Avalanche of goals on day two of Mayo Cumann na mBunscol finals

Day two of the Mayo Cumann na mBunscol football finals saw an avalanche of goals at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, writes Patrick Hennelly.

St. Attracta’s National School, Charlestown, scored five on their way to being crowned Division 1A boys champions, securing a marvellous 5-11 to 0-3 victory against St. Joseph’s Primary School, Ballinrobe, on Wednesday afternoon.

The east Mayo school made a whirlwind start as points from Kalem Higgins and Luke McDermott were boosted by Jayden Higgins’ goals.

Kalem Higgins added a second on 17 minutes, which helped establish a 2-2 to no score advantage for his team.

St. Attracta’s netted three further first-half goals through Luke McDermott (two) and Matthew Naughton, which left it 5-5 to no score at half-time.

St. Joseph’s recorded their first score of the game on 33 minutes thanks to a well-taken free by Patrick Duffy, and the same player added another point seconds later.

St. Attracta’s goal scoring threat remained during the second half, with Senan Tieran almost fashioning a green flagged effort on 36 minutes, but the Ballinrobe custodian produced a fine save.

Luke McDermott was one of Charlestown’s star performers on the day and his late brace of points helped round off a very impressive display by St. Attracta’s.

In the Division 1A girls final, the old adage that goals win games proved true as Breaffy National School (Castlebar) defeated the Quay National School, Ballina, by 5-3 to 0-4.

Breaffy made the ideal start to this game and netted the first of their five goals after just two minutes courtesy of a tidy finish from Shauna Lyons.

The Quay replied with a splendid point from Grace Tighe, and it seemed that a ding-dong battle was in the offing.

However, Breaffy pounced for their second goal of the afternoon on six minutes courtesy of Emma Greaney.

The Quay’s Amy Ferguson added a point towards the end of the first half, but Breaffy held the advantage at the interval on a 2-2 to 0-2 scoreline.

Ferguson pointing a peach of a score from an acute angle early in the second half but Breaffy just seemed to be more clinical in front of goal and two second-half green-flagged efforts from Eimear Kelly and one from Emma Fahey proved decisive in the end.

Castlebar Primary School powered their way to an impressive 6-13 to 2-3 victory against Rehins National School in the Division 1B boys final.

In unseasonal wet and windy conditions that proved testing for both teams, Castlebar made the brighter start and led 2-5 to no score after 12 minutes, their goals arriving from Harrison Flanagan (free) and Pierce Nestor.

Rehins struggled to get their game plan into action and conceded a third goal when Nathan Joyce found the back of the net for the county town school.

Trailing 3-8 to 0-1 at the interval, a brave Rehins gave it their all during the second half and their work-rate and endeavour was rewarded when Willie B. Maughan found the back of the net on 29 minutes.

The Castlebar school didn’t panic, however, and responded with a well-taken goal from Owen Maughan after he was set-up by Eze Eziefula.

Willie B. Maughan netted his second goal of the contest on 33 minutes, which helped reduce the arrears, but Castlebar Primary School ended the game in sparkling fashion, late goals from Owen Maughan and Gurnoordeep Singh rounding off an impressive display.

The Division 1B girls final was a close affair, ending in a 5-4 to 5-2 victory for Claremorris National School despite the best efforts of Behy NS, Ballina.

A marvellous second-half comeback by Claremorris saw them overturn a 10-point half-time deficit to eventually claim the spoils in what was an epic showdown.

The opening exchanges were cagey, with both defences on high alert for any scoring threats. Claremorris were the first to trouble the scoreboard operator on 12 minutes when Hannah O’Reilly guided home a superb finish to the back of the net.

The game then really began to open up as a contest, with Behy’s Emma-Rose Walsh firing home a fine finish beyond the reach of the Claremorris custodian.

Behy added two-quick fire goals courtesy of Ellie Philbin and Alanah Walsh, which mustered a tidy cushion for the north Mayo girls. They also finished the first half strongly, with the influential Farrah Jackson notching a goal and a point from frees, which helped glean a commanding 4-1 to 1-0 half-time advantage for Behy.

However, Claremorris were revitalised for the second half, with the industrious Zuzanna Kurkowska plundering 1-1 inside the opening four minutes of the new half.

Claremorris then manufactured one of the moves of the tie on 28 minutes as Rimas Mnaa and Megan Judge combined to set up the raiding Hannah O’Reilly, who duly rustled the back of the net. One minute later, O’Reilly completed her hat trick of goals, with Abbie Kirpatrick providing the assist and the south Mayo side now held a slender advantage, 4-2 to 4-1.

The contest continued to enthral both sets of supporters, with Behy refusing to give up the chase for glory and a goal from Emily Cawley coupled with Bláithín Cunnane’s goal on 36 minutes saw the pendulum swing back in their favour, 5-2 to 4-2.

With just two minutes of normal time remaining, Claremorris levelled matters when Hannah O’Reilly’s long-range chip nestled in the back of the net. The game was in the melting pot but the south Mayo girls eked out victory courtesy of dramatic late points from Hannah O’Reilly and Naoise O’Reilly.

In what was one of the games of the day, Barnacarroll National School recorded a 3-13 to 3-7 victory over Gaelscoil Raifteirí in the Division 2A boys final, with both sides displaying superb goal-scoring and point-taking skills.

Gaelscoil Raifteirí played the better football during the opening stages and mustered a 0-4 to 0-3 lead. However, a goal from Barnacarroll’s Niall Kitching on 13 minutes upset their opponents' applecart. Just one minute after netting their first, Barnacarroll added a second goal though Brian Cosgrove and suddenly they held a five-point lead.

Gaelscoil Raifteirí tried to regroup but they conceded a third goal on 16 minutes when Barnacarroll’s Luke Duffy saw his thunderous drive end up in the back of the net, and they held a 3-6 to 0-5 lead at the break.

Gaelscoil Raifteirí were fired up for the second half and pulled a goal back when Micheál Mac Nioclás guided home an exquisite finish beyond the reach of Darragh Kitching in the Barnacarroll goal.

The Gaelscoil also crafted one of the moves of the game on 33 minutes which culminated in Roan Donaldson rustling the back of the net. Indeed, Donaldson almost netted his second goal of the game seconds later but his effort was thwarted by a splendid save by Darragh Kitching.

Mac Nioclás added his second and his team's third goal on 39 minutes when his free kick forced the umpire to reach for the green flag. However, Barnacarroll had already done enough to claim the spoils from what was an epic showdown.

Barnacarroll also contested the Division 2A girls final but were undone by goals as Ballyvary NS recorded a 5-9 to 0-8 victory.

During the embryonic stages, Ballyvary National School netted their first goal thanks to a fine finish from Hannah Kelly. The second goal arrived on nine minutes Katie Rava’s delivery was flicked to the back of the net by the poaching Kelly.

Barnacarroll refused to wilt and Deirdre Gilmore pointed a free towards the end of the first half, but Ballyvary held a 2-2 to 0-1 interval lead.

Ballyvary blitzed their opponents during the opening three minutes of the new half and a brace of goals from Juliette Devaney helped glean a 4-3 to 0-2 advantage.

A gallant Barnacarroll could well have netted a couple of goals of their own but Ella Staunton’s three-pointer for Ballyvary midway through the second half effectively secured the spoils for her team.