Late drama in Longford leaves Mayo school reeling following entertaining contest

Sacred Heart School, Westport, were dealt a killer blow late on by Loreto St. Michael’s, Navan, in the Lidl All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Senior A final yesterday afternoon, the Meath girls winning by 3-9 to 0-15.

Lauren Woods was the star for the Meath school, scoring a hat trick of goals – including the late strike that put them ahead going into the closing stages.

Loreto St. Michael's were also well served by Ciara Smyth, a member of the Meath senior panel, in what was an entertaining final in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford.

Sacred Heart played a huge part in making it a high quality encounter and were in control for large periods before Loreto St. Michael's came with that late burst.

Aoife Staunton (free) scored first for the Mayo girls but Woods got on the end of a fine move to open Loreto's account with a goal.

Four unanswered points from Sacred Heart – scored by Staunton, Hannah Sheehy, Laura Moran and Christina McEvilly – showed they weren't knocked out of their stride by the concession of that early goal.

Points at the other end of the field from Lucy Reynolds and Smyth levelled the game but Westport responded positively again and a scoring streak gave them a five-point cushion (0-11 to 1-3) at the break.

It could have been better for Sacred Heart but Loreto St. Michael's goalkeeper Alex Connor denied Sarah Mulroy with a good save on 24 minutes.

A second goal for Woods, set up by Tara Traynor and Smyth, brought Loreto St. Michael's right back into it early in the second half.

Minutes later Connor again made a telling intervention to deny Sacred Heart wing-back Ava Kelly.

Despite the scores drying up – they landed only four points in that second half – the Westport school were doing their best to keep their opponents at bay.

But, with Smyth becoming an increasingly influential force, the Navan girls were level with two minutes of normal time remaining. It was Smyth who landed the leveller, and Woods soon netted her third goal to put Loreto St. Michael's three ahead going into the closing stages.

Smyth scored again to give her school a four-point cushion and while Chloe Chambers pulled one back for Sacred Heart, Loreto St. Michael's weren't going to be denied.

Loreto St. Michael's: A. Connor; M. Clarke, M. Coyne, S. Finnegan; I. O’Connor, Z. Harte, L. Dwyer; R. Reilly (0-1), M. Brady; S.J. Lyons (0-1), C. Smyth (0-5, 2f), L. Reynolds (0-1); L. Woods (3-1), T. Traynor, E. Brogan.

Subs used: O. Reilly, R. O’Neill.

Sacred Heart: A. Calvey; E. Geraghty, A. McDonnell, R. Cafferkey; A. Kelly, B. Hoban, E. Hyland; S. Mulroy, S. McCarney (0-1); L. Hastings, L. Moran (0-5, 4f), H. Sheehy (0-1); A. Palasz (0-1), A. Staunton (0-5, 2f), C. McEvilly (0-1).

Subs used: E. Carney, C. Chambers (0-1), L. Kelly.

Referee: S. Curley (Galway).