JUNIOR A: Pat Barrett Final
St Colmans (Galway) V Na Bridgeóga (Mayo)
Venue: Kilbeacanty
Date: 12 Nov, 2pm
Referee: Karol Collins
FT: St Colmans 2-11 Na Bridgeóga 1-8
Player of the Match: Rachel Burke, St. Colmans
Match Report
St Colmans were crowned the Pat Barrett Champions on Saturday when they overcame Na Brideóga from Mayo in Kilbeacanty. Both sides played each other back in April during the league and there
was only 4 points between the sides, so it was evident from the outset that it was going to be another close encounter. St Colmans led throughout the whole game, but Na Brideóga will look back at their missed goal chances, especially in the first half that could have helped them in getting over the line.
It was St Colmans who started the brightest scoring 1-3 in without reply with points through Ciara Helebert, Chelsea Nolan through a free, Rachel Linnane and a goal on the 11 th minute by Chloe Cahill to give them the dream start. Aoife Lilly got Na Brideóga off the mark on the 12th minute with a well taken point from play. There was no score for 14 minutes as both sides battled it out up and down the field but both defences stayed strong to deny any scores. Na Brideóga will be disappointed not to have capitalised on 3 goal chances between the 18 th and 23 rd minutes but credit must go to Aine Crehan and Emer Gantley for denying Na Brideóga the chances. Nolan and Meabh Delaney swapped scores through frees on the 26 th and 30 th minutes while Emer Delaney added a point to Na Brideóga tally deep into injury time to leave it St Colmans 1-4 Na Brideóga 0-3 heading into the half time break.
It was St Colmans who started the brightest in the second half with player of the game Rachel Burke slotting over her first point of the game. Siobhan Mooney replied 2 minutes later for Na Brideóga but Burke and Cahill added two more points to St Colmans tally to extend their lead to 6, 5 minutes into the second half. Lilly and Burke swapped scores on the 40 th and 41 st minutes. Na Brideóga vice-captain, Amy Mulkeen added her first score of the game through a free on the 43rd minute but Helebert responded straight from the puck out with a well taken score for St Colmans to leave it St Colman’s 1-9 Na Brideóga 0-6 heading into the final quarter. Na Brideóga began to put pressure on the St Colmans defence as they attacked with great pace. Mulkeen added two more points to their tally through frees while Shauna Golden sent a high ball in towards Gantley in the St Colmans net. Gantley missed the touch and the ball ended up in the back of the net to leave the minimum between the teams with 7 minutes of normal time remaining. It was looking like Na Brideóga could cause an upset but a strong finish from St Colmans, ensured they were victorious. Points from Linnane, through a free, Cahill and a well taken goal by substitute Ellen Egan meant that St Colmans ran out 2-11 to 1-8 winners.
St Colmans will be delighted to have taken the clean sweep of titles at Junior A level this year, having already won the championship and league titles in Galway earlier in the year. The experience that some of these players gained from playing with Kinvara at Intermediate level between 2019 to 2021 really came to the fore as they had to grind out the victory near the end of the game. For St Colmans, Emer Gantley, Aine Crehan, Anna Clancy, Rachel Linnane, Rachel Burke and Chloe Cahill preformed very well throughout the contest while, Amy Mulkeen, Rachel Lyons, Meabh Delaney, Saoirse Delaney, Emer Delaney and Aoife Lilly all tried hard. This win brings an end to St Colmans season. They will now look forward to competing at Intermediate level in Galway in 2023.
St Colmans:
Emer Gantley, Alisha Nelly, Áine Crehan, Cianna Staunton, Laura Walsh, Anna Clancy, Aisling Rock, Brenda Killilea, Nicole Grealish, Katie Nelly, Ciara Helebert (0-2), Chelsea Nolan (0-2F), Rachel Linnane (0-2, 0-1F), Chloe Cahill (1-2), Rachel Burke (0-3)
Substitutes: Beibhinn Veale for A Rock, Ellen Egan (1-0) for K Nelly, Eve Reynolds for C Nolan, Ailbhe Marren for N Grealish.
Na Bridgeóga
Aoibheann Crawley, Roisin Cassidy, Amy Mulkeen (0-3F), Grainne Delaney, Caoimhe Delaney, Rachel Lyons, Niamh Greally, Meabh Delaney (0-1F), Ciara Delaney, Ashling Lynskey, Shauna Golden (1-0), Lilian Keane, Siobhan Mooney (0-1), Emer Delaney (0-1), Aoife Lilly (0-2)
Substitutes: Saoirse Delaney for A Lynskey
Additional match reports:
- Final glory for Galway teams in provincial deciders – Connacht Tribune (Print edition)