All-Ireland Post Primary Schools’ Senior “A” Championship Final
Seamount College 1-5, St Flannan’s Colllege, Ennis 0-6
Seamount College, Kinvara survived a late rally from a spirited St Flannan’s outfit to clinch the All-Ireland Post Primary Schools’
Senior “A” Championship final in Gort on Saturday afternoon.
This absorbing tussle, which attracted over 1,000 patrons to Gort, could be summed up as a tale of two penalties.
The Kinvara girls converted their penalty opportunity two minutes before the interval while St Flannan’s were left to rue what might have been after their effort from a placed ball was blocked eight minutes before the end.
Having dominated the opening 22 minutes, Sinéad Quinn converted her fourth free to earn wind assisted St Flannan’s a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage.
Five minutes later Katie McMahon looked set to unleash a goal attempt until she was brought down inside the square by Carol Browne, who was left with no option but to concede a penalty.
Seamount centre forward, Carrie Dolan rattled the net with a proverbial piledriver, leaving the sides all square at the break:
St Flannan’s 0-4, Seamount 1-1.
With a strong wind at their backs, Seamount got on top for the first ten minutes of the second half edging ahead for the first time with three points from Carrie Dolan and the only point from play in the whole game, which was registered by Cliodhna Walsh.
Nine minutes before the end, St Flannan’s were awarded a penalty. However, the shot from their captain, Eamma O’Connell
hit off the shoulder off Seamount ‘keeper, Amy Helebert and was cleared to safety much to St Flannan’s dismay.
St Flannan’s dug deep and their resilence was rewarded by two converted Sinéad Quinn frees.
During a grandstand finish, St Flannan’s corner forward Amy O’Brien had a goal chance but she couldn’t with Aoibheann Malone’s long delivery.
The St Flannan’s team that played Seamount in the All-Ireland final. Photograph by Arthur Ellis.
The game finished in a welter of excitement when Sinéad Quinn tried to engineer a late goal by dropping a free short but her effort
was cleared to safety as Seamount survived.
Scorers: Seamount College: Carrie Dolan (1-3, 1-0, penalty, 0-2 frees and on ’45), Cliodhna Walsh: (0-2, one free).
St Flannan’s College: Sineád Quin: (0-6, all frees).
Seamount College: Amy Helebert; Niamh Murphy, Eleanor Stafford, Siobhán Connolly (capt); Tara Bermingham, Emma Helebert,
Leanne Helebert; Néamh Keane, Ciara Murphy; Jenny O’Dea, Carrie Dolan, Dearbhaile Walshe; Katie McMahon, Cliodhna Walsh,
Rachel Helebert.
St Flannan’s College: Doireann Murphy; Aleisha Malone, Emma O’Connoll, (captain), Carol Browne; Chloe Devitt, Aiobheann
Malone, Laura Brown; Sinéad Quinn, Louise Browne; Aoife Keane, Zoe McInerney, Lauren McGuane; Laoise Ryan, Claire Taffe,
Amy O’Brien.
Amie Wiley half-time (for Claire Taffe), Corina McMahon, 50 mins for Lauren McGuane.
Referee: Ger Brown (Tipperary).
Dan Danaher
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.