2021 currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Club Championship Final – Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) 1-11 Mourneabbey (Cork) 1-7

Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) defeated Mourneabbey (Cork) by 1-11 to 1-7 in the 2021 currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Club Championship Final on Saturday January 29th at St. Brendan’s Park, Birr.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne 1-11 Mourneabbey 1-7

By DARREN KELLY

Olivia Divilly drove Kilkerrin-Clonberne to their first ever currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Senior club title following a stunning four-point win over Mourneabbey in St Brendan’s Park, Birr.

The Connacht champions are also the first team from Galway to get their hands on the Dolores Tyrell Cup since Galway Gaels in 1982.
Chloe Miskell’s 12th minute wonder goal gave them a lead they never relinquished and scores from Olivia Divilly, Louise Ward and Eva Noone helped avenge the heartache of defeat to the same opponents in 2019.

Doireann O’Sullivan opened the scoring for the reigning champions from a free on five minutes before a foul on Ailish Morrissey resulted in Eva Noone hitting the target.

But the game came to life in the 12th minute when Louise Ward, Lynsey Noone and Morrissey combined to allow Miskell score with a rocket of a shot past Meabh O’Sullivan, for Kilkerrin-Clonberne’s goal.

Doireann O’Sullivan responded from a free but the Galway club were in the ascendancy. Olivia Divilly and Morrissey scored before Nicola Ward sliced through the heart of the defence and added another point.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne led by 1-4 to 0-2 but Doireann O’Sullivan reduced arrears again. Olivia Divilly’s latest free restored Kilkerrin-Clonberne’s five-point advantage and the teams traded points, a fourth for Doireann O’Sullivan was cancelled out by Morrissey.

Ciara O’Sullivan was taken down for a Mourneabbey penalty just before half-time. Laura Fitzgerald scored the goal for the sixth consecutive game and left the Cork side just 1-6 to 1-4 down at half-time.

Divilly stretched Kilkerrin-Clonberne’s lead to three after the restart but Mourneabbey enjoyed the better chances with Doireann O’Sullivan adding two more points from frees, although two goals chances were missed. Kilkerrin-Clonberne goalkeeper Lisa Murphy saved from Laura Fitzgerald while Ciara O’Sullivan hit the crossbar.

An Olivia Divilly point gave Kilkerrin-Clonberne a 1-8 to 1-6 advantage at the last water break and they pushed on after the resumption as Olivia Divilly again, and Louise Ward, put four between them.

Ciara O’Sullivan responded with Mourneabbey’s only point from play but the second goal they needed never materialised and they finished with 13 players as Niamh and Doireann O’Sullivan picked up late yellow cards.

Eva Noone had the final say, where she finished a move involving Nicola and Louise Ward to restore Kilkerrin-Clonberne’s four-point cushion, and ensure they were crowned champions.

Scorers: Kilkerrin-Clonberne: O Divilly 0-5 (3f), C Miskell 1-0, E Noone 0-2 (1f), A Morrissey 0-2, N Ward 0-1, L Ward 0-1.

Mourneabbey: D O’Sullivan 0-6 (6f), L Fitzgerald 1-0 (1-0 pen), C O’Sullivan 0-1.

KILKERRIN-CLONBERNE: L Murphy; A Costello, S Gormally, C Costello; S Fahy, N Ward, C Dunleavy; S Divilly, H Noone; O Divilly, L Ward, L Noone; E Noone, C Miskell, A Morrissey.
Subs: N Divilly for Miskell (42), K Mee for Fahy (47), A Clarke for Morrissey (52), M Flanagan for L Noone (60).

MOURNEABBEY: M O’Sullivan; M Burke, E Meaney, K Coakley; A Ryan, M O’Callaghan, E Jack; E Coakley, N O’Sullivan; E Harrington, R O’Sullivan, B O’Sullivan; C O’Sullivan, D O’Sullivan, L Fitzgerald.
Subs: A Cronin for Harrington (39), D Cronin for Jack (53), A O’Sullivan for Burke (57).

Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois).

Team News

Kilkerrin-Clonberne (v Mourneabbey): L Murphy; A Costello, S Gormally, C Costello; S Fahy, N Ward, C Dunleavy; S Divilly, H Noone; O Divilly, L Ward (capt.), L Noone; E Noone, C Miskell, A Morrissey.

Mourneabbey (v Kilkerrin-Clonberne): M O’Sullivan; A O’Sullivan, E Meaney, K Coakley; A Ryan, M O’Callaghan, E Jack; E Coakley, N O’Sullivan; E Harrington, R O’Sullivan, B O’Sullivan (capt.); C O’Sullivan; D O’Sullivan, L Fitzgerald.

Match Preview

currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship Final preview

Compiled by Jackie Cahill

currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Senior Club Finalists Kilkerrin-Clonberne and Mourneabbey have each made one change in personnel for Saturday’s decider at St Brendan’s Park, Birr (1.0 – Live on TG4).

Siobhán Fahy, who replaced Katelyn Mee with ten minutes remaining in the semi-final win against Donaghmoyne, earns a start for Kilkerrin-Clonberne, with Mee named among the substitutes.

For Mourneabbey, there’s a start for Aisling O’Sullivan, who replaced Eimear Meaney during the second half of the emphatic semi-final victory over Dunboyne, with Molly Burke dropping to the bench.

This eagerly-anticipated clash is a repeat of the 2019 decider between the teams in Limerick.

Comparing the teams on that occasion, there are 14 starting survivors on the Kilkerrin-Clonberne side, with Chloe Costello in for Galway’s 2004 TG4 All-Ireland winning captain Annette Clarke, who remains a key member of the panel.

Mourneabbey have a healthy contingent still at their disposal too, with 12 players who lined out from the start in 2019 listed again for this Final.

That was a first ever Senior Final appearance for Kilkerrin-Clonberne, who were left heartbroken after a one-point loss.

With the clock ticking down in the final minute, Cork outfit Mourneabbey worked the ball brilliantly between the lines and Laura Fitzgerald finished the move by slotting over the winning point.

Former Dublin ace Noelle Healy was a member of Mourneabbey’s winning side on that occasion, and instigated that late winner, but she’s since returned to the capital.

Fitzgerald remains a player that Kilkerrin-Clonberne will have to keep a close eye on and the forward star is in blistering form for her club.

Fitzgerald has netted ten times in her last three club outings – including a four-goal salvo in the Dunboyne win.

Mourneabbey were at their ruthless best on that occasion as a Dunboyne side containing Meath TG4 All-Ireland Senior winners and All Stars Vikki Wall and Emma Duggan was put to the sword.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne, meanwhile, were thankful for two goals from experienced county player Nicola Ward in a 2-8 to 0-8 success against five-time champions Donaghmoyne.

Ward went off injured early in the 2019 Final with a knee injury and having her available for the full hour potentially on Saturday is a big boost to Kilkerrin-Clonberne’s chances.

Mourneabbey are aiming for a third successive crown, following previous title wins in 2018 and 2019.

They know, too, what it’s like to experience final heartbreak, having lost out in Finals in 2014, 2015 and 2017, before finally landing the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup in 2018 with victory over Foxrock-Cabinteely.

There’s vast experience in the Mourneabbey set-up, with Cork stars Meaney, Maire O’Callaghan, Bríd O’Sullivan, Ciara O’Sullivan and Doireann O’Sullivan all in good form.

Fitzgerald may have grabbed the headlines with 4-2 against Dunboyne but Doireann O’Sullivan was in superb scoring form too, helping herself to 2-7 on the day.

Meaney is a brilliant defender who did a fine job on Emma Duggan, while skipper Bríd O’Sullivan was pressed into a direct marking role on Vikki Wall – a role she performed admirably.

Nicola Ward and twin sister Louse, who’s club captain, are key figures for Kilkerrin-Clonberne as they aim to erase the memories of 2019 – and semi-final losses against Mourneabbey in 2015 and 2018.

The Divilly sisters, Olivia and Siobhan, are proven inter-county stars while a host of other key players, including the Noone sisters, Hannah, Eva and Lynsey, goalkeeper Lisa Murphy, defender Sarah Gormally, and attackers Chloe Miskell and Ailish Morrissey, have worn the county shirt at various grades.

Match Coverage

This game will be shown live on TG4.

Tá Peil na mBan Beo ar ais ar @TG4TV

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— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 26, 2022