*St Joseph’s Spanish Point in a huddle.
ST JOSEPH’S Spanish Point have qualified for the All-Ireland Senior A ladies football final after an extra-time epic with Moate Community School.
St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Spanish Point 5-08
Moate Community School 3-13
Venue: Tuam Stadium
It would prove third time lucky for St. Joseph’s Spanish Point in All-Ireland senior semi-finals but there was no fortune in Allisha Ryan’s spectacular last gasp strike that was worthy of winning any game, not to mind a 90 minute thriller.
Staring down the barrel of a third successive penultimate stage reverse, a never-say-die Spanish Point never reached for the panic button and would be rewarded for their persistence when in the third minute of additional time, Kayla Darcy’s delivery towards the square would be emphatically struck to the net by the determined Ryan to prevail by the bare minimum.
In an epic end-to-end showdown that wasn’t good for the heart on either side of the divide, the lead changed hands ten times amidst eight goals and four yellow cards that only added to the compelling drama.
Referee Shane Curley, fresh from awarding 44 frees in a tame All-Ireland Junior C Semi-Final the previous week, actually surpassed that record with 53 frees and those aforementioned sin bins, three of which went Spanish Point’s way in the final half hour.
Having led at the end of normal time in both halves, ironically the West Clare side would find themselves behind in both in extra-time as Moate found an extra gear, twelve months after winning an All-Ireland Junior A crown.
The Westmeath side welcomed the wind from the outset but would be overturned twice by timely Spanish Point goals to enjoy a 3-1 to 1-5 interval advantage. Alex Kelly’s opening minute point would be wiped out by an Aoibheann Ryan penalty after Abi Kelly was brought down by goalkeeper Emily Nally in the fourth minute. A 1-3 five minute blitz capped off by a Katie Doolan goal re-established control for Moate at 1-4 to 1-0 by the end of the opening quarter, only to be dented by a second Spanish Point major, this time Aoibheann Ryan trying provider for Ellie Hanrahan to flick to the net in the 16th minute.
The ultimate sucker-punch arrived in injury-time when the ever-impressive Simone Considine intercepted a Moate kick-out and offloaded to the overlapping Abbie Gallagher to beat Nally and take a two point lead into the dressing rooms.
Now backed by the strong conditions and an extra player after Riona Foley was given a ten minute recess for a high challenge on Abi Kelly only three minutes into the new half, Spanish Point appeared to be in a comfortable position.
Nothing could be further from the truth however as a defiant Moate managed to circle the wagons led by the excellent Alex Kelly. A quick free to Kelly yielded a superb goal in the 36th minute to hit the front once more at 2-6 to 3-1 but Spanish Point incrementally dragged themselves back into the contest. Points from Elie Hanrahan and Simone Considine levelled matters by the three-quarters mark and while the former was unfortunate to see a major goal sighting blaze over the bar, it proved the leading score which she would accentuate to give her side a 3-6 to 2-6 cushion entering the final ten minutes.
Job done? Far from it as quickfire yellow cards for Aine O’Keeffe and Abi Kelly left Spanish Point to finish with only 13 players, a numerical advantage that Moate gladly exploited with the last three points through Anna Ryan, Alex Kelly and captain Eva Fox to ensure extra-time at 3-6 to 2-9.
Paul Reidy’s side were back to 15 players on the resumption but the sinbinners still had to complete their ten minute punishments which saw the introduction of Siobhan O’Keeffe and Ellie Durkin. Aine O’Keeffe and Abi Kelly would return during the first period of extra-time but that boost couldn’t prevent a wind-assisted Moate from kicking four unanswered points, three through Kelly to soar 2-13 to 3-06 in front.
To add insult to injury, another yellow card, this time for Aoife Martin, lets Spanish Point with a real mountain to climb by the midway mark at 2-13 to 3-07. That incline appeared steeper when Moate goalkeeper Nally produced two outstanding stops to deny Aoibheann Ryan and Allisha Ryan in the first three minutes of the restart.
They would be finally rewarded in the 74th minute when Ellie Hanrahan’s delivery from the right wing was caught at the edge of the square by Aoibheann Ryan to turn and grab her second goal of the afternoon at 4-08 to 2-13.
There would be time for two more narrative twists though as first Anna Ryan squeezed a shot past Ella Cushen to wrestle back a two point edge for Moate in the 77th minute.
However, having had their hearts repeatedly broken at this juncture in the past two seasons, Spanish Point belied the odds to turn their potential tears of woe into tears of joy when Allisha Ryan struck with what proved the last kick of an unforgettable game.
29 years after their last All-Ireland Senior A Final appearance, Clare’s most successful ladies football ambassadors will again grace the ultimate national stage when they take on Belfast’s Our Lady’s and St. Patrick’s Knock in a fortnight’s time.
Scorers for St. Joseph’s Spanish Point: Ellie Hanrahan 1-5 (2f), Aoibheann Ryan 2-0 (1-0 Pen), Abbie Gallagher 1-0, Allisha Ryan 1-0, Emily Shannon 0-2, Simone Considine 0-1
Scorers for Moate Community School: Alex Kelly 1-7 (4f), Anna Ryan 1-2, Katie Doolan 1-0, Eva Fox 0-2 (1f); Lucy Champ 0-1, Kacey Mulvihill 0-1
St. Joseph’s Secondary School
1: Ella Cushen (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
2: Emma Talty (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
3: Aoife Martin (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
4: Leah Darcy (Miltown Malbay)
7: Abbie Gallagher (Doonbeg)
6: Simone Considine (Cooraclare)
5: Aine O’Keeffe (Miltown Malbay)
8: Abi Kelly (Miltown Malbay)
9: Ide O’Connor (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
14: Ellie Hanrahan (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
11: Allisha Ryan (Doonbeg)
10: Kayla Darcy (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
15: Emily Shannon (Miltown Malbay)
12: Aoibheann Ryan (Doonbeg)
13: Michaela Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
Subs:
16: Aoibhinn Mescal (Cooraclare) for L. Darcy (41)
17: Siobhan O’Keeffe (Miltown Malbay) for A. O’Keeffe (60)
18: Ellie Durkan (Miltown Malbay) for Kelly (60)
5: A. O’Keeffe for for S. O’Keeffe (63)
8: Kelly for Durkin (66)
Moate Community School
1: Emily Nally (St. Joseph’s)
2: Hannah Pratlett (Cill Óige)
3: Neasa Trainor (Naomh Ciarán)
17: Riona Foley (St. Manchan’s)
21: Sophie Padden (Caulry)
6: Áine Bracken (Moate)
4: Lucy Champ (St. Manchan’s)
8: Erin Ó Faoláin (Caulry)
9: Chloe Malone (Moate)
13: Alex Kelly (Cill Óige)
14: Katie Doolan (St. Manchan’s)
11: Kacey Mulvihill (Garrycastle)
10: Anna Ryan (Naomh Ciarán)
12: Eva Fox (Moate)
15: Heidi Murray (St. Manchan’s)
Subs
20: Ally Duffy (Cill Óige) for Mulvihill (28, inj)
23: Daisy Bucys McLaughlin (Caulry) for Champ (46, inj)
4: Champ for Padden (60)
19: Maria Loddick (Cill Óige) for Fox (78)
18: Grace Galvin (Cill Óige) for Foley (80)
Referee: Shane Curley (Galway)
