Joy and heartbreak in equal measure in the AIB Leinster Club finals at Nowlan Park with victory going to Oulart-The Ballagh and Tullaroan by single point margins.

In very testing conditions, Tullaroan's staged a defensive tour de force to deny Myshall in the Intermediate final while Aideen Brennan in the 62nd minute gave the Leinster and All-Ireland Senior Champions the title with the last puck of the match.

AIB Senior Final - Oulart-The Ballagh 0-12  Naomh Uinsionn 2-5

The Leinster and All-Ireland champions left to literally the last puck of the match when Aideen Brennan got on the end of a delivery to break the hearts of the Dublin champions.

Both sides had come through replayed county finals - games that could have gone against them on either day.  It appeared as if this game would also need a replay when substitute Leann Nolan kicked the leveller for the Wexford side.  But they were on a roll and used all their strength and experience to fashion a victory that looked a little unlikely at half-time when they trailed by 2-5 to 0-4.

St. Vincents played superbly in the opening 30 minutes and created four goal chances - two of which they took.  Mary Leacy got back on her own goal line to deny the Dublin girls in the 14th minute and Sarah O'Donovan sent a rasper just outside the post two minutes later.  Had both or even one been converted - it might have been too high a mountain for Oulart to climb.

The defending provincial and All-Ireland Champions were made to dig deep but the excavation was successful.  Not for the first time Ursula Jacob was prominent.  She pointed their opening score in the 1st minute and would finish with a personal tally of 0-6 - 0-5 from placed balls but crucial scores on a day when it was very difficult to hold a hurley due to the wet, cold and wind.  Ursula's contribution especially during the phase when Vincents were dominant was huge.

Hoping to bridge a 17 years gap since last they won the title, Naomh Uinsionn had Oulart in all sorts of bother in the first half.  With Sarah O'Donovan, Alison Maguire and Eimear McCarthy winning their battles in the middle third, the Vincents forward line had a plentiful supply of measured deliveries.  The pace of Aisling Maher was a serious worry and when she claimed a great delivery from Eimear McCarthy she rounded the defence to place Kate McCarry for a handpassed goal in the 9th minute.

Aisling was again on the ball in the 13th minute and earned the free that was duly pointed by Alison Maguire.  Further damage could have been done three minutes later Sarah O'Donovan caught a high ball to flash a shot just wide.  Had she taken a step inside she might have had an easier choice.

But in the 19th minute Naomh Uinsionn did find the net again when great work by Áine Fanning fed Alison Maguire who placed a great ball to Ellen McGovern and she goaled in style.  While Ursula Jacob was chipping in with the occasional point, her colleagues in most other sectors were in trouble. The pace of Aisling Maher continued to do damage and she pointed in the 24th minute to be followed three minutes later by a great catch from Kate McCarry which earned her a free that Alison Maguire despatched between the posts.

Just before the break Shelley Kehoe did manage to send some signal of hope with a neat point - it was to prove an important score in the 31st minute.

An early score was necessary for Oulart to provide a platform for recovery and for Naomh Uinsionn to build on the first half momentum.  As it turned out it was Oulart who managed to find the range with an Ursula Jacob free in the 34th minute.  From hereon, the champions took over and Mary Leacy gave a masterclass of composure and leadership at centre back with great help from Stacey Redmond and Louise Sinnott.  The danger in the Vincents full-forward line was stymied as Oulart reeled in the Dublin girls with excellent scores from Shelley Kehoe (41st minute) and a sublime effort from sister Stacey in the 44th minute to leave just a goal between the sides.

Vincents were battling fiercely with Aoife Cullen and Eva Marie Elliott superb in the half-back line. However they needed someone to make a telling statement and despite their best efforts no one managed to do that.  They had a chance in the 56th minute to put four points between the teams but a very difficult free into the wind and sun just 15m in from the sideline slipped wide off Alison Maguire's stick.  Nevertheless it looked like Oulart would need a goal and the Vincents defence had been superb throughout.  With minutes ticking away, Ursula Jacob tapped over a free from about 30m in the 58th minute.  

What followed could hardly have been foreseen - three unanswered points from play from three different players - none of whom had scored up to that point. First Diane Ryan slipped over a point to leave just one between the sides in the 60th minute and then Leann Nolan and Aideen Brennan did the rest in the two minutes of added time.

Joy for Oulart who also hit five wides in the second period whereas Naomh Uinsionn were unable to add to their scoreline after the break.

After the game Stacey Kehoe was named player of the match.

Scorers: Oulart-The Ballagh - Ursula Jacob (0-6), Shelley Kehoe (0-2), Stacey Keheo, Diane Ryan, Leann Nolan and Aideen Brennan (0-1 each)

Naomh Uinsionn: Alison Maguire (0-4), Kate McCarry (1-0), Ellen McGovern (1-0), Aisling Maher

Referee: Liz Dempsey

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