Ballinrobe Community School are champions of Ireland

ALL-IRELAND LFGA PPS SENIOR C FINAL

Ballinrobe Community School 3-9

St Anne's Tipperary 0-4

In Glenamaddy

DREAMS do come true.

More than three decades of wishing, wanting and waiting for an All-Ireland title ennded in scenes of wild emotion in Glenamaddy this afternoon when the girls from Ballinrobe Community School achieved the ultimate.

This victory was built on a savage team ethic – outstanding defensive play and the fight and desire to win every single breaking ball.

St Anne's came into the game with a huge reputation for goal-scoring, but Ballinrobe were ready for them and produced one of the finest defensive displays you could wish to see.

The Connacht champions only conceded four points in the entire match, and two of those were frees. It was a magical display from the tenacious women in white and blue.

Ballinrobe had the breeze behind them in the first half but took a long time to get rocking. They also lost talented attacker Aoibhinn Reilly to an early injury, but they eventually got the scoreboard ticking.

Maura Hughes landed a point, Chloe Stagg coolly converted three frees and when Kate Brennan lashed home a goal they were moving well. However, St Anne's replied with points from Roisin Carew and Chloe O'Neill before the break to leave just four between them at the interval.

St Anne's had the breeze behind them in the second half but Ballinrobe played the finest 30 minutes of their lives. They shut down the Tipperary attack with Lola Tiernan doing a fantastic marking job on O'Neill, Sari Vahey outstanding at full-back and Ali Hughes leading the team brilliantly from six.

Róise Burke and Rachel McGrath left every ounce of enrgy on the pitch and when Stagg clipped two frees and Maura Hughes kicked a beauty from distance they were seven clear with time ticking away.

St Anne's replied with a pointed free from Carew but they wouldn't get any closer and when Tara Fitzpatrick pointed and Urusla Shaughnessy found the net with her first touch the huge crowd from Ballinrobe, The Neale, Kilmaine, Hollymount, Clonbur and Tourmakeady were going wild.

The final whistle unleashed scenes of pure joy and when Ali Hughes hoisted the cup into the sky it was time for the celebrations to begin.

The team coached by Sinead Stagg, Anna Burke, Ruth Donnellan and Hugh O'Loughlin had reached the Promised Land and one can only imagine what the evening will bring.