Cumann na mBunscol double completed by south Mayo school

Robeen NS 3-3

Behy NS 2-0

Having captured the Division 2B boys football title last week, Robeen National School completed a remarkable and historic double at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park this week as they prevailed in an entertaining contest against Behy National School to win the Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Mhaigh Eo Division 4 hurling title, writes Patrick Hennelly.

Robeen set the tone at an early juncture, with Éanna Malone striking over a tidy effort during the opening exchanges of this clash.

Having been established in 1878, Behy NS is one of the oldest schools in the county and the north Mayo outfit’s game plan received a massive boost on six minutes when Ethan Hegarty Weir found the back of the net after Kyle O’Grady’s raking delivery landed in the danger zone.

However, Robeen didn’t panic and regrouped impressively courtesy of two expertly taken frees from the stick of C.J. O’Hara.

The south Mayo side continued to pose a threat in front of goal, with Sean Flanagan seeing a decent chance zip inches wide on nine minutes.

Just before the break, Flanagan made amends for that miss when his rasping strike had too much purchase for the Behy custodian and the sliotar rustled the back of the net, thus giving Robeen a 1-3 to 1-0 lead during at half-time.

Robeen made the ideal start to the new half too, their early pressure rewarded when O’Hara scored a cracking goal.

The same player very nearly stretched his team's lead even further on 16 minutes, but this time his stinging drive fizzed narrowly wide.

Behy needed a tonic and it duly arrived five minutes into the new half when the energetic Mona Mitchell scored a superb goal to bring her school right back into contention.

With just a goal separating the sides (2-3 to 2-0), the Ballina-based school very nearly conjured up the equalising score. However, the influential Darragh Devers was left ruing his luck as the sliotar flashed just inches wide past the Robeen goal.

Robeen needed another score to ensure the victory and it duly arrived during the dying embers of this enthralling clash when a deadly counter-offensive move ended with O’Hara once again rippling the back of the net.

The sounding of the full-time whistle signalled joyous scenes for the Robeen players, management and supporters as they savoured a coveted county hurling title, completing a remarkable double.

Robeen NS: Senan Conroy, Patrick Jennings, Conal Williams, Éanna Malone (0-1), C. J. O’Hara (2-2, 0-2f), Sean Flanagan (1-0), James Lynagh, Ethan Fahey, Adam O’Regan, Daniel Martin, Noah O’Regan.

Behy NS: Cian Doherty, Eimhin Conway, Ethan Hegarty Weir (1-0), Darragh Devers, Kyle O’Grady, Mona Mitchell (1-0), Conor Flynn, Grace Kenny, Zoe Cullinane, David Doherty, Brian Rouse, Marcus Cawley, Sean O’Boyle, Ethan Maughan.

*See this week's print edition for comprehensive Cumann na mBunscol coverage