Luck and guts see St Mary's home past Ballinamore

Goals win games and they certainly did for St Mary's who endured a dominant 45 minutes from Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins but struck at just the right time last Sunday morning to claim a famous Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior Championship victory in Pairc Naomh Mhuire.

The victory means both these teams will meet again in the Senior B Final, Ballinamore appearing in their third final in a row while St Mary's, in their first year back at senior, will take them on in a match that will require a crystal ball or maybe the lotto numbers to see who will win because last Sunday's encounter was a strange one.

Ballinamore dominated long periods of this game, looking sharper and more composed than their Carrick rivals but two goals in the first half from Lorraine Butler and Sarah Reynolds kept the home side in touch and when the game was still there for them in the second half, they struck with ruthlessness.

Ballinamore's Eilish O'Dowd nominated for TG4 All Star award

Granted, they got a huge slice of luck as unfortunate Ballinamore keeper Leighanne Flynn got caught for two goals that defy description. The first, a low Sarah Reynolds shot, crept inside the post after the keeper heard a call to let the ball go, a score that got St Mary's level midway through the second half.

The second was just pure bad luck as Aisling Leahy's shot spun on the bounce in front of the keeper who also slipped, the ball rolling almost apologetically into the net - and that was the six point difference at the whistle.

St Mary's were the first to acknowledge their luck but that would also obscure their guts in staying in contention in a game that Ballinamore were dominating and then having the confidence to strike for victory - their third goal got them level but the home side fired over five unanswered points to take control of the game.

It was a remarkable transformation and one that illustrates the vagaries of fortune in sport but you have to say the way Sarah Reynolds, Elise Bruen, Lorraine Butler, Kasey Bruen and Jasmine Maye dragged their team back into contention deserves the highest praise.

Emma McGovern passes the ball to her sister Megan under pressure from St Mary's Ellie Barnes Picture: Willie Donnellan

Roisin McHugh and Elise Bruen traded early points but off the kickout, Lorraine Butler intercepted and lobbed the keeper for a killer goal for St Mary's. O'Heslins responded impressively with McHugh and Laura O'Dowd (2) reeling off three points to tie the scores before Kasey Bruen scored a fine point.

Ballinamore were taking control from the Mary's kickout and points from McHugh, Emma McGovern and Emma McKiernan put them two points clear but Sarah Reynolds, playing a one-two with Enya McWeeney, charged through for a superb goal on 17 minutes.

Ballinamore keeper Leighanne Flynn made a crucial save to deny Roisin Kelleher a third goal but O'Heslins got back on top before halftime with points from McHugh and Megan McGovern to lead 0-9 to 2-2 at the halftime break.

Ballinamore looked to have broken the game wide open inside the first minute of the second half when Roisin McHugh soloed through the Mary's defence to blast to the net.

Crucially, Ballinamore were unable to build on their dominance and points from Sarah Reynolds and Aisling Leahy (free) cut the gap back to two points. With both sides missing chances, the visitors re-established a three point lead when Ciara McGoldrick scored a fine point.

But again, St Mary's hit back - Sarah Reynolds' low shot seemed easy work for the keeper but in a disastrous move, Flynn thought the ball was going wide and it sneaked inside the post for a breakthrough St Mary's goal on 45 minutes.

Laura O'Dowd hit back with a point but St Mary's were now a different team with Ellie Barnes pointing after a Lorraine Butler pass, a goal briefly on but it didn't matter as the home side went back in front with a Sarah Reynolds point after an excellent run.

Good work from Leahy and a scramble saw Kasey Bruen break to score before Reynolds and Elise Bruen combined to set up Leahy for a point from play. The lead stretched to four when Leahy converted a free with five minutes left in the half before a Roisin McHugh free left a goal in it.

But with less than three minutes of normal time left on the clock, luck again deserted Ballinamore as Aisling Leahy's shot hit the ground and spun wickedly into the net as the unfortunate Flynn also slipped to open up a six point gap and Ballinamore were left chasing shadows.

Clinical Glencar Manor turn on the style in the second half

GLENCAR MANORHAMILTON 6-9 ST MARY'S KILTOGHERT 3-8

ST MARY'S KILTOGHERT 

Scorers: Sarah Reynolds 2-2; Aisling Leahy 1-3, 2f; Lorraine Butler 1-0; Kasey Bruen 0-2; Ellie Barnes & Elise Bruen 0-1 each 

Team: Caroline Guckian, Emily Reynolds, Jasmine Maye, Isabelle Chandler, Ellie Barnes, Kasey Bruen, Blaithin McCrann, Enya McWeeney, Emma Clarke, Elise Bruen, Sarah Reynolds, Sara Crowe, Roisin Kelleher, Lorraine Butler, Aisling Leahy. Subs: Ellen Woods for E Reynolds (23); Hannah Stenson for Clarke (58)

BALLINAMORE SEAN O'HESLINS

Scorers: Roisin McHugh 1-5, 1f; Laura O'Dowd 0-3; Ciara McGoldrick, Megan McGovern, Emma McKiernan & Emma McGovern 0-1 each 

Team: Leighanne Flynn, Grainne Prior, Abbi Sweeney, Lisa Maguire, Emma Honeyman, Mollie Murphy, Laoise Moran King, Megan McGovern, Laura O'Dowd; Emma McKiernan, Roisin McHugh, Ciara McGoldrick, Emma McGovern, Sarah McLoughlin, Aoibheann Flynn. Subs: Lucy Murphy for McKiernan (45); Ciara O'Dowd & Deborah McGourty for Maguire & A Flynn (53)

Referee: Cyril McKeon