Superb Staunton guns down Brigid’s in Connacht decider
by Sean Guinan Updated: Wednesday, 27th October, 2010 9:30am
St Brigid's 1-5 Carnacon 8-14
When these teams met at Clogher in 2008 only two points separated them at the end of the Connacht Ladies Football Final in Carnacon’s home ground. It was truly heartbreaking for St Brigid’s who held a 3-point lead as time ebbed away, but two late goals scuppered a heroic effort by the Roscommon girls, ensuring Carnacon three successive Connacht crowns.
Fast forward to Saturday last, October 23, and fate ensured that the same protagonists would cross swords to determine the 2010 provincial champions. The action would now switch to a Kiltoom venue looking its pristine best as the home team - seeking a first-ever Connacht title - were now on familiar territory against their 2008 conquerors. Home turf, home crowd - would these vital factors ensure revenge for the Kiltoom-Cam squad, and manager Benny Morris, with selectors Liam Martin and Dermot Nestor?
The vicissitudes of sport, however, as we were about to find out, can be cruel and merciless especially when one Cora Staunton, on her best form, is about. As with the dreaded Budget 2010, nothing is safe from Mayo’s demolition destroyer.
Brigid’s listed left corner-back Chrissie O’Malley didn’t start, with Siobhan Finnerty introduced at centre-back and Edel Walsh moving back to the corner. Carnacon, lining out as selected on the programme, switched Cora Staunton to the '40’ from the start, from where she would go on to dominate proceedings akin to a modern-day Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (of 1940’s North African campaign fame).
Referee PJ Rabbitte (Galway) had scarcely thrown in the ball at the Newpark venue when Carnacon’s Fiona McHale seized possession, made a lightning lay-off to the lurking Staunton, who soloed a good 25 metres before sticking the ball to the net. This entire cameo lasted 13 seconds, but set the tone for what unfolded on an evening which provided a cocktail of sunshine, thundery rain and hail-showers, with a chilling fly-over of wild geese - in a possible three-pronged warning of a hard winter, hairshirt budget and, to home fans, a grisly outcome to the club final.
This lightning goal proved the overture for what would steadily become the Cora Staunton show. In his preview of Saturday’s final in last week’s Westmeath Independent, colleague Kevin O’Neill predictably described the Mayo superstar as “often unstoppable” which, to a tee, captured her mood on the Kiltoom stage. It would serve no useful purpose to minutely chronicle each score as it occurred in what would turn out to be an abysmally one-sided first half. An on-fire Staunton added a second goal in the 13th minute, this time from a spot-kick, the penalty awarded for a foot block on the No. 14. Staunton also contributed 6 points, all but one from play. Midfielder Michelle McGing also found the net on the double (16th and 22nd minutes), with a point from Fiona McHale point bringing the Carnacon total to 4-7 by the short whistle.
This imposing total would have been even more but for a disallowed 18th minute Martha Carter goal for alleged over-carrying, in addition to brilliant saves by St Brigid’s goalie Bridgetta Menton, firstly from Martha Carter (10th minute) and again when denying Cora Staunton what looked a certain 19th minute goal, in practically incessant Carnacon pressure.
Benny Morris’ charges, 1-2 down after just 3 minutes with 'storming’ Staunton leading the Carnacon charge, rose their first flag on 4 minutes when corner-forward Cliodhna McHugh pointed from play. But they deserved more when a promising move involving Rebecca Joyce, Claire Grehan and Grainne Cunniffe (6th minute) was rather fortunately thwarted by the Carnacon defence. A close-in free was subsequently pointed by corner-forward Joyce.
A heavy rain-shower provided the overture to another flurry of Carnacon scores at a stage when the Mayo team’s lead was a manageable 1-3 to 0-2. But a further 3-4 ensued for the title holders before Brigid’s scored again. A foul on Cliodhna McHugh (27th minute) was punished by Claire Grehan’s pointed free, but that Staunton super-show, despite midfielder Michelle Walsh having reasonable success when switched onto her after 8 minutes, left a huge gulf between the protagonists (4-7 to 0-3) at half-time.
Nothing short of an Anglo Irish Bank-like collapse in the Carnacon (should I say Staunton?) performance would now save Brigid’s as the second half commenced. The wild geese had come and gone, but it was further hardship for the Roscommon standard-bearers as the Mayo girls pressed ruthlessly onwards.
Two minutes in, Brigid’s custodian Bridgetta Menton brought off another point-blank save, this time from Fiona McHale to prevent another certain major. But another unanswered 1-3 ensued before Rebecca Joyce scored a point for the home side. Staunton added another point before the Brigid’s followers got something special to cheer about when Aine O’Brien, after a pass by Sarah Finnerty, saw her parting shot come off the crossbar. Cliodhna McHugh was on the spot to beat Carnacon 'keeper Michelle Higgins from close-in.
There were still 13 minutes of actual playing time (plus injury time) to be played, but, despite this, the ultimate result was inevitable as 20 points divided the teams on the scoreboard.
Cora Staunton brought her total to an incredible 3-12 for the evening (coincidentally the same tally she amassed against Kilmovee in the Mayo county final) with a further 2 points from play and, in the 57th minute, she provided the perfect pass to wing-forward, 14-year-old Erina Flannery, for the latter to shoot to an empty net.
Jenny Conlon (free) was St Brigid’s final scorer of a decider which they will want to forget in a hurry. Carnacon, despite being put to the pin of their collar to overcome Corofin (Galway) by 1 point in the semi-final, again displayed their top form when adding yet another provincial title to their sideboard.
Were it not for the fact that St Brigid’s came within a whisker of defeating Carnacon on their home turf in the 2008 final, this reporter would argue that the competition was unfairly structured, but this obviously isn’t the case.
This is the third consecutive match in as many weeks that I have attended, where the final margin was in double digits - 19 points in the Roscommon SHC final, 17 points in St Brigid’s Connacht Club SFC match, and 24 points on this occasion. Such is the unpredictability of sport.
On an afternoon when Cora Staunton gave another exhibition of her vast talents, Brigid’s were outclassed, but had diligent performances from Bridgetta Menton, Sarah Finnerty, Fiona Gavin, Claire Kelly, Michelle Walsh, Claire Grehan, Jenny Conlon, Rebecca Joyce and Cliodhna McHugh.
SCORERS - Carnacon: Cora Staunton (3-12, 1-0pen, 0-4f), Michelle McGing (2-1), Erina Flannery (1-0) and Fiona McHale (0-1).
St. Brigid’s: Cliodhna McHugh (1-1), Rebecca Joyce (0-2, 0-1 free), Claire Grehan (0-1 free), Jenny Conlon (0-1 free).
CARNACON: Michelle Higgins, Nicola Hurst, Caroline McGing, Sharon McGing, Marie Corbett, Aoife Loftus, Noelle Tierney, Clare Egan, Michelle McGing, Aoife Brennan, Cora Staunton, Erina Flannery, Fiona McHale, Martha Carter, Natasha Beegan.
ST BRIGID’S: Bridgetta Menton, Emma Walsh, Fiona Gavin, Edel Walsh, Michelle Kelly, Sarah Finnerty, Claire Kelly, Michelle Walsh, Laura Harrison, Claire Grehan, Grainne Cunniffe, Jenny Conlon, Rebecca Joyce, Aine O’Brien and Cliodhna McHugh.
Subs: Claire Shanagher for Grainne Cunniffe (35); Eimear Kelly for Michelle Kelly (42); Chrissie O’Malley for Emma Walsh (47); Aine Kelly for Rebecca Joyce (53); Aisling McHugh for Edel Walsh (55).
REFEREE: P.J. Rabbitte (Galway).
