Morrissey the hero as Glenamaddy girls shade it

Glenamaddy CS  0-8

Mercy Tuam   1-4

YOU wouldn’t think it from the scoreline but last Friday’s Connacht Ladies Football Post Primary Schools Senior ‘A’ final between reigning All-Ireland champions Glenamaddy CS and Scoil Bride Mercy, Tuam was an epic ordeal for players and supporters alike.

When the final whistle sounded late in the afternoon in Clonberne, it was the holders Glenamaddy CS, after a dour struggle in bitterly cold conditions, who were left standing – but only just! Really, this contest could have gone either way.

The day began in ignominious fashion. Originally scheduled to be played in Ballintubber, Roscommon, the fixture was subsequently moved to the upper pitch in Clonberne after St. Croan’s GAA club officials pulled the pitch approximately 20 minutes before the teams were due to take the field.

What was worse, the club officials let referee Sandra Shanagher enter the pitch, walk it and give it her blessing and then vigorously protested that it was not playable. If they felt that strongly about it, they should have pulled it sooner. It was baffling and reflected badly on the club.

As it was, Clonberne came to the rescue and an hour and a half after the 12 noon start time the Connacht senior ‘A’ decider finally got underway – and it did so with a bang. From the throw in, Mercy Tuam midfielder Siobhan Divilly seized possession and raiding forward found captain Chelsey Blade.

Taken down in the large rectangle, the Corofin livewire subsequently brushed herself off to step up and take a penalty any Premiership player would be proud of. The underdogs were off the mark and in a tie in which scores were few and far between, it was a major statement of intent from Alan Molloy’s outfit.

However, instead of driving on from it, Mercy Tuam found themselves on the back-foot for the majority of the first half. Within minutes, Glenamaddy’s Rebecca Kelly had kicked two points – the first after Ailish Morrissey found her with a quick free and the second following good play from Lynsey Noone.

They possibly should also have bagged a goal themselves in this period after Amy Mee saw a first-time punched effort jettison just inches wide. In any event, Morrissey was on hand midway through the first half to tie up the game with a super point from an acute angle.

In truth, their first minute penalty goal aside, Mercy Tuam were befuddled with Glenamaddy’s set-up, which had Chloe Costello playing as a sweeper to great effect. It ensured John Kennedy’s side coughed up little defensively while they still managed to create a high volume of chances up front – 16 in all.

The only problem was that they should have converted more of them and when the game was in the proverbial fire in the dying minutes, it seemed Glenamaddy CS might just regret the five wides along with four efforts they dropped short in the opening 30 minutes.

They could also have plundered Mercy Tuam for three goals, including Mee’s fisted effort, but in saying that goalkeeper Karen Connolly ran a tight ship at the back, saving another 21st minute Mee effort and intercepting a through ball that almost put midfielder Kelly in for a goal chance.

Full match report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.