All-Ireland glory for Mayo girls as Ballinrobe CS defeat Cork opposition

Ballinrobe Community School won their first All-Ireland Ladies Post-Primary Schools title since 1995 with a stunning 5-13 to 0-4 victory over St. Mary’s of Macroom at the University of Limerick, writes Oisín McGovern.

A haul of 3-8 from Kate Brennan and Emma Stagg (player of the match with 1-5) were the highlights of an awesome display from Ballinrobe, whose victory was never in doubt.

St. Mary’s worked hard but were held to a solitary point from play.

Despite going a point down from a first-minute Cora Delaney point, Ballinrobe CS completely dominated the game.

By the 11th minute, the South Mayo school had a 0-3 to 0-1 lead.

Inspired by a barnstorming display from team captain Kate Brennan, Ballinrobe CS gained another advantage when St. Mary’s wing-forward Orla O’Brien was yellow-carded in the 12th minute.

Ballinrobe scored 2-1 while she was off the field, with the goals coming within a minute of each other.

Kate Brennan got the first when she drove the ball low into the corner after being fed by Emily Jennings.

Jennings turned executioner a minute later with a jaw-dropping shot that flew into the top left corner from roughly 20 yards out.

Ballinrobe’s superb half-back line snuffed out the few attacks that St. Mary’s managed to conjure before half-time.

All-Ireland winning Mayo Under 14 captain Emma Stagg contributed two points before the break and was influential from play, while Brennan, Jennings and Ali Hughes all scored a point each.

The Munster champions trailed 2-5 to 0-2 at half-time after Róisín Ní Liatháin kicked a free late into injury time.

The second half brought even more shock for St. Mary’s, who were rattled by early goals from Brennan and Stagg.

Ní Liatháin replied with a pair of frees either side of an Ursula Shaughnessy point, by which time St. Mary’s hopes had all but vanished.

Ballinrobe continued to dominate throughout the field, hitting seven points without reply before substitute Isabella Hughes lobbed in their final goal near the end.

Ballinrobe CS: : K. Hughes; S. Vahey, A. Warde, E. Shaughnessy; L. Tiernan, K. Brennan (2-3), R. Gallagher; A. Hughes (0-1), R. Burke (0-1); M. O’Donnell, E. Jennings (1-1), S. Varley; E. Keane, E. Stagg (1-5, 1f), U. Shaughnessy (0-2).

Subs: A. Reilly for Varley (20), T. Boyle for Shaughnessy (44), I. Hughes (1-0) for Keane (52), K. Yates for Gallagher (54), C. O’Brien for A. Hughes (56)

St. Mary's, Macroom: E. Deasy; S. Cronin, C. Murray, H. O’Shea; S. Kelleher, Cara O’Brien, R. Prendeville; S. Mora, K. Downey; R. Ní Liatháin (0-3f), E. McMahon, Orla O’Brien; M. Murphy, L. Desmond, C. Delaney (0-1).

Subs: Cliona O’Brien for Downey (HT), G. Duarte for Cronin (HT), Orlaith O’Brien for McMahon (41), P. Murphy for Prendeville (46), C. Lehane for Delaney (53).

Ref: S. Mulvihill (Kerry).