All-Ireland glory for west Mayo schoolgirls

Sacred Heart School, Westport, have edged an epic LGFA Lidl All-Ireland PPS Junior A final against Moate Community School to win a coveted title by 3-9 to 2-10 at a sun-splashed Orchard Park, Elphin, writes Patrick Hennelly.

This was a game that could gone have gone either way but the Westport girls produced a resilient display and their endeavour and work-rate paid dividends in the end.

Moate Community School began the joust at a lightning pace and could well have netted a few goals during the opening exchanges, with one chance in particular forcing an excellent save from Sacred Heart’s Lauren Cusack.

However, the Mayo side gradually settled into the game and the opening score of the contest was notched by Emma McGing, much to the delight of the large west Mayo attendance.

Moate, though, netted a goal on 10 minutes through the industrious Anna Ryan before Sacred Heart regrouped and, on 13 minutes, scored a goal of their own when Aoibhinn McNamara’s speculative long-range free dropped short in a crowded goal area and the ball was diverted to the back of the net by Saoirse Reynolds.

The Westport girls then added a second goal on 19 minutes courtesy of Rheanna Hoban, and at half-time the Mayo girls led 2-4 to 1-4.

Moate made a whirlwind start to the new half and Ryan added her second goal of the contest on 35 minutes, and parity was restored.

Westport’s response was crucial and two points from player of the match Katie Hughes (one free) followed by a cooly taken penalty by Aoibhinn McNamara left the Mayo girls in a commanding 3-7 to 2-5 lead.

The Westport game plan then suffered a setback when Caragh Keane picked up a yellow card and was sin-binned on 45 minutes.

Moate refused to throw in the towel and almost netted a dramatic late winning goal two minutes into injury time. However, Sacred Heart goalie Lauren Cusack produced a top-drawer save to deny Anna Ryan’s goal-bound effort.

In the end, Sacred Heart were deserving winners and at the full-time whistle, their players, management team and supporters celebrated a memorable and historic success.