'It’s going to galvanise the group': Donohue drags Athenry to unlikely comeback
12 years after her last appearance at Croke Park, Therese Donohue was vital for Athenry in their All-Ireland final draw against St Finbarr's. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
We’re going to begin with the 44-year-old mother of three.
Once Athenry midfielder Kayla Madden and her 65th minute leveller rewrote the closing act and outcome of this gripping decider, there’s nowhere else you could begin.
Instead of Stephanie Punch going up the steps to collect a first-ever All-Ireland camogie club title for the Barrs, you had the 44-year-old mother of three going over to collect the player of the match plaque.
Therese Donohue hadn’t set foot on the Croke Park sod in 12 years. In September 2013, and after 17 years leading on the inter-county stage, she got her storybook ending. She was chasing similar here in club colours. She performed as if she’d never left the place.
There was no storybook ending yesterday. There was also no defeat. She made damn sure of the latter.
She and 36-year-old mother of three Jessica Gill have twice tasted All-Ireland senior club final heartache. The most recent of those was as far back as 2009. They refused the same meal here.
It was Donohue - better known by her maiden name, Maher - who drove Athenry to an unlikely late comeback and second day out. She scored 0-3 and had a hand in another 1-4.
Her directness unsettled the Barrs. Every time she lifted possession onto her stick, Athenry believed something - anything - was possible.
Of their late revival, she created Anna Jordan’s 56th minute goal to spark the comeback. Eight minutes later, she started the move that ended with Madden’s leveller.
Let’s stay with that last, late score. Donohue picked up possession right on halfway. She charged past Barrs sub Liz O’Donovan. She then charged past Punch. It took 21-year-old Orlaith Cahalane careening in from the side to stop her.
How she wasn’t awarded a free was baffling. In the end, it didn’t matter. Athenry recycled possession. Gill to Sabina Rabbitte to Eva McGlynn to Madden. 18 seconds past the allotted four minutes of injury-time, the Barrs were caught again.
“Therese has been that way all year,” said Athenry boss Joe Rabbitte.
“Today, she really stood out with her work rate. Cormac Ward, our strength and conditioning coach, would be in Therese’s ear a lot and making sure she is in the condition she is in because it’s very hard to replace players like that.
“She is working so hard off the ball. Her leadership in the dressing room and on the pitch, you don’t get players like that too often.”
Six behind four minutes from the end of the regulation hour and having not scored in the 14 minutes previous, Athenry were ecstatic at the finish. They are the team who make for Christmas with a smile.
“It’s going to galvanise the group,” Rabbitte continued. “It’s really a thing that if we can embrace it and use it the right way – because we were dead and gone but came back to draw it, it’s something if we can work it, then it will be to our advantage.”
To the blue corner. For the third time in four outings, they were caught right at the end of regulation time. For the second time in four outings, they failed to protect a late six-point lead.
The same as the Munster semi-final against Newcastle West and All-Ireland semi-final against Loughgiel Shamrocks, the Barrs held a winning hand deep in second-half injury-time. Not holding out will hurt and haunt.
Points courtesy of Kate Wall and sub Eimear Hurley sandwiched a mammoth Sorcha McCartan free from beyond halfway for a 0-15 to 0-9 lead on 56 minutes.
It was a lead fully merited. They were bouncier. They had the better spread. They were more intelligent in their movement and passing. But they will have regrets.
The aforementioned Hurley had an injury-time chance to push them three clear. Dervla Higgins dived across the shot and the sliotar limped wide. They now have to gather themselves over Christmas and prepare for a replay they know they should have clinched first time out.
Falling 0-3 to 0-1 behind early on, the Barrs announced themselves through five unanswered points. Orlaith Cahalane, as she had done for their opener, assisted the opening score of this sequence. Ciara Golden and Nicole Olden sniped a pair, before McCartan did likewise from the placed-ball. Their full-back line was equally impressive.
An 0-8 to 0-6 interval lead was swollen further by McCartan and Cahalane. For the second Sunday in succession, Barrs supporters watched a healthy lead wither and disappear.
One or two Barrs players have travelling plans. Returning Athenry sweeper Olwen Rabbitte is nursing a damaged cruciate. Injuries and itineraries are put on ice. Hold the Christmas Day dessert.
S McCartan (0-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘45); N Olden (0-3); O Cahalane (0-2); C Golden, K McCarthy, K Wall, E Hurley (0-1 each).
S Rabbitte (0-4, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45); T Donohue (0-3); A Jordan (1-0); K Madden, K O’Driscoll (0-2 each); E McGlynn (0-1).
C Hurley; S Punch, A Egan, A O’Neill; G Cahalane, M Cahalane, S Daly; C Golden, A Shannon; N Olden, K McCarthy, K Wall; H O’Leary, O Cahalane, S McCartan.
L O’Donovan for Daly (38); E Hurley for O’Leary (45); E Wigginton Barrett for Olden (59).
L Freeney; K Screene, D Higgins, T Kilkenny; L Casserly, O Rabbitte, S Feeney; N Feeney, K Madden; J Gill, T Donohue, E Keane; C Burke, S Rabbitte, K O’Driscoll.
E McGlynn for N Feeney (HT); A Jordan for C Burke (43); M Noone for Keane (52).
R Kelly (Kildare).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
