Charlestown girls seal Mayo GAA title in blockbuster decider

Mayo Cumann na mBunscol Division Two A Girls Football Final

By Patrick Hennelly

Extra-time was required to determine a winner in this blockbuster fixture as both St. Attracta's NS, Charlestown, and Bevy NS, valiantly battled for the elusive silverware.

The final score was 5-9 to 1-9 in the Charlestown side's favour, ensuring the school of a unqiue double.

St. Attracta’s raced into an early 0-3 to no score lead courtesy of white-flagged efforts from Emily Kenny, Olivia Gately (free) and Holly Healy.

One sensed that this game was going to be keenly contested when Behy had managed to restore parity by the 11th minute, through a brace of points from Sarah O’Boyle, and a tidy effort by Mia Sheridan.

However, St. Attracta’s were beginning to win some crucial breaking ball and the green and white received the perfect half-time tonic courtesy of Cara McNicholl’s terrific three-pointer.

Trailing 1-4 to 0-3 at the interval, a positive start to the new half was imperative for Behy and the Ballina school began the second half in a sprightly fashion, with points from Elizabeth McFetridge (0-2, one free), O’Boyle, and Sheridan, levelling the game after 23 minutes (15 minutes per-half).

As the game ticked into second half injury-time, Behy led by a solitary point (0-9 to 1-5), but Aoibhe Gibson’s dramatic late single for the green and white forced the game into extra-time.

Charlestown torpedoed their opponent’s game plan during the opening exchanges of the first half of extra-time by notching 4-3 without reply.

A brave Behy did manage to net a late consolation goal, as McFetridge’s superb finish had too much purchase for the Charlestown custodian.