All-Ireland women’s SFC final: Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) 2-8 St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass (Antrim) 1-5
Chloe Miskell and Lynsey Noone grabbed goals in either half at Croke Park on Saturday evening as Kilkerrin-Clonberne defeated St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass to earn their fifth AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Championship crown in succession.
Leading by just two points at the midway stage in the contest, Willie Ward’s outfit turned on the style with an unanswered tally of 1-4 during the third quarter to ultimately see off their spirited Antrim counterparts.
While Waterford’s Ballymacarbry still hold the record for consecutive All-Ireland senior club titles – a remarkable run of seven in-a-row that was accrued from 1989 to 1995 – there is every chance that Kilkerrin-Clonberne could at least equal this achievement in the next few years.
Returning with 14 of the starting line-up from last year’s final win over Kilmacud Crokes, Kilkerrin-Clonberne initially found it difficult to break down a stern Moneyglass defence. Olivia Divilly and Eva Noone eventually kicked a point apiece from frees in the ninth and 10th minutes, before ex-Antrim stalwart Cathy Carey split the posts in fine style at the opposite end of the pitch.
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Team captain Louise Ward fired over an excellent point from play for the title holders, but it wasn’t until the closing 10 minutes of the opening period that the game truly sparked into life.
While Moneyglass reduced the gap to a single point through the boot of Leah Stewart, Kilkerrin-Clonberne immediately responded with a clinically-taken goal from Miskell following excellent approach work from Hannah Noone and Nicola Ward.
This looked like being a significant blow for St Ergnat’s, but they came roaring back into contention when Stewart – named in defence, but taking on a more advanced role in general – palmed to the net in the 24th minute after a Carey shot for a point had hit the post.
This kept the tie very much in the melting pot, but a second free from Olivia Divilly ensured Kilkerrin-Clonberne led 1-4 to 1-2 at the break.
Although they had been put to the pin of their collar in the opening period, the westerners didn’t panic and they increased their advantage on the restart with back-to-back scores from midfielder Aisling Madden and Eva Noone.
Miskell also added to her earlier goal with a point from close-range as Kilkerrin-Clonberne slowly asserted their authority. First-time finalists St Ergnat’s had come into this game on the back of an outstanding semi-final victory against Kilmacud Crokes, but they found themselves eight points in arrears when Niamh Divilly fed Lynsey Noone inside for a 44th-minute goal.
Another score courtesy of Noone’s sister Eva had Kilkerrin-Clonberne nine in front moving into the final quarter, though St Ergnat’s finally interrupted this devastating blitz from their opponents with a fine effort by Maria O’Neill.
Stewart and substitute Bronagh Devlin also found the range for the industrious Ulster side, but Kilkerrin-Clonberne subsequently dominated possession in the closing moments to keep their hands on the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup.
KILKERRIN-CLONBERNE: L Murphy; L Finnegan, S Gormally, K Mee; H Noone, N Ward, N Divilly; S Divilly, A Madden (0-1); O Divilly (0-2, 2f), L Ward (0-1), L Noone (1-0); E Noone (0-3, 1f), C Miskell (1-1), C Costello.
Subs: E Hynes for Finnegan (52 mins); A Shaughnessy for Miskell (57); C Boyle for L Noone (60).
ST ERGNAT’S, MONEYGLASS: A Devlin; C Graffin, N McIntosh, L Stewart (1-2); A Leahy, S O’Neill, R Bradley; A Kelly, EL McAreavey; C Griffin, M O’Neill (0-1), L McCann; B Devlin, C Carey (0-1), E Mallon.
Subs: A Griffin for Bradley (44 mins); B Devlin (0-1) for Kelly (45); A Boyd for Leahy, J Darragh for Mallon (both 57); R McErlain for McCann (60).
Referee: Ray McBride (Dublin).
