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U12 Footballers versus Skerries Harps in Championship Semi-Final

St Brigids 1-4 Skerries Harps 1-4

A last-gasp equaliser from Caroline Brogan saved the day for St. Brigid's as they drew with Skerries Harps in this cracking U-12 championship semi-final on Sunday night.

The hosts looked in real trouble when trailing by a point with just seconds remaining at Russell Park, before Brogan maintained her composure to coolly slot over and ensure that both teams will have to do it all over again.

Such a dramatic finale appeared unlikely as the Saints held a 1-2 to 0-4 advantage as the game entered stoppage time, before disaster struck for the home side when Leanne Kelly's long-range free found the net to put Harps one point to the good.

And it got better for the visitors seconds later, as they moved two points clear and looked set for victory.

But Brigid's refused to lie down, and Roisin Keane pointed in a frantic injury-time period before Brogan saved her team by dissecting the uprights with the last kick of the game.

Brigid's looked set for a comfortable evening when Anita O'Brien found the net after just three minutes of the first half, but although the hosts buoyed by the superb form of O'Brien and Grainne Hawks in midfield dominated the opening twenty minutes, they couldn't reflect their dominance on the scoreboard.

They finally ended their scoring drought through a Brogan point on 25 minutes to stand 1-0 to 0-1 up, but the Saints should have been further clear after missing a host of goalscoring opportunities and registering countless wides, and Harps took advantage to point again and trail by just two points at the interval.

It was now Skerries who had the advantage of a strong breeze behind them in the second half, and they pinned Brigid?s back as the Saints' diamond of Karen Donnelly, Brogan, O'Brien and Hawks struggled to win possession.

However, just like Brigid's in the first half, Skerries failed to turn their possession into scores, and were only on level terms with five minutes remaining (1-1 to 0-4).

Brigid?s should have pulled clear but Sarah Fay blasted wide with the goal gaping seconds later, although she made amends by pointing in the final minute of normal time to hand her team a slender advantage.

Then arrived Skerries fortuitous goal, as Kelly's 40-yard free bounced in front of the Brigid's goal and somehow found the net to send the Harps support into delirium.

They reckoned without Keane and Brogan, however, who kept their heads in superb fashion to level matters and give everyone involved another day out.

Scorers: St. Brigid's: A O'Brien 1-0, C Brogan 0-2, S Fay, R Keane 0-1 each.

St Brigids: H O'Connor; E O'Brien, L McCarrick, A Twomey; E McNamara, K Donnelly, A Brogan; A O'Brien, G Hawks; R Keane, C Brogan, C Irwin; S Fay, C McCormack, L Winter. Sub: K Sheridan for E O'Brien.

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