minutes left on the clock, as Hannah O’Reilly scored her fourth goal of the game, this one dropping all the way to the net from long range.
She whipped over a point just seconds later too, and when Naoise O’Reilly nipped in along the endline and tapped over with the full 40 minutes now played, Claremorris were 5-4 to 5-2 to the good.
Then came Behy’s last gasp stoppage-time opportunity to snatch victory, but fate decreed otherwise.
Claremorris NS: Ayra Afzal, Maddie Byrne, Kamile Slavinskaite, Ruth Oates, Rimas Mnaa, Naoise O’Reilly (0-1), Abbie Kirkpatrick, Nicole Ciweck (0-1), Eimear Hunt, Megan Judge, Emma Monaghan, Hannah O'Reilly (4-01), Abbie McGahon, Zuzanna Kurkowska (1-1), Annabelle Hayes, Jasmine Nutor, Amelia Dumpe, Yasmin Hitos, Jasmina Plesa, Valentina Fernandes Amorim, Kamile Doveikaite, Alaa Jomaa.
Behy NS: Kayla McKiernan, Mia Strogen-Kelly, Síomha O’Boyle, Betany Mullen, Ruby Donnelly, Eve McHale, Farrah Jackson (1-1f), Bláithín Cunnane (0-1), Emily Cawley (1-0), Katie Forde, Ellie Philbin (1-0), Alanna Walsh (1-0), Emma-Rose Walsh (1-0), Lily Mae Sweeney, Ellie Flynn, Grace Flynn, Kelsie Gillian, Elisha Langdon, Kaithlyn Cyriac, Leyla Karakus, Shanagh Heffron, Maria Henry, Emily Fitzpatrick, Megan Buckley, Holly Good, Sophie Flannery, Lavinia Lismund, Aoife O’Donnell, Fiadh Grey, Elly Devaney-Gallagher.
