Tomás McCarthy Reporting from Walsh Park
Jubilation for Gailltir, devastation for St Annes.
What a final. What a finish.
The blue and navy left it late just like they did on All Ireland final day.
Úna Jackman was the matchwinner in Croke Park. This time, it was Ciara O’Sullivan.
One point behind and two minutes into stoppage time, the centre forward connected with Aoife Fitzgerald’s free from the 45 and the sliotar flew into the back of the net. 2-2 for the player of the final.
A fourth point from Emer Walsh in the 65th minute sealed the three in a row. She whipped the ball over the bar after Annie Fitzgerald hit the post. Walsh didn’t start the semi final but showed her worth in the big show.
Gailltir’s grip on county, Munster and All Ireland honours was slipping away entering those four added minutes as bit by bit St Annes turned a nine point deficit into a one point lead. Eight singles in a row, six from Niamh Rockett and two from Becky Kavanagh, got them within touching distance of a first title in eight years. Then came that dramatic late twist.
Green and red bodies were strewn across the turf at full time. Rockett nailed ten out of ten from frees and got away from four Gailltir defenders to strike one from play but eleven points wasn’t enough for glory. Corner forward Kavanagh billowed the net in the first half and added two points in the second. Sheena McGuickan stuck to Annie Fitzgerald throughout while Sibéal Harney and Claire Whyte also left everything out there.
The wind blowing towards the city goal on an overcast Saturday evening made this county final a tale of two halves. Gailltir captain Margo Heffernan won the toss and chose to play with the elements at first.
The sides were all square on six occasions before the champions struck 1-6 without reply. They were tied at three points each after 13 minutes when a crossfield ball by Annie Fitzgerald found Ciara O’Sullivan and she rattled the far corner (1-3 to 0-3).
St Annes hit back straight away. Becky Kavanagh fended off Sorcha Cantwell and Clodagh Carroll near the end line and nearly burst the top corner of the net. Sinead Cummins edged the underdogs ahead by the first water break (1-4 to 1-3).
Gailltir owned the second quarter and outscored their opponents 1-8 to 0-1. It was 1-5 apiece after 23 minutes before the blue and navy enjoyed a purple patch.
Ciara O’Sullivan, Annie Fitzgerald (free) and Emer Walsh all split the posts. Annie was denied a goal by St Annes goalkeeper Megan Foran after she flicked the ball over the head of Sheena McGuckian.
On the half hour, Aoife Fitzgerald collected a long ball from Anne Corcoran, turned and unleashed a blistering shot to the roof of the net. During the three minutes of injury time, Annie Fitzgerald, Ciara O’Sullivan and Emer Walsh added further points. 2-11 to 1-5 at the break.
Three Niamh Rockett frees and Roisin Kirwan from play reduced the arrears to six by the second water break. Annie Fitzgerald converted a 45 at the other end. No semblance of a St Annes comeback at that stage.
Rockett took off in the last quarter however as she finally shook off her marker Sorcha Cantwell. Another free was followed by her first from play. Úna Jackman saw a goal chalked off for steps at the other end. Becky Kavanagh then shovelled the ball on top of the net and over the bar. Rockett obliged again before Sibéal Harney surged forward from centre back to set up a second for Kavanagh. The pendulum had swung towards St Annes. Two fouls on Bronwyn Grace and Tao Behan led to two more Rockett conversions. A one-point lead entering four minutes of injury time (1-16 to 2-12).
Justin Heffernan blew for a Gailltir free when Annie Fitzgerald crashed into Sibéal Harney on the 45. A call that could have gone either way. Annie left it for her cousin Aoife to shoot the equalising point into the wind. That was the plan anyway. She didn’t get the distance but Ciara O’Sullivan kept her eye on the ball and the cup stayed in Gailltir.
Photo Credit: Noel Browne
