All-Ireland champs – a great day for Coláiste Abhainn Rí

The culmination of an extraordinary campaign of hard work, determination, trust, unconditional attitude came to fruition when Coláiste Abhainn Rí captain Nathania Jackson collected the Cup after her team had stormed up the straight to beat raging hot favourites Gort Community School.

Seven days ago they had earned the right to be in the final with a storming finish – again – against Limerick’s Laurel Hill.

In Saturday’s final, which was played in Rathdowney, Coláiste Abhainn Rí were very slow out of traps. Gort set out their stall from an early stage, getting fast ball in behind the Callan half-back line at every opportunity. The defence endured almighty pressure as the Galway side continuously pushed hard and ran hard with ball in hand. The full-back line of Aoife Power (St Brigid’s Ballycallan), Jess Cuddy (Tullaroan) and Mullinahone’s Rachael O’Meara were absolute trojan in their efforts to protect goalkeeper Jenny Saunders, who was the essence of dependability all through.

The half-back trio of Orlaith O’Shea, captain Jackson and Caoimhe Power gave every ounce of determination and courage they could muster. What a mighty job they did in that element of their dedication to duty.

Katie Flaherty opened the Gort account with a grand point from play before corner-forward, Aishling Dolphin doubled the advantage three minutes later. The Callan first touch was causing problems for the nervous wearers of the famed St Brigid’s blue of the Downeys, Milleas, Ann Carroll, Holmes and many more legends of old.

Callan’s midfield pairing of Ciara O’Shea and Emer Smith came deep to help out the defence. Further away, the half-forward trio of Molly Conroy, Ava Brett and Aishling O’Sullivan were superb when filling the void around midfield as needed.

Tactically, the Coláiste Abhainn Rí manager Noelle O’Driscoll had her charges playing to instruction. She trusted her charges - that trust was reciprocated in spades.

Ciara O’Shea got her team out of traps with a free in the ninth minute. They added another when Chloe O’Donovan - her grandmother Bea played and won the Leinster Colleges final with St Brigid’s in Croke Park in 1960/61 - flew onto a breaking ball in the 11th minute and evaded traffic to wallop over an equalising point.

Flaherty had Gort back in front in the 12th minute but within 60 seconds Tullaroan’s Elly Holland tied the game again at the midway point in that first half.

In the 16th minute, Abbey Massey scored Gort’s first goal after her side had worked the ball through their midfield and half forward line. They had a second major from Elisha Quinn nine minutes from the half-time break.

Points by Cloda Maloney, Elena Tarpey and Quinn again had the Callan girls wilting. They were nine points adrift with just two points remaining to the break. Two excellent frees by the brilliant Ciara O’Shea just before the break proved invaluable as events were to prove.

With the breeze at their backs in the second half the Abhainn Rí girls needed something to happen quickly. They were seven points behind, a mountainous deficit given the tightness of the onfield action.

Ciara O’Shea led the charge, but Gort were teak-tough. They were not in the humour to hand over the centre stage.

O’Shea banged over the starter before Aisling O’Sullivan – in another family connection her grandfather won a senior championship with the John Lockes in ’57 – added another. Captain Jackson and Orlaith O’Shea combined to afford O’Sullivan the chance. The game swivelled towards the eventual All-Ireland champions in the 46th minute when a free driven in from distance by Ciara O’Shea - who else - was prevented from going over the bar by the Gort goalkeeper. Unfortunately for her, the sliotar dropped over the goal line. It was a tonic score for the marauding Abhainn Rí horde.

The Callan girls were about to kick into overdrive. The momentum was theirs and they were not for bending. Eva Brett, Elly Holland led the way with the tigerish Aisling O’Shea. Brett narrowed the gap to a brace with a superb point in the 48th minute. Aisling Dolphin nullified that score a minute later, before Ciara O’Shea again narrowed the deficit to a single point in the 59th minute.

With the seconds draining away the air crackled with tension. Who had the nerve? Who was going to buckle?

It was a gripping, heart-wrenching last couple of agonising minutes, but the final throw of the dice was quite extraordinary. On the call of normal time, a 40-metre free by Ciara O’Shea was sent towards the Gort goal. Its trajectory looked destined to clear the crossbar by millimetres, but a last-ditch intervention from Gort goalkeeper saw the sliotar drop over the goal line.

For a second, there was silence, as if the crowd couldn’t believe their eyes. Suddenly, euphoria took command and the sizable Kilkenny contingent roared like never before.

In a game which had it all, the passion, courage and spirit was unmatchable. It was an All-Ireland final that won’t be forgotten for a long while.

Teams and scorers

Coláiste Abhainn Rí - Ciara O’Shea (2-5, 2-4 frees, 0-1 45); Chloe O’Donovan, Elly Holland, Aisling O’Sullivan, Ava Brett (0-1 each).

Gort CS - Abbie Massey, Alisha Quinn (1-0 each); Katie Flaherty, Aisling Dolphin (0-2 each); Clodagh Moloney (0-2, frees); Helena Tarpey (0-1).

Coláiste Abhainn Rí - Jenny Saunders (Windgap); Aoife Power (St Brigid’s Ballycallan), Jessica Cuddy (Tullaroan), Rachel O’Meara (Mullinahone); Orlaith O’Shea (Windgap), Nathania Jackson (Windgap, captain), Caoimhe Power (Windgap); Emer Smith (Windgap), Ciara O’Shea (Windgap); Molly Conroy (St Brigid’s), Ava Brett (St Brigid’s), Aisling O’Sullivan (John Lockes); Chloe O’Donovan (John Lockes), Elly Holland (Tullaroan), Aisling O’Shea (Windgap). Subs: Tara Cody (Tullaroan), Ciara Gleeson (Danesfort).

Panelists: Rachel Hartley (John Lockes), Eleanor Hayes (Windgap), Emer Barron (Windgap), Aileen Gleeson (Danesfort), Sal Ryan (John Lockes), Lauren Hartley (John Lockes), Farrah Ryan (John Lockes), Emma Bibby (Tullaroan), Ruth Somers-Saunders (John Lockes), Lily Cronin (John Lockes), Chloe Bailey (John Lockes), Aoibhne Corcoran (John Lockes).

Gort CS - Caoimhe Higgins, Sharon Dolphin, Eabha Niland, Holly Keogh, Rachel Linnane, Rebecca Gardiner, Ava Connolly, Lerah Linnane, Abbie Massey, Helena Tarpey, Clodagh Moloney, Alisha Quinn, Ailbhe Marren, Aisling Dolphin, Siobhan Mullins. Subs: Beibbein Veale, Siorse Flannery, Emer Gantley, Niamh Walsh.