Munster LGFA PPS Senior B Final
Coláiste na Sceilge 3-10
Cashel Community School 1-16
Match Report by Jack McKay
(After ET, Coláiste na Sceilge win 3-0 on free-kick shootout)
An absolute classic 80 minutes of football, it was Coláiste na Sceilge that came away victorious after Brid Curran nailed the winning free-kick in their Munster LGFA PPS Senior B final win over Cashel Community School in Banteer on Friday. Her winning free-kick in the shoot-out finally settled an extraordinary Munster LGFA PPS Senior B final, handing Coláiste na Sceilge victory after a contest that refused, stubbornly, to produce a winner in normal or extra-time.
Level at half-time. Level at full-time. Level again after 20 minutes of extra-time. Eight times the sides were deadlocked across the afternoon, and when Cashel failed to convert any of their first three efforts from 25 metres, Curran’s strike followed Sadhbh O’Sullivan and Maeve Courtney’s converted effort to seal the title. That the game required such an ending felt appropriate. It was frantic, chaotic and compelling in equal measure, swinging over and back, even in extra time.
Level 1-11 to 2-8 at full-time, the Kerry side pounced within seconds of the extra-time start, Iona Wynton making a darting run straight from throw in before striking, and her looping effort crept in under the crossbar. And yet, when the half-time break followed 10 minutes later, Cashel had it back level. Two quickfire points in the 67th minute from Doireann Ryan and substitute Lily Gillespie – who made a huge impact when she came on – got them back to within one, before Aoife O’Donnell nailed a free to level it just before the two minute break.
When they returned for the second half of extra-time, CNS were off to a flying start once more, raising a white flag from throw-in on this occasion, as Wynton and Vilte Paulauskaite worked it to Sadhbh O’Sullivan for the score. O’Donnell would respond with a free after Sarah Meehan did well to win it, but CNS would nudge in front again when O’Sullivan converted a placed ball at the other end. That left the Cahersiveen school a point up with seven minutes to go. Cashel captain Maria Murphy would level it from a free, leaving the teams tied for the eighth and final time in Banteer. Evanne Gleeson would forge the last big scoring opportunity for either side in the 82nd minute, but her effort came up just short, and so a shootout was to follow.
The teams spent almost the entire game deadlocked – the gap between them never growing beyond three points in the first half – until Coláiste na Sceilge went from three down to four up in the span of five minutes. Cashel had been 0-10 to 0-7 in front with 50 minutes played, until CNS’s Muireann Teahan combined with Courtney for the close range finish to draw level with the game’s first goal. Courtney followed that up with a free before then turning provider, again working it to Teahan, as they set up Paulauskaite for the green flag finish. All of a sudden, the game had opened up and CNS looked to be heading for victory with mere minutes to go and a 2-8 to 0-10 advantage.
Cue the added time drama.
With the clock in red, O’Donnell stood over a Cashel free. She shot, it struck the upright – one of five times Cashel would hit the post or crossbar on the day – but Kate Molumby recovered and slotted over to leave three in it. They turned CNS over on the very next kickout, Evanne Gleeson to Abbie Horgan, and Horgan to the net to seal an incredible comeback and send it to extra-time. It was no less than they deserved at that stage; Cashel had led for much of the game and produced the stronger start. A couple of frees from O’Donnell and a neatly worked effort involving Horgan and O’Donnell allowed Murphy to point, leaving Cashel 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after 11 minutes.
But their Cahersiveen opponents would grow into the game. Courtney, who threatened to score every time she was in possession, nailed two frees to draw parity. She was also the catalyst behind the first half’s only real goal chance. Courtney worked it to Teahan – who was immense in midfield – and she played in Caoimhe O’Sullivan, who offloaded Paulauskaite for the goal chance, which Maeve Cummins did brilliantly to come off her line and smother. Curran would slot over the next point for Coláiste na Sceilge, their third of what would be six in a row, as CSN bumped their advantage up to three on 24 minutes. But in the final five minutes of the first half, two frees and a super score from Horgan would leave parity once more, 0-6 each at the break. Cashel would maintain that momentum at the start of the latter act, pushing 0-8 to 0-6 clear after Gleeson and O’Donnell (free) raised white flags, but all the drama would soon follow once CNS’s goals lit the fuse for a showdown that would not disappoint.
Scorers for Coláiste na Sceilge: M Courtney 1-5 (0-3 f), V Paulaskaite, I Wynton 1-0 each, S O’Sullivan 0-3 (0-2 f), B Curran, A Dwyer 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cashel Community School: A O’Donnell 0-7 (0-6 f), A Horgan 1-1, M Murphy 0-3 (0-2 f), E Gleeson 0-2, D Ryan, K Molumby, L Gillespie 0-1 each.
COLÁISTE NA SCEILGE: A Kelly; C Clifford, L O’Sullivan, A Hurley; I Crowley, M O’Sullivan (c), R Curran; M Teahan, I Wynton; A Dwyer, S O’Sullivan, C O’Sullivan; M Courtney, V Paulauskaite, B Curran.
Subs: L Donnelly for Dwyer, K Shanahan for C O’Sullivan (both 46).
CASHEL COMMUNITY SCHOOL: M Cummins; E Hally, L Maher, S McLoughlin; A Cully, D Casey, S Meehan; E Gleeson, A Horgan; A O’Donnell, D Ryan, M Hickey; M Murphy (c), K Molumby, G Tuohy.
Subs: G O’Dwyer for Hally (51), L Gillespie for Hickey (57).
Referee: S Mulvihill (Kerry)
