Ballyconnell NS 0-5 Tinryland NS 1-2 (After Extra-Time)

(Free-Kicks – Ballyconnell NS 3 Tinryland NS 3)

 

This game threw in at 8:10pm, a little over half an hour after the Ballyconnell boys had won their final. Would their victory help to inspire the girls to win what would be the school’s third girls title in a row?

Things certainly didn’t go to plan at the start of the game with Tinryland taking a quick 1-2 to no score lead. Some teams may have let their heads drop at that stage and have believed that this was not their night. Not these Ballyconnell girls!

It wasn’t long until Ballyconnell started to get into the game and to start to show what they were made of. The full-back line of Croí-Lily Deegan and Elizabeth McCarthy started to get on top and chances for Tinryland soon dried up. The half-back pairing of Meadhbh Ward and Órlaith Farrell were doing a great job at defending and managing to get forward a little too.

In midfield, Sarah Keogh (the last survivor from the 2019 Cumann na mBunscol win) and Chloe Lambe grew in influence. Millie O’Neill and Creah Doyle started getting a lot more possession in the half-forward line, creating chances for Erika O’Grady and Megan Mernagh in the full-forward line.

By half-time, it was definitely Ballyconnell who were on top. However, try as they might, they could not get the ball past the Tinryland goalkeeper who was playing superbly. The score remained Tinryland 1-2, Ballyconnell 0-0.

With Miss Kennedy’s words of wisdom ringing in their ears, Ballyconnell began the second-half as they had ended the first. The question was – could they make their dominance count on the scoreboard?

After a few more missed chances, it was Megan Mernagh who hit Ballyconnell’s first score of the evening, a score which was met with huge applause by the Ballyconnell support.

At this point Ballyconnell were coming at Tinryland in waves. Tinryland though, still offered a threat going forward. When they did get close, they found goalkeeper Saoirse Cahill and the full-back pairing of Elizabeth McCarthy and Croí Deegan impossible to pass. Time and again, McCarthy and Deegan heroically repelled Tinryland attacks.

Up the other end, Sarah Keogh added two points from play (the second of which was a booming point from distance) to cut the gap to two. Time was Ballyconnell’s enemy now. With two minutes to go, Chloe Lambe won a Tinryland kickout and passed to Sarah Keogh. Sarah soloed through the Tinryland defence and passed to Megan Mernagh who finished in style to make it a one-point game.

Tinryland attacked, looking to go in for the kill. Again, the Ballyconnell defence held firm. A look at the clock. It had ticked past 15 minutes. Time was almost up.

It was now or never for Ballyconnell. Showing great skill and composure, they worked the ball up the field into a scoring position. The referee then awarded a free kick from around 25 metres out. A pressure kick. Sarah Keogh showed nerves of steel to kick the ball straight between the posts to level the game – 0-5 to 1-2.

To extra-time we went – five minutes per half. It was Ballyconnell who struck first through Sarah Keogh to lead for the first time in the match. The lead didn’t last long however, as Tinryland conjured up an equaliser from somewhere.

The second half of extra-time saw Ballyconnell go in search of the winner but try as they might, they could not find the target.

United we Stand!!

At the final whistle, there was some confusion. Was it a replay? Penalties? After a consultation with organisers, it was decided that the game would be decided by free-kicks, taken from the 21 yard line. After 5 kicks each, Ballyconnell and Tinryland remained level.

There was some talk of ‘sudden death’ but, thankfully, common sense prevailed and the referee gave 3 shrill blasts of his whistle, calling a halt to proceedings.

This was truly a remarkable game of football, one that will live long in the memory of all those who played and attended it. Ballyconnell showed amazing heart, determination and fitness to come back and to keep going right till the end.

A huge thank you to all of the parents who offered such vocal support throughout the game. It was also great to see so many of the boys’ team sticking around to lend their support to the girls. Baile Uí Chonall abú!!

Ballyconnell NS: Saoirse Cahill, Elizabeth McCarthy, Croí-Lily Deegan, Órlaith Farrell, Meadhbh Ward, Sarah Keogh (0-4), Chloe Lambe, Millie O’Neill, Creah Doyle, Megan Mernagh (0-2), Erika O’Grady. Allie Lacey, Ella O’Neill, Arabella Harding, Zoey Doyle, Kate Rooney, Mollie Bolger, Zara Hutton, Katie Connors, Natalie Byrne, Isabella Holligan

‘Thar an Trasnán’ le Megan

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