Orla Cotter breaks Killeagh hearts with a late goal to win it for St Catherine's

St Catherine's 2-14 

Killeagh 1-13 

A goal three minutes into injury time by St Catherine's Orla Cotter ensured this hard-fought SE Systems senior championship battle with Killeagh in Aghada went their way on Monday night. 

As Killeagh pushed for an equalising goal in the nine minutes additional time, it was Eimear O’Brien that hit the insurance point for St Catherine's before the whistle blew. 

In a game that ebbed and flowed, the lead changing hands on four occasions, it was a highly entertaining dual.

After trailing by a point at half time Killeagh won the midfield battle at the start of the second half and went two up. 

But St Catherine's hit a second purple patch, similar to the one they had in the opening half and hit four on the bounce. 

Back came Killeagh with three. 

An Orla Cotter free to level the game on sixty-two, before the dramatic finish.

Killeagh started brightly and enjoyed the early possession stats but two points from frees was their only return. 

St Catherine's got off the mark with two Orla Cotter frees levelling the game.

The goalkeeping skills of Riona Abernethy denied St Catherine's in the 19th and 22nd minutes.

Lining out without the injured Finola Nevile, her absence would have swung the favourites tag Killeagh’s way but good defending, good teamwork through the lines by Catherine's lent to a good supply and Aoife Hurley, Orla Cotter, All MulKerrins and Niamh O’Regan were getting into their stride.

Stephane Beausang (f) and Jessica Long hit two, Cotter with another free before Hannah Looney hit a point and at the quarter way mark Killeagh led by two, 0-5 to 0-3. 

But a scoring patch saw St Catherine's strike 1-4 without reply. 

Cotter (f), Mulkerrins, Cotter again before a low ball inside to Niamh O’Regan saw the player gather and hit the roof of the net. 

O’Regan again from the puckout added another score. 

Looney stopped the onslaught before a Chloe Sigerson free dropped into the square and Jessica Long struck to hit the net. 1-7 to 1-6 at half time.

The second half was played on a knife edge, some great defending and work from both sides. 

Inconsistent referring and too many frees led to a tension filled game, some high challenges which were punished. 

Every ball desperately fought for, the game down to the wire until that brilliant finish by Cotter.

Scorers for St Catherine's: O Cotter 1-9 (0-7f), N O’Regan 1-2, A Mulkerrins, E O’Brien, F Sheehan 0-1 each.

Killeagh: S Beausang 0-7 (0-6f, 0-1 45), J Long 1-1, H Looney 0-4, C Sigerson 0-1.

ST CATHERINE'S: Y O’Neill; C Dunning, C Motherway, A M Rohan, R O’Callaghan, L Hayes, M Murphy; A Hurley, S M Clancy; A O’Regan, E O’Brien, C Galvin; N O’Regan, O Cotter, A Mulkerrins. 

Subs: F Sheehan for A O’Regan (37), L O’Donnell for C Galvin (55).

KILLEAGH: R Abernethy; C Barry, A Walsh, S Kent; E Treacy, L Treacy, N Ni Chaoimh; M O’Donovan, H Looney; A Brenner, C Sigerson, C Harney; S Burns, J Long, S Beausang.

Subs: C Daly for S Burns (30), N O’Connor for M O’Donovan (48).

Referee: Cathan Treacy – Nemo Rangers.