Amazing penalty cuts celebrations short in Galway Gaelic football match

But wait... where's the ball going?

YouTube has thrown up one or two from this 'premature celebration' genre in soccer over the years, but with the penalty shootout a relatively new addition to GAA, is this the first of its type in Gaelic football?

North Board U19 final Dunmore v Claregalway Penalty shoot out sudden death. Ball hits crossbar, but watch where it lands… pic.twitter.com/A6OKOxAk44

— Ah Ref Galway (@AhRefGalway) October 27, 2021

The scene was the Galway North Board U19 A football final at the weekend, played in Tuam Stadium.

After the hour and extra-time, it finished Dunmore MacHales 1-6 Claregalway 0-9. So onto spotters. 

And with Dunmore leading 3-0 in the shootout, that seemed to be that when Claregalway's next kick crashed against the crossbar. 

The jubilant MacHales panelists duly stormed onto the field to acclaim their colleagues. But wait — and these moments should all have John Virgo in commentary — where's the ball going?

In the time-honoured fashion of this niche viral category, it was looping high in the air, then spinning back towards the now neglected goal and bouncing insolently over the line. 

An eagle-eyed Claregalway sympathiser seemed to be first to draw officials' attention to this twist in the tale, before the umpire acknowledged it by hoisting the green flag.

Cue plenty of groaning and chuckling in the crowd and a sheepish retreat to the sideline for the celebrating Dunmore panel.

It was, however, only a temporary reprieve for the Claregalway lads. Shane McGrath soon slotted the winning kick and the celebrations could kick off in earnest.

Here's a few more from the genre by way of warning to goalkeepers out there.