The Nutcracker might be the traditional ballet on ice at this time of year, but Athenry’s All-Ireland win on the frosty tundra of Semple Stadium on Saturday evening was equal parts Odette and Odile from Swan Lake, with a little bit of Toronto Maple Leafs or Boston Bruins mixed in for good measure.
The ice hockey aspect was facilitated by referee Brian Kearney, who decided that outside of thrown handpasses, his new year’s resolution was to let the tackles go and let players compete.
That they did, and while Clodagh Burke will be hailed as the player that scored the winning point to give the Galway club their first All-Ireland since 1977, this was a win built on steely defence and an ability to overcome their ‘Black Swan’ phase, the period between the 25th and 45th minute when St Finbarr’s hit eight points in a row.
Outside of that run, Athenry were dominant – but crucially, not clinical. Orlaith Cahalane picked up a tantalising lateral pass from Sorcha McCartan to hit the opening score on the turn but Athenry took over from there.
Athenry’s Lisa Casserly and Sofia Daly of St Finbarr’s. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Clodagh Burke hit two nice points, Kayla Madden devoured breaks but it was at the back were they were impeccable, particularly across the 45-meter line where Olwen Rabbitte was an immaculate anchor.
Laura Freeney in goal was no less important. She didn’t have a save to make, but had countless opportunities to make what would have been a devastating error from a high ball, a deflected delivery or a loose break behind her full-back line. She never put a foot wrong, meaning that Athenry could move 0-7 to 0-3 clear.
Kerri O’Driscoll’s errant ground pull with the goal at her mercy at the start of the second half was another for the catalogue, and while they continued to defend well, St Finbarr’s were coming.
Ciara Golden shored things up at midfield and the pressure was ratcheted up and up with each score. Sorcha McCartan sent over some incredible points and when she struck her solitary effort from play over her shoulder to make it 0-11 to 0-7, it looked the Togher club would be the ones to swan off with the silver.
There would be a third act where Odette would return, summoned by the spirit of Therese Donohue.
Athenry’s Eimear Keane and Méabh Cahalane of St Finbarr’s. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
The match-saving hero from the drawn game once again proved that she isn’t so much rolling back the years as she is showing that they never rolled forward in the first place. She won a free to end the scoring drought, set up another crucial score for Sabina Rabbitte, then converted one of her own as they roared back into the game.
Olwen Rabbitte split the posts to put Athenry back in front, Sorcha McCartan landed another free from the frozen ground on the Kinane Stand side of midfield, and extra-time loomed again.
That was until Clodagh Burke picked up Lisa Casserly’s long clearance and swept the ball over the bar from 50 metres out with all the nonchalance of a player warming up before winter training.
Jessica Gill rounded off the scoring from a free in what was the last act of an incredible contest and a story that they will tell and retell for years to come in the famous Galway town.
ATHENRY: L Freeney, T Kilkenny, D Higgins, K Screene, L Casserly, O Rabbitte (0-1), S Feeney, K Madden (0-1), E McGlynn (0-1), E Keane, J Gill (0-2, 1f), T Donohue (0-1), C Burke (0-3), S Rabbitte (0-4, 2fs, 1′45), K O’Driscoll (0-1).
Subs: A Jordan for Keane (48 mins), M Noone for McGlynn (52).
ST FINBARR’S: C Hurley, S Punch, A Egan, A O’Neill, G Cahalane, M Cahalane, S Daly, K McCarthy, A Shannon, N Olden (0-1), K Wall (0-2), S McCartan (0-6, 5fs), E Hurley (0-1), O Cahalane (0-2), H O’Leary.
Subs: C Golden for Daly (ht), E Wigginton Barrett for E Hurley (54 mins), L O’Donovan for Olden (59).
Referee: B Kearney (Kildare).