All Ireland Final Day in Feile in Celtic Park sunday morning 10;25pm, just before throw in and there is a palpable buzz of expectation amongst the large crowd. All week the expectation has been high amongst the New York supporters everyone knows it players, management , spectators. Even the opposition are talking up this team and New York are raging hot favourites to win the title. Bennekerry, however have put up huge scorelines in every game they have played. They won their semi final by 15 points and won one of their group games by 47 points 11-14 to no score. This New York team has got the experience necessary however, Mairead Hynes is playing in her record equaling fifth consecutive Feile and is this years vice captain. Johanna Levine has played in 4 feiles and Mairead Ruane is in her third year. The New York faithful are quietly confident after watching their team concede only 10 points in their six games so far and racking up some amazing scorelines. Bennekerry win the toss but elect to play against the wind, going in the face of traditional Feile wisdom to always play with the breeze.
The game begins at a frantic pace with the Carlow girls winning the first ball delivering it in quickly to the forwards who win a free on the edge of the 45. The ball is delivered in quickly into the full forwards and squeezed into the bottom corner of the New York net. The Carlow girls, though playing against the breeze begin to take a foothold in the NY half and in the second minute Shannon Hughes clears a goal bound effort to the safety of midfield. In the 3rd minute Nichole Denison makes a point blank save from and the ball finishes up going harmlessly wide as the entire NY crowd breath a collective sigh of relief. NY get back into the game and Colleen Chrzanowski gets on the ball and delivers it to Mairead Hynes and from then into Johanna Levine who narrowly puts it wide. Bennekerry add a point and things are looking bleak for the New Yorkers. However, the deadlock is broken in the 9th minute as Caitlin Mc Kenna bundles the ball into the net following a scramble in the square. Quick thinking from a free from Mairead Hynes to Mairead Ruane leads to a point and two more narrow misses from the ladies left a point between the teams. Shannon Hughes and Margaret Brady were dominating the Bennekerry full forward line with Hughes getting two turnovers in the space of a minute. New York win a free on the edge of the 20 yard line and Mairead Hynes steps up to take it, looking to the world as if she is going to put it 20 yards over the bar, but manages to deftly chip it over the Carlow defence into the net to to put the ladies a goal ahead at half time leading 2-01 to 1-01.
Half time amongst the supporters and there are worried faces amongst the New York crowd. Will the one goal lead into the Gale be enough ? Less than a minute into the second half and the Bennekerry full forward puts a point on the board. Again Bennekerry get in possession in a scoring area and only for a magnificent block by Shannon Hughes the Carlow girls would have gone into the lead. Another Carlow attack and Margaret Brady leaps over five players to intercept a ball , breaks the first tackle and lays it off to Mary Kate Lisi. 3 minutes gone and New York are on the ropes, Nicole Denison makes another point blank save and the ball goes out for a 45. Another Brady turnover and the ball is released quickly down to Heather Durkin who is bearing down on goal and fires a low shot but the keeper does just enough to save the ball. More pressure on the New York line and the Bennekerry midfield launch a huge highing dropping ball into the New York square the ball breaks and falls to the corner forward who taps over. One point between the teams and a little over 3 minutes remaining. Johanna Levine wins a ball she has absolutley no right to win on the edge of the D but the resulting free just trails to the left and wide. Hughes gets in another great tackle and delivers it off with two minutes left on the clock. 30 seconds on the clock and New York have one hand on the trophy but Bennekerry aren't finished yet and with 14 minutes 50 seconds on the clock launch a huge effort over the bar to tie the game and bring it to extra time. Score after full time Bennekerry 1-04 NY 2-01
First half of extra time and one things for sure no one is leaving this game early. Johanna Levine is having an almighty tussle with the Carlow full back and finally manages to break free from her to bear down on goal, in the third minute of ET, when the corner back sweeps across to turnover the ball just as Levine is about to pull the trigger. 4;30 gone into the half and disaster for New York, as a ball breaks down the field into the Bennekerry full forward, who fires the ball into the NY net to put a goal between the teams. Carlow have another goal disallowed for a throw ball and it looks like NY will have a mountain to climb in the second half.
Into the gale in the second half of extra time and as tensions rise the referee is earning the wrath of the aggrieved NY supporters who feel that Mairead Hynes is clearly been fouled instead the free is given against her. Mairead Ruane who must have run the equivelant of a marathon throughout Feile is penailsed for fouling the ball and its clear the momentum is with Bennekerry. The NY ladies throw the kitchen sink at Bennekerry but it just isn't going for them. Johanna Levine seems to block the Full back's kick with her head, epitomising this team's spirit but still nothing moving. Injuries to both teams and it seems the clock is on double time as the game slides near full time. Bennekerry win and point a free to put four between the teams. The final whistle blows and its all over for the ladies.
Post Match Reaction
Frank Treacy New York Feile Manager:
"I'm absolutley sick to the pit of my stomach there are no other words to describe it. Its hard to take. Im so proud of the girls though and I really couldn't have asked anymore from them, but New York will be back and I'm absolutley sure of that."
Margaret Brady New York MVP
"Im really proud of the girls and the team spirit in the squad."
Tineryland Bennekerry Manager
"I'm absolutley delighted and very proud of my girls. I feel gutted for New York in truth neither team deserved to lose this game but thats football. I took a huge effort from our entire panel to win this tournament and I have to say that I feel absolute just pride in our team."
Bennekerry MVP : Lauren O'Dwyer
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