All-Ireland title for St Attracta’s as grit and skill wins silverware Lauren Normanly shoots 0-7 and Bláithin Lavin bags 2-2 as Connacht champs overcome Thurles opponents in thrilling showdown at St Aidan’s GAA in Ballyforan

almost immediately thanks to wing-back Lucy Henry’s well-taken goal but a one-point interval deficit, 1-5 to 1-4, even with wind advantage to come in the second-half, meant that St Attracta’s had to work even harder.

This they did, as well as outscoring their opponents, 2-8 to 0-5, to complete a memorable campaign overseen by a diligent management that includes James McDonagh and Katie Walsh.

St Attracta’s also overcame two sin bins, with yellow cards at different stages for

Bláithín Lavin and

Kate McCarthy, as they added rich icing to an already delicious victory cake by notching 1-1 in second-half stoppage time.

St Attracta’s, presented with the chance to win national honours at a Connacht venue, set off at a blistering pace. Aoife Cooke pointed after 31 seconds, with St Attracta’s winning the throw-in and then getting possession to Cooke via Ellen Giblin and Bláithín Lavin. Cara King was already getting on the ball and taking the game to Ursuline but Lauren Normanly’s first score attempt was a shot dropped into the Ursuline goalkeeper Anna Phelan – this was the first of seven underhit shots for points in the opening period (a perturbing but thankfully not fatal statistic).

A fifth minute goal attempt for St Attracta’s came off the inside of the post with Ursuline so grateful that Cara King’s shot from an acute angle, after Bláithín Lavin and Aoife Cooke set up the chance, fizzed out rather than in.

The onslaught continued when Lucy Henry slipped a pass to Lauren Normanly, whose goal intention was blocked by the Ursuline netminder.

Bláithín Lavin pointed with a neat kick in the 10th minute but then Ursuline shot 1-3 without reply to lead 1-3 to 0-2 after 18th minutes. The losers’ goal came from their top scorer, Lucy Purcell, who goaled with a dipping shot after she got a pass from Caoimhe Stakelum. St Attracta’s goalkeeper Catherine Gallagher couldn’t