Lightning strikes twice as Ballinamore strike late to snatch tip to Croke Park for All-Ireland Final

Hollywood script writers couldn’t come up with a more dramatic ending as Aoibheann Flynn struck the killer goal deep into injury time of a dramatic CurrentAccount.ie LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Club Semi-Final against Steelstown Brian Ogs, sending a delirious Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins into the All-Ireland Final.

Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin opened its doors for the first time in nearly 15 months after a fantastic new surface was relaid and never was an occasion better served as Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins celebrated wildly once the final whistle sounded, the roar that greeted Flynn’s dramatic match winner almost lifting the roof off the stand!

For all the world, it looked as if Ballinamore’s dreams of a trip to Croke Park would be dashed as Derry’s Steelstown Brian Ogs were successfully protecting their one point lead deep into injury time by playing a prolonged bout of keep ball down the far side of the pitch.

Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins to face Cork's Glanmire in CurrentAccount.ie All-Ireland LGFA Intermediate Club Final

But incessant pressure from Ballinamore, backed by vociferous support from the packed sidelines, saw the Derry women forced back down the field before they eventually found keeper Molly McBride well out of her area and with unmarked colleagues in space out near the stand side.

Fate, however, conspired to play one more trick on spectators who had been treated to a roller coaster of emotions on Saturday - the Steelstown keeper, under pressure 2007 All-Star Sarah McLoughlin, stumbled as she tried to beat two would-be tacklers, falling to the ground and losing the ball.

Quick as a flash, Ballinamore’s Laura O’Dowd scooped the ball up and got it to Aoibheann Flynn who hammered the ball to the net despite the attempts of a trio of Steelstown defenders to desperately block the ball and with that, Ballinamore were in the All-Ireland Final!

Honestly compels me to admit it was cruel on an impressive Steelstown Brian Ogs side, probably the better team over the 60 plus minutes but just like Eoghan Rua in the Connacht Final, the Derry women paid the price for not killing off this remarkable Ballinamore team who simply refuse to give up.

In a remarkably similar feel to the Connacht Final, Ballinamore were under the cosh in the first half as Steelstown butchered three good goal chances in the first half, their two point lead not reflective of Steelstown’s dominance from open play.

Perhaps the very fact that they had been in this very same situation in Markievicz Park meant Ballinamore never panicked - with the inspirational Roisin McHugh lighting up Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin, Ballinamore clawed and fought their way back into the game in the second half, even taking the lead at one stage.

The Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins team who defeated Steelstown Brian Ogs in the CurrentAccount.ie LGFA All-Ireland IFC Club Semi Final on Saturday in Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin Ballinamore Picture: Willie Donnellan

But that all seemed for nought for Orla McGeough fired over four points in the final quarter to put Steelstown two up as the game trickled over into added time and they will justifiably feel they had weathered the Ballinamore storm only for the untimely slip from the unfortunate McBride to dash their Croke Park dreams.

Steelstown were a curious mix of deliberate and patient play, holding onto the ball for long periods but most of their best play came when they attacked at pace and it was only misplaced passes and poor accuracy that prevented the Derry team from ending Ballinamore’s epic journey this year.

In fact, Steelstown could have done with a bit more of the energy, enthusiasm and full-out attacking zeal that Ballinamore possessed while Barney Breen’s side might have managed this game a bit better by adopting some of the possession based approach that the Derry women favoured.

But what you can’t take away from Ballinamore is their sheer spirit and resilience - quite a few times, it looked as if this game was getting away from them but time and time again, they dug in and forced their way back into the game, a team that just doesn’t seem to accept that it won’t be their day.

It almost seems churlish to single out individual players on a day when everyone wearing a Ballinamore jersey stood tall but that’s the job and it is hard to look beyond the exceptional Roisin McHugh who was outstanding. Eight points including three out of the world efforts from play were key in seeing Ballinamore across the line.

Grainne Prior and Abbi Sweeney were outstanding in defence, Megan McGovern a colossus in the middle of the park while Laura O’Dowd and Sarah McLoughlin established the platform around the middle of the field in the second half that drove Ballinamore to victory.

The Flynn sisters also had big moments at opposite ends of the field - Leighanne made a vital save in the first half while Aoibheann, after struggling to get away from the tight Steelstown defence, struck for 1-1 in added time to send Ballinamore into dreamland.

Ballinamore now face Cork’s Glanmire in the All-Ireland Final on Saturday, December 16, in Croke Park and after their heroics so far this year, who knows what will happen!

Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins celebrate dramatic injury time win to reach All-Ireland Final - GALLERY

Wild celebrations in Ballinamore this evening as Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins grabbed a dramatic 1-10 to 1-8 victory over Derry's Steelstown Brian Ogs to qualify for the CurrentAccount.ie All-Ireland LGFA Intermediate Club Final. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was a busy man with his camera capturing the celebrations ..... see who you can spot!

Ballinamore started well on the scoreboard even if they had a few scares at the other end. Roisin McHugh fired over after a long direct ball to Sarah McLoughlin was played back to McHugh, a fine score from distance just ten seconds into the contest.

Steelstown really should have goaled on their first attack - Megan Devine cut through on a long run from her own half and with Ballinamore’s defenders retreating to mark their own players, Devine burst through only to see her shot fly wide of the far post with only keeper Leighanne Flynn to beat.

Orla McGeough put a free wide for the Derry side and they were made to pay the price when a foul on Laura O’Dowd allowed McHugh to fire over from 40 yards. Dara McKeever had a wide while Megan Devine burst through on another run and with players in support but an overly long handpass saw the ball go out of play as another goal chance went abegging.

Eimear O’Doherty also had a bad wide but when Steelstown opened their account, they did so in spectacular fashion - Aoife Collins, Leah McGonagle and Caoimhe O’Kane were all involved in an intricate build-up that ended with the ball finding O’Doherty who blasted to the net from close range.

That score inspired Steelstown who rattled off quick first points from Leah McGonagle and Aoife Collins, both set up by interceptions from Ciara McGurk. But Ballinam,ore responded when Laura O’Dowd forced a turnover, got the ball to Megan McGovern who worked the ball back to the returned Leitrim star for a fine point.

Steelstown will feel they should have had another goal when they worked the ball to Aoife Collins but Leighanne Flynn stood tall to save the shot and the value of that save was doubled when McHugh fired over another free after 23 minutes.

Orla McGeough had a wide but the Steelstown centre-forward made amends after a foul on Dara McKeever by pointing the free to leave Steelstown Brian Ogs with a 1-3 to 0-4 halftime lead.

Steelstown should have extended that lead right from the throw-in but Megan Devine’s fisted effort fell short and was easily gathered by Leighanne Flynn. Ballinamore made the Derry visitors pay for their mistakes with two points from Roisin McHugh in the space of a minute, the first from a free after a foul on Deborah McGourty, a long way from her usual corner-back haunt.

The second was a superb point from the corner to tie the scores. Steelstown went back in front with a fine point from Dara McKeever but Ballinamore hit back inside a minute, a foul on Laura O’Dowd after the home side had tried to carve open a goal opportunity, McHugh again providing the killer touch.

Ballinamore registered their first wide 12 minutes into the second half when McHugh uncharacteristically put her free wide but when Ballinamore won the kick-out, McHugh made up for it in spectacular fashion, dodging through a couple of defenders before getting her shot up high over an attempted block and over the bar from 30 yards.

Roisin McHugh surveys her options during the first half Picture: Willie Donnellan

That put Ballinamore in front and they sought to capitalise but Laura O’Dowd’s shot drifted across the face of the goal with the ball going wide off McHugh and Steelstown looked as if they had weathered the storm when they reeled off three unanswered points from Orla McGeough in a four minute spell.

Two frees and a turnover from a kick-out thanks to Leah McGonagle saw McGeough put Steelstown two clear with nine minutes to go but they also had a poor shot from McKeever fall short.

It was looking ominous for Ballinamore but a truly brilliant score from McHugh raised the crowd again with just a point between the teams. 

Small margins make a big difference as Megan Devine saw a point chalked off for steps but when McGeough converted a free after a foul on sub Lea Casey, Steelstown must have felt they were nearly there.

The drama was heightened as Aoife Collins and Roisin McHugh both saw shots blocked at opposite ends of the field but Ballinamore refused to lie down. Megan McGovern did well to power through after a high ball before setting up Aoibheann Flynn for a fine point in the first minute of added time.

Steelstown, however, had looked as if they had weathered the storm as they played possession football. However, instead of pushing forward, they opted to go back and as Ballinamore applied a fierce press almost two minutes into added time, the Derry side opted to play the ball back to keeper Molly McBride, well outside the 21 yard line.

With captain Aoife McGough unmarked 20 yards away to her right, McBride was forced to step inside by Sarah McLoughlin with the Steelstown keeper stumbling as she sought to break the tackle, the ball split loose and quick as lightning, Laura O’Dowd scooped it up and found Aoibheann Flynn who blasted the ball to the net as absolute pandemonium broke out in the stands.

That was literally it, the last kick of the game as referee Gus Chapman immediately sounded the final whistle leading to wild celebrations for Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins and tears for Steelstown Brian Ogs.

Huge crowd in Ballinamore as Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin reopens for historic LGFA Semi-Final - GALLERY

Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin opened its doors for the first time in nearly 15 months when throngs of Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins and Steelstown Brian Ogs fans thronged into the resurfaced grounds for Saturday's CurrentAccount.ie LGFA All-Ireland IFC Club Semi-Final, a game won in dramatic fashion by the Leitrim side. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was a busy man with his camera snapping fans taking in the action .... see who you can spot!

BALLINAMORE SEAN O’HESLINS

Scorers: Roisin McHugh 0-8, 5f; Aoibheann Flynn 1-1; Laura O’Dowd 0-1

Team: Leighanne Flynn; Deborah McGourty, Abbi Sweeney, Emma Honeyman; Lisa Maguire, Mollie Murphy, Grainne Prior; Megan McGovern, Laura O’Dowd, Ciara O’Dowd; Roisin McHugh, Laoise Moran; Aoibheann Flynn, Sarah McLoughlin, Lucy Murphy. Sub: Ciara McGoldrick for L Maguire (38)

STEELSTOWN

Scorers: Orla McGeough 0–5, 3f; Eimear O’Doherty 1-0; Aoife Collins 0-2; Dara McKeever 0-1

Team: Molly McBride; Orlaith McGough, Aoife McGough, Niamh Friel; Megan Devine, Kathryn Canavan; Kathy Holly; Emma Doherty, Ciara McGurk, Eimear O’Doherty, Orla McGeough, Leah McGonagle; Dara McKeever, Aoife Collins,  Caoimhe O’Kane. Subs: Anna Boyle for A O’Doherty (38); Tara Burns for Friel (45); Lea Casey for McGurk (55); Niamh Gilmore for O. McGeough (61)

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo)