Late, late Harte-break as Aghamore pay the penalty

Connacht LGFA Junior Club Championship Semi-Final 

Coolera-Strandhill (Sligo) 4-8 

Aghamore 2-13 

Patrick Hennelly in Aghamore 

A gallant Aghamore suffered a heart-breaking defeat on Saturday afternoon last as visiting Coolera-Strandhill just about booked their Connacht Final ticket.

During the dying embers of additional time at the end of the second-half, Aghamore were awarded a spot-kick after Louise Cassidy was fouled inside the area. It seemed that the White and Red were about to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat as Cassidy opted to go for goal instead of a point that would only have secured extra-time. However, her penalty was thwarted by Beibhinn Harte, with the ball trickling agonisingly along the goal-line before the ensuing goalmouth scramble ended with Harte winning a free-out, which proved the last act of an enthralling contest.

The early stages were lively to say the least, with both Coolera-Strandhill’s Anna McDaniel, a free, and Aghamore’s Anna Lyons swapping singles, before the Yeats County outfit pounced for a goal on five minutes. Following full-forward Orna Murphy pointing for her team on three minutes, the same player was on hand to receive Sarah McDaniel’s inch-perfect delivery and the former crashed home a three-pointer. But that was to prove the visitors final score until the 22nd minute.

In the intervening period, Aghamore began to dominate and three points on the bounce from Aoife Lilly (two frees) were the prelude to a three-pointer from Keith Cassidy’s outfit. Some spellbinding build-up by Aghamore resulted in a goal chance being conjured up for Louise Cassidy and the latter finished with aplomb to shunt her team into a 1-4 to 1-2 lead.

Aghamore were enjoying their football and three further white-flagged efforts from Lilian Keane, Saoirse Delaney and Lyons left Coolera-Strandhill reeling after 21 minutes.

But the Black and White refused to deviate from their game-plan, and Pat Kerrigan’s side ended half with a flourish, courtesy of points from Anna McDaniel, a free, and the industrious Heather Cotter, with Anna McDaniel also chipping in with a fine goal on 25 minutes, which left the sides deadlocked during the interval on a 1-7 to 2-4 scoreline.

The visitors stunned their hosts when the deadly Orna Murphy scored a peach of a goal just three minutes into the second-half.

To their credit, the East Mayo outfit regrouped after that set-back and points from Ellen Neylon and Lilly, three, including one free, had the sides level at 1-12 to 3-6 after 42 minutes.

The dingdong nature of this absorbing tie continued unabated, but when the poaching Louise Cassidy deftly flicked home a close-range finish to shunt Aghamore into a 2-13 to 3-8 lead on 50 minutes, it appeared that the hosts were on the verge of a famous victory. However, a gutsy Coolera-Strandhill didn’t read the script and super-sub Mairéad McIntyre struck home a close-range goal on 59 minutes.

Aghamore peppered the Coolera-Strandhill goal deep into stoppage-time and the Mayo side thought they had received a reprieve when they were awarded a late, late penalty, but Beibhinn Harte came to the rescue for the Sligo outfit.

Scorers – Coolera Strandhill: Orna Murphy 2-2, Anna McDaniel 1-5 (0-4f), Mairéad McIntyre 1-0, Heather Cotter 0-1.

Aghamore: Louise Cassidy 2-0, Aoife Lilly 0-6 (3f), Anna Lyons 0-3, Lilian Keane, Ellen Neylon, Saoirse Delaney and Laoise Greally 0-1 each.

Aghamore: Caragh Burke; Ciara Delaney, Aoife Doherty, Caoimhe Delaney; Niamh Greally, Meabh Delaney, Lilian Keane; Mairéad Mooney, Ellen Neylon; Louise Cassidy, Anna Lyons, Saoirse Delaney; Siobhan Mooney, Aoife Lilly, Emer Delaney. Subs: Laoise Greally (for S Mooney ht), Cassie Niland (for C Delaney 43).

Coolera Strandhill: Beibhinn Harte; Lisa Kilfeather, Holly Gilligan, Edwenia O’Malley; Susannah Gilligan, Eabha Cawley, Caoimhe O’Sullivan; Ruth Goodwin, Shona Dalton; Sarah McDaniel, Heather Cotter, Eimear McIntyre; Leah Kerrigan, Orna Murphy, Anna McDaniel.

Subs: Niamh O’Callaghan (for Kilfeather ht), Mairéad McIntyre (for Goodwin 43), Lucie Cawley (for Kerrigan 47), Lauren Maye (for O’Sullivan 52).

REF: Colm Conway (Galway)