Murphy's law as Carnaross complete stunning comeback

Riona Murphy produced a simply outstanding performance to ensure Carnaross claimed the Girls Div 4 title with a narrow 5-3 to 4-4 victory over Moynalty in the game of the day at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.

Trailing by six points at half time Carnaross looked in trouble, but led by Murphy they clawed their way back in the second-half and produced a heroic closing few minutes defending their lead.

The opening half ebbed one way and flowed the other with the excellence of Lilly Carville and Anna Kavanagh ensuring Moynalty held the edge.

It was Carnaross who started best with Sarah Farrelly bagging a goal in the opening half. However, once Moynalty settled they excelled with Carville restoring parity in the fourth minute with a shot from distance that deceived the Carnaross goalkeeper.

Less than a minute later Moynalty had a second goal when Carville won the kickout and set up Ella Gilsenan for a close range finish.

Riona Murphy showed all the accuracy of her All-Ireland winning father Ollie when she landed a free for Carnaross, but Moynalty stayed on the front foot with Kavanagh and Carville 9free) making it 2-2 to 1-1 by the 22nd minute.

Riona Murphy swept over a sweet point with her left seconds later and she almost bagged a brilliant goal, but her shot trailed narrowly wide.

Moynalty survived that let off and 90 seconds before the break Kavanagh scored a brilliant goal to secure a 3-2 to 1-2 interval lead.

Carnaross intentions were clear at the start of the second-half - they wanted goals. Murphy forced Katie McMahon into a brilliant save inside 15 seconds, but the goalkeeper could do nothing moments later when Anna Woods free dropped to the net to kick start the revival.

Murphy got in behind to blast to the net and restore parity by the 27th minute, 3-2 each.

Another goal from Murphy two minutes later edged Carnaross ahead and they never looked back as Murphy clipped over a superb point and then added her third goal with a brilliant finish to make it 5-3 to 3-2 with 12 minutes remaining.

Reemarkably Carnaross didn't score again. The outstanding Carville and Kavanagh tried their best to drag moynalty back into the game.

Kavanagh landed a free, Carville had a shot cleared off the line before Kavanagh scored a brilliant goal with a minute to go to make it 4-3 to 5-3.

Kavanagh cut the deficit to two points with a 30 metre free, but try as they might they couldn't get a winning goal with Murphy dropping back into defence to ensure her side held on.

Carnaross NS - Lanna De Las Sias Olwill; Chloe Olwill, Cara Manning; Caitlin Mynes, Zara Donaghy, Katie Anne Lydon; Anna Woods (1-0 free), Katie Woods; Emily Shortt, Ríona Murphy (3-2 one free), Sarah Farrelly (1-0); Lilly B Lydon, Elysha Doyle Daly. Subs - Grace Cole, Jessica Magorrian, Holly Lydon, Lucy Smyth, Erin Smith, Kate Murphy, Rose Flynn, Roisín Cullen, Darcy Reilly, Saorla Comaskey, Áine McInernery, Rebecca Clarke, Caitlin Moore, Orla O'Connor, Madison Mahon. Mentors - Áine Tynan, Racheal Browne.

Scoil Mhuire Moynalty - Katie McMahon; Maya Ormiston, Sinéad Reynolds; Priya Farrelly, Lilly Carville (1-1 one free), Eimear Donoghue; Ella Gilsenan (1-0), Anna Kavanagh (2-3 two frees); Freya O’Loughlin, Lucy Maguire, Aoibhe MacMahon; Jessica Reynolds-Jarvis, Halle-Mae Mulligan. Subs - Megan Reilly, Indyah Mulligan, Molly O’Reilly, Eadaoin O’Reilly, Molly Reilly, Ella Vasselin, Aisling Olwell, Emily-Rose Parker. Mentors - Aaron Browne, Emma Rafferty.

Referee - James Minnock (Wilkinstown NS).