South Mayo school crowned All-Ireland champions

Ballinrobe Community School captured a coveted All-Ireland title as they defeated St. Anne's Secondary School, Tipperary, by 2-9 to 0-4 in the Lidl All-Ireland PPS Senior C final, played at Glenamaddy GAA Club yesterday.

This game was originally scheduled to take place at St. Rynagh’s GAA Club, Banagher, Co Offaly, but was changed at short notice to the astroturf pitch in Glenamaddy due to an unplayable waterlogged pitch at the Offaly venue.

Ballinrobe Community School began this contest in a bright fashion, with Maura Hughes notching the opening point of the afternoon after two minutes.

The heavy rain added an extra zip to the surface and a keenly contested first half unfolded, with St. Anne’s Roisin Carew guiding over her team’s first point of the match on 17 minutes to reduce the arrears to a single point, 0-2 to 0-1.

However, two frees from Ballinrobe Community School's Chloe Stagg were boosted by the Mayo girls netting a goal on 22 minutes.

Hughes won possession and darted towards the Tipperary goal before crossing for Kate Brennan and the latter guided home a tap-in finish. Indeed, Brennan went on to produce an excellent display in the middle of the park and was named the player of the match.

St. Anne’s finished the first half strongly but Ballinrobe led 1-4 to 0-3 during the interval.

The Robesiders almost made the dream start to the new half when a goal chance fell to the industrious Emily Jennings, whose effort was denied by Caoilinn Grogan in the St. Anne’s goal.

The Mayo girls gradually began to win some vital breaking ball and a well-taken point by Hughes on 47 minutes shunted her team school into a healthy 1-6 to 0-3 lead.

Carew added a free for St. Anne’s, but that turned out to be the only time that the Tipperary school troubled the scoreboard operator during the second half.

On 55 minutes, Ballinrobe added their second goal of the contest courtesy of substitute Ursula Shaughnessy, and they were now 2-8 to 0-4 ahead.

Ballinrobe CS closed out proceedings impressively and a late point from Brennan helped secure the spoils.

At the sounding of the full-time whistle, the Ballinrobe Community School players, management and supporters celebrated a historic and memorable victory.