Heartbreak for Sligo's minors as Clare run out four point winners in All-Ireland final

Irish Independent

4 days ago

There was heartbreak for the Sligo minor girls on Saturday afternoon as Clare ran out four point winners in the ZuCar All Ireland Under 18 'B' final at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan.
Trailing by two points at half-time, reigning champions Sligo brought the game level with seven minutes to go, but Clare pushed on and added four further points, with Sligo's last score coming on 53 minutes.
Ellen Giblin hit five of Sligo's seven points, in a game where Keith McLoughlin's side were second best despite a determined and gutsy performance.
It was a third consecutive All Ireland 'B' Under 18 final for Sligo, who had hoped to make it two-in-row after creating history to win the title last year with a victory over Tyrone.
Nerves would not have been a concern for this Sligo side, with the experience of finals behind them.
And they got off to a good start with Giblin getting them in front with two minutes on the clock from a free.
Sligo looked determined to start this game fast, and were getting bodies forward early.
A block from Clare's Aisling Kelly blocked a threatening shot from Caoimhe Crawley before Clare levelled the score through Aoibheann Ryan.
Giblin teed up Drumcliffe/Rosses Point's Gemma O'Callaghan to put Sligo in front again.
The crossbar denied Ria Meaney, but Barry Donnelly's side were back on level terms on eight minutes courtesy of Maeve Clancy.
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The sides again exchanged scores with nothing separating the two sides after 16 minutes with the score level at three points apiece.
Giblin's third of the afternoon, again from a free, had Sligo leading again but Clare were looking increasingly threatening as they got forward, playing some free-flowing football.
Although, they were still trailing by a point after 26 minutes, with Sophie Culleton forcing a save from Catherine Gallagher in the Sligo goals.
A foul on Aoibheann Ryan put an end to another lovely Clare move, and Sligo should have extended their lead moments later.
Caoimhe Crawley drove forward and probably could have gone for a point, but selflessly tried to find a team-mate with Clare managing to clear the danger.
And just before half-time, Clare got the goal that would prove crucial.
A superb finish from Doonbeg's Ryan after intricate build-up play had Clare leading by 1-4 to 0-4 at the half-way point, but Sligo were not panicking.
The sides again exchanged scores after the restart, with Keith McLoughlin shuffling his pack and making changes seven minutes into the half to try and change the direction in which this game was heading.
Sligo were unhappy when Kate Smith's goal on 42 minutes was disallowed for a square ball, with Smith, the hero from the semi-final, getting on the end of Rachel McGoldrick's drilled ball into the danger zone.
There was 12 minutes between Culleton's last point for Clare and the next score of the game, which arrived via substitute Katie McDonagh on 49 minutes to put just a point between the sides.
Ciara Gilligan almost had the game level, but somehow her attempt at a point hit the post and bounced out, with the Clare rearguard making the clearance.
With seven minutes to go, Sligo were back on level terms thanks to Giblin from a free.
The game was there for the taking, but Sligo couldn't match Clare who pushed on and added four further points, with that score from Giblin the final point of Sligo's afternoon.
Culleton and Hazel Keating brought Clare's lead to two, and Abi Kelly stretched that lead to three points on the hour mark.
Clare were defending for their lives and while Sligo fought hard, they were finding Clare difficult to break down.
And a late point brought Clare's lead to four at the death, with the trophy going back to Clare.
Scorers for Clare: Aoibheann Ryan 1-1, Hazel Keating 0-2, Sophie Culleton 0-2, Abi Kelly (0-1), Maeve Clancy (0-1), C Mescal (0-1). Scorers for Sligo: E Giblin 0-5, Gemma O'Callaghan (0-1), Katie McDonagh (0-1).
Clare: Nicole Clark, Abbie Cahill, Aisling Kelly, Eimear Burke, Abi Kelly, Hazel Keating, Leah Daly, Ali Talty, Aisling Crowe, Kayla Darcy, Ria Meaney, Sophie Culleton, Aoibheann Ryan, Aine McNamara, Maeve Clancy.
Subs: Shannon Cagney for Ali Talty (43), Serena Clancy for Maeve Clancy (43).
Sligo: Catherine Gallagher, Kathryn Feeney, Leanne Galvin, Caoimhe Morgan, Aoibheann Durcan, Tara Hastings, Ruth Killoran, Lucy Henry, Laura McGuire, Anna Breheny, Gemma O'Callaghan, Kate Smith, Ellen Giblin, Grainne Smith, Caoimhe Crawley.