by Daragh Ó Conchúir at Croke Park
Gailltír snatched victory not just from the jaws of defeat, but from its belly, when Úna Jackman sent a close-range piledriver to the roof of the net to deny a heartbroken St Rynagh’s in a pulsating AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Camogie Championship Final, which finished 1-13 to 0-13.
Eleven points from the magnificent Kate Kenny and official player of the match Siobhán Flannery looked to have gotten the Offaly girls over the line, as they led by one in the fourth minute of injury time.
Shauna Fitzgerald caught Trish Jackman’s free though just outside the 20m line and somehow located the 51st minute sub, who made no mistake.
Trish Jackman converted a free straight after and the Agnes O’Farrelly Cup was headed Suirside.
“I feel like I’m dreaming” said the wide-eyed match winner after.
“I actually feel like I’m dreaming. I thought it was gone. I really thought… I just honestly can’t believe it.
“Shauna caught that ball, I don’t know how she did it. I turned and I could see another girl in front of the goalkeeper. And just hit it to the back of the net.
“For Shauna to get the ball to me was unbelievable but she’s unreal. It’s unbelievable.
“I didn’t have a second. It was just turn, I saw the goal. There were two girls standing in front of the goal but I just said, ‘We have to win this, there’s no way we’re losing this.’
“The feeling is unreal. I can’t even describe it. Trish scoring the point after then…”
The agony of losing last year’s decider to Clonduff by a point may well have been decisive.
“We were so hurt, everyone in the club and we just needed to come back, we needed to get this. There was no way we were coming back without that cup.
“Every single one of the girls are worthy of a spot on the team, they’re training so hard, week-in, week-out, eight o’clock in the morning on Saturdays. All of us want to be on the field but onc we’re winning, it doesn’t matter who’s on the pitch.”
Gailltír led by 0-7 to 0-2 after 25 minutes, Ciara O’Sullivan, Áine Lyng and Aoife Fitzgerald among the scorers.
Flannery and the excellent Linda Sullivan reduced the margin before the break and Rynagh’s carried that momentum through to the second half, when Flannery did the business from placed balls, while Kenny hit fantastic points off either wing.
That put them two ahead but Gailltír came back with three on the trot, two from Annie Fitzgerald frees.
Gráinne Dillon quickly levelled and then Flannery from a 45 restored the Rynagh’s advantage.
Annie Fitzgerald and Flannery swapped pointed placed balls before the last ditch Hollywood ending.
#TheToughest
