SUPERSUB HANNAH NÍ DHÉA netted a late goal to seal a dramatic 2-9 to 2-5 victory for Coláiste Íosagáin, Stillorgan, in Saturday’s Tesco Homegrown Post Primary Schools All-Ireland Senior A ladies football final at Dr. Cullen Park in Carlow.
Ní Dhéa goaled in stoppage time after Isolt Ní Riardáin’s point in the final minute handed the winners a slender one-point lead against Coláiste Dún Iascaigh from Cahir.
The Dubliners were full value for the win but they had to work desperately hard for it after falling 0-1 to 1-3 behind within nine minutes.
Róisín Howard’s goal handed Coláiste Dún Iascaigh the early initiative but Alanah Nic Eoin responded in kind for Coláiste Íosagáin in the 14th minute to hand the newly-crowned champions a route back into the game.
At half-time, Coláiste Íosagáin had established a two-point lead, 1-6 to 1-4, and the scene was set for an incredible second half.
The sides traded early points in the second half before Coláiste Dún Iascaigh bagged their second goal of the game in the 37th minute, with Caoimhe Condon on target.
That strike handed Coláiste Dún Iascaigh a 2-5 to 1-7 lead but Ní Riardáin’s 38th minute point levelled matters again.
Remarkably, the game remained scoreless from there until the final minute, when Ní Riardáin popped over the lead score for Coláiste Íosagáin.
And when Ní Dhéa pounced from close range in stoppage time, the senior A silverware was heading for the capital for the very first time.
Meanwhile in the Senior B football final, Galway outfit Glenamaddy cruised to a 4-22 to 2-8 victory against Portlaoise in Tubberclair.
Glenamaddy led by 1-6 to 0-4 after 20 minutes but the Westerners ran riot in the final ten minutes of the opening half to lead by 3-10 to 0-5 at half-time, with Mary Fahy netting a hat-trick of goals.
Info provided by the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA).
