Goals make the difference as Sacred Heart are beaten by Loreto
Sacred Heart Secondary School, Westport, just came up short in their bid for All-Ireland glory when they were defeated in the Lidl Post-Primary Schools Junior A final by Loreto from Cavan by 5-10 to 2-10.
In what was a highly competitive and entertaining game at Curry GAA Club, Sligo, this afternoon, the Westport girls couldn’t quite match the more slick and accurate Cavan side.
However, the Mayo representatives lost nothing in defeat as they battled really hard right up to the bitter end.
The winners laid the foundations for their victory during an opening half in which they rattled the Westport net on no less than five occasions. Yet despite these five goals against them, Sacred Heart kept battling away and managed to raise two green flags themselves in the opening half.
However, they still found themselves with a mountain to climb at the interval as they trailed by eight points, 5-5 to 2-6.
Although the Cavan side were first to score, a point from the very impressive Kate Fegan in the second minute, Westport hit back in style with a brilliant goal from Ava Palasz three minutes later. But by the time Sacred Heart got their next score, a point from Saoirse Byrne in the 13th minute, their opponents had added 2-2 to their tally, both their goals coming from Fegan.
While Byrne (two), Aoife Gannon, Chloe Chambers and Christina McEvilly did manage to raise white flags for Westport, the Cavan school added three more goals from Emma McIntyre and two from the equally impressive Clodagh Clarke.
However, just before the interval, Westport were thrown a lifeline when Chloe Chambers rattled the back of the net.
In the second half Westport really put it up to their opponents. However, despite plenty of possession they gave the ball away too often and too easily.
Although they did create plenty of good scoring opportunities, they only managed to score four points, Byrne (two) and one each from Hannah Sheedy and Ava Kelly.
But Sacred Heart were unlucky with a great goal chance in the 48th minute when a brilliant shot by Christina McEvilly came back off the bottom of the post with the Cavan goalkeeper well beaten.
In the end the Cavan side managed to add five points to their tally in the second half and in the end they held on for a deserved victory.
Loreto: O. McCabe; C. Doyle, A. Brady, D. McGovern; R. Gunn, A. Kennedy, C. Crowe; E. Brady, E. McIntyre (1-1); E. Murphy (0-1), S. Cullivan, E. Keogan; C. Clarke (2-0), S. Clarke (0-1), K. Fegan (2-5).
Subs used: K. O’Meara (0-1), L. Miney, K. Bartley (0-1), R. Boyle.
Sacred Heart: R. Hastings; M. O’Malley, A. McDonnell, G. McDonnell; C. Palasz, L. Hastings, É. Carney; A. Kelly (0-1), H. Sheehy (0-1); A. Gannon (0-1), A. Palasz (1-0), L. Kelly; C. Chambers (1-1), S. Byrne (0-5), C McEvilly (0-1).
Subs used: H. O’Malley, A. Meaney, M. Tunney, D. Guilfoyle.