LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Notre Dame was agonizingly close to scoring several times Monday.
Header over the crossbar. A shot bounced off the crossbar. The ball rolls right past the post.
It was as if the football gods weren’t going to deny Clemson its second national title in three seasons.
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The Tigers scored one goal in each period to defeat the Irish, 2-1, in the men’s College Football Playoff Cup final at Lane Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. A penalty kick from Notre Dame’s Buddy Burns with one minute left in the game provided some late play. A dramatic game, but it was too little, too late for the Irish in their quest for a second national championship.
“It’s obviously disappointing,” said Ethan O’Brien, a University of Notre Dame graduate. “You’re playing very well in the game and it means a lot and you’re so close to finishing the job we’ve been trying to finish all season. That’s been a goal really since last season ended. It’s a lot of emotions. It’s rough and tough.”
The closest opportunity for the Irish (13-3-6) came in the first seven minutes of the second half. Trailing 1-0, Burns had the ball in front of the net, with Clemson goaltender Joseph Andiema the only one in his path. The Notre Dame captain attempted to shoot it into the top left corner of the net, but the shot sailed high and hit the crossbar.
Collective gasps came across the field, as Notre Dame was inches away from tying the game.
“It was incredibly disappointing,” Burns said. “I definitely feel like I should have hit the target from there. I was kind of expecting to land on my right foot, but it came through my left foot, so I had to hit it quickly. It should have hit the target, so it’s a missed opportunity from my point of view. … It should have hit the target from there. To end it, unfortunately, will probably stay with me for a while.
Two more top-notch chances came in the ensuing five minutes, with one shot blocked at the goal line by Tigers midfielder Brandon Parrish and a shot by Notre Dame’s Bryce Bono going wide of the net.
After countless attempts to equalize, Clemson ended the game with a counterattack in the 70th minute. Alex Meinhard found open space on the right sideline and passed a pass to Mohamed Sy, who fired a shot past Irish goaltender Brian Dodd.
Clemson’s goal came in the first half on a shot from Parrish. A corner kick was sent home by the Tigers and Bono was there to kick it wide.
The ball would go straight to Parish, who played it from his chest, controlled it and fired a shot from just outside the goalkeeper’s area. A slight deflection off Notre Dame’s Matthew Rowe led to a change of tack, and it was good enough to get past Dodd for a goal in the 27th minute.
Notre Dame had plenty of chances to score in the first half. The best came in the seventh minute, as a beautiful pass from KK Baffour found Daniel Rousseau’s right foot. The big player fired a shot from close range, but it was blocked by Andema.
Rousseau also received a header that went over the crossbar a few minutes after Parish’s goal.
A controversial non-call when Baffour was in the box generated an uproar from the Notre Dame sideline. Baffour appeared to be pushed by a Clemson defender, but the referee allowed the play to continue.
“It’s hard to see because maybe the referee had a better angle, but usually it’s hard to believe there’s no contact,” Notre Dame coach Chad Riley said on not calling Baffour. “It’s always a foul if you’re a centre-back and the striker is breathing hard on you. I have to watch it, but of course we feel that if there’s a struggle in the box, it has to be a PK.
Other close chances for the Irish came from a Rousseau free kick early in the second half and Rowe fired in with about 16 minutes left.
It is the third year in a row that Notre Dame’s season has ended with a loss to Clemson (15-3-5). The Irish outscored the Tigers 15-9, with five shots on goal compared to Clemson’s three.
“Congratulations to Clemson on winning the title tonight,” Riley said. “However, I cannot say enough good things about the team I had the pleasure of working with this year. They just displayed everything you would hope for a group of student-athletes who compete every day to be their best.”
“Tonight, other than scoring, this was our best performance of the tournament. I couldn’t be prouder to be associated with these guys and represent the greatest university in the world.”
The Notre Dame men’s soccer team experienced a heartbreaking defeat in the NCAA College Cup final, falling to Clemson in a hard-fought battle. Despite putting up a strong fight throughout the game, the Fighting Irish ultimately came up short, with Clemson emerging as the victor. The team had shown incredible skill and determination throughout their journey to the final, but unfortunately, their efforts did not result in the ultimate victory. Nonetheless, the Fighting Irish’s impressive run to the championship game showcased their talent and resilience, and they can be proud of their accomplishments in the tournament.