Women’s O35s Semi final: Knocknacarra 5 – 6 Colemanstown. On a blustery Monday evening in Knocknacarra, with a growing crowd of green-clad supporters, Colemanstown’s Over-35s delivered a performance that was as emotionally charged as it was tactically mature.
The final score — 6–5 — only hints at the drama. What unfolded was a frenetic, end-to-end semi-final where momentum swung like a pendulum, and where resilience, more than anything, proved the difference.
Colemanstown had come with purpose. They’d lost to Knocknacarra in the league phase and were determined not to let history repeat itself. But within five minutes, they were two goals down — both stemming from quick counter-attacks, ruthlessly finished by the hosts.
In lesser sides, heads might have dropped. Colemanstown, though, regrouped. Their midfield began to dictate tempo, and the response was swift and composed. A well-worked free-kick saw Eleanor Morrissey deliver into the box, Kara Mullins flicking on for Catherine Burke to finish — a move that highlighted both technical sharpness and mental clarity under pressure.
Moments later, Alicia Flannery capitalised on a goalkeeping mishap to level the match. By then, the Colemanstown faithful had arrived in numbers, their voices giving the evening an unmistakable feel of a home fixture.
Chances followed. Shauna Ward’s cross narrowly evaded Kara Mullins, while Emer O’Brien’s curling effort going the wrong side of the post. Yet, for all their attacking rhythm, Colemanstown remained vulnerable on the break. Goalkeeper Ruth Dempsey had to be alert — and she was, producing a string of vital saves that would prove decisive.
Injuries to Emer O’Brien and Deirdre O’Grady forced early changes, with Aoife Cummins and Tricia Sullivan stepping in. Then, in a moment of levity amid the intensity, play was halted by a pitch invader — of the four-legged variety — prompting laughter from both teams before the dog was gently removed and normal service resumed.
With the half-time whistle approaching, Kara Mullins was on hand to fire Colemanstown into the lead. The comeback was complete, but the contest was far from over.
The second half opened with the same energy that closed the first. Kara Mullins, a persistent threat all evening, twisted her defender inside and out before forcing a fingertip save. From the resulting corner, floated in with intent, Alicia Flannery was again on target — a clean strike to make it 4–2 and give Colemanstown breathing room.
But Knocknacarra, unbeaten in the league, had no intention of folding. A 50-50 challenge between Orla McCaffrey and the Knocknacarra striker produced an awkward deflection that wrong-footed Ruth Dempsey and reduced the deficit to one. It was a goal born of willpower, and it reignited the hosts’ belief.
For ten minutes, the game hung in the balance. Knocknacarra surged, but Colemanstown’s back four held their nerve. Eleanor Morrissey and Lorraine McGann were outstanding in wide areas, snuffing out danger time and again.
Then came the turning point. With Deirdre O’Grady back on the pitch and Kara Mullins momentarily rested, Colemanstown regained control. A midfield turnover led to Catherine Burke drawing a foul inside the box. Shauna Ward stepped up and converted with ice-cold composure: 5–3.
The energy lifted. Kara Mullins returned, striking the post with a low drive. Deirdre O’Grady, lurking nearby, misfired the rebound — but made amends in style moments later, unleashing a 30-yard thunderbolt into the top corner. It was the night’s standout moment, and it seemed to put the tie to bed at 6–3.
Yet, in typical semi-final fashion, the game had one more twist.
A handball in the box saw Colemanstown reduced to 10. Knocknacarra converted the penalty, making it 6–4 with 10 minutes left. A corner led to another — this time fired in amid a sea of green shirts. 6–5. Suddenly, everything was at stake.
With legs tiring and the opposition pushing, Colemanstown found resolve. Anita Murphy and Orla McCaffrey stood tall. Ruth Dempsey, again, was immaculate. And out wide, Deirdre O’Grady and Kara Mullins became vital outlets — shielding the ball, drawing fouls, eating away at the clock with intelligent, experienced play.
When the referee blew the final whistle, the release was instant. A second pitch invasion — this time joyful, expected — greeted the players. Supporters, teammates, family. A squad who had fought, literally and figuratively, to the final whistle.
Colemanstown will now meet the winner of Kiltullagh vs Kinvara in the final at Eamonn Deacy Park. With the spirit they showed, and the quality evident across the squad, they’ll fancy their chances.
In a game defined by comebacks, composure, and community, Colemanstown proved they’re more than a team. They’re a force. Match Report: Neil Ryan