Sacred Heart comeback falls short in Connacht School's final

CONNACHT SENIOR A SCHOOLS LEAGUE FINAL

Clonfert College, Ballinasloe 31

Sacred Heart School, Westport 19

In Dexcom Stadium

For a brief period at the start of the second half, it appeared that the comeback was well and truly on for the proud schoolgirls of Sacred Heart.

However, Clonfert College, and in particular Róisín O’Sullivan, had other ideas.

The Connacht Under-18 star had pace to burn all through the decider, and she once more made the left flank her fortress as she streaked across the carpet to power over the whitewash.

It was not the end to the school's season that the Westport students would have been hoping for.

However, with the majority of players still available for the Clew Bay contingent next season, the experience of plying their trade in the Dexcom Stadium against a side comprised of older, more battle-hardened players will doubtless stand to them.

Within minutes of kick-off, the searing pace of O’Sullivan was evident. She might not have made it to the line at the first attempt, but she had her try as she darted over in minute six.

At the midway point of the half, Prudence Nwani almost had the Ballinasloe battalion’s second try, but some heroic defending repelled the effort.

The Mayo contingent, spearheaded by Ruth Conway and Poppy Tunney-Ware, were trying their utmost to cause consternation at the other end of the park in the first half, but more often than not, they were throwing everything into repelling the onslaughts of their Galway opponents as they attacked the Lough Atalia end.

Eventually, that pressure told. Early replacement Aoife Berrigan sparked joy for one side and agony for the other as she dived over the line to secure Clonfert's second try of the afternoon.

The missed conversion, though, offered a glimmer of hope for those who had made their way from Clew Bay.

Within 30 seconds of the break, they had the dream response, when Conway stole in to intercept a loose pass and showed slick footwork to evade the attempts to slow her and power over the line.

Although the conversion may have been missed, the Westport tails were up, and they sniffed blood.

Within minutes, the chasers had restored parity. Patient build-up play saw the Westport girls camped inside the Clonfert 22-metre line.

Eventually, the pressure told, and Tara Macken dived for home. 

The travelling Westport support, including the two students in giant minion costumes, leapt for joy.

After Conway stroked over the conversion, the game was anyone’s for the taking.

However, once again, O’Sullivan took the game by the scruff of the neck in a carbon copy of her first try she streaked over to open up a chasm once more.

When Emma Poland nipped in to dispossess Sacred Heart on their own goal-line, it was meat and drink for her as she wrapped up the win.

Sacred Heart may have produced a try with the last play of the final.

However, after the conversion from Conway, it was Ballinasloe's cheers which pierced the Bohermore air as the girls from East Galway celebrated their triumph.