Tesco Ladies Football All Ireland Senior Club Final – Donoughmore (Cork) v Donaghmoyne (Monaghan)

Tesco All-Ireland Ladies senior club football championship final.

Donaghmoyne (Monaghan) 2-7 Donoughmore (Cork) 1-8

Jackie Cahill reports from St Rynagh’s GAA club, Banagher, Offaly.

DONAGHMOYNE were crowned Tesco All-Ireland Ladies senior club football champions for the second time in four seasons as they saw off Cork opponents Donoughmore by two points in a gripping decider on Sunday. The Monaghan and Ulster standard bearers held on for victory at the home of St Rynagh’s GAA club in the Offaly town of Banagher as Donoughmore suffered defeat in the final for the second time in six years. Donaghmoyne did much of the hard work in before half-time as they recovered from a sluggish start to lead by 2-2 to 1-3 at the break, having played against a strong and icy first half breeze. Donaghmoyne, who also won the title in 2006, found themselves 1-2 to 0-1 behind after just seven minutes as Donoughmore piled on the pressure from the start in front of an estimated attendance of 1500.

Patrice Kearney scored an excellent goal in the seventh minute for Donoughmore as she finished a flowing move which also involved Rena Buckley and Louise Murphy. Juliet Murphy claimed the player of the match award despite finishing on the losing side and she was a massive influence on the game in the early stages. The Cork midfield ace and team captain drove her team forward but ten minutes before half-time, Donaghmoyne were handed a route back into the game from a penalty. Donoughmore full-back Linda Barrett was sin-binned for a foul on Donaghmoyne midfielder Cora Courtney and from the resultant penalty, Catriona McConnell shot high into the net. Monaghan county star McConnell, who finished as top scorer for her team with 2-3, netted again with the game’s next score, just a minute before half-time.

Centre back Sharon Courtney was the creator with a driving run from the middle of the field and when McConnell took the pass, the full-forward made no mistake with a low finish. 2001 and 2003 champions Donoughmore turned to face the breeze two points in adrift and they fell further behind just six seconds after the restart when the inspirational Courtney stormed forward for a point. Donoughmore hit back to within a point but Hazel Kingham replied for Donaghmoyne with arguably the score of the game in the 41st minute, a magnificent long range point. Kingham was harshly sin-binned soon after but Donaghmoyne coped well with her absence and led by 2-6 to 1-6 with six minutes remaining. Murphy cut the gap back to the bare minimum with a brace of frees and in stoppage time, Donaghmoyne were hanging on for victory before McConnell made sure of the win in the sixth minute of stoppage time with a nerveless free.

DONAGHMOYNE: L Martin; J Geoghegan, F Courtney, N Lynch; H Kingham, S Courtney, J Courtney; A Casey, C Courtney; E McElroy, M Woods, L Kingham; G McGowan, C McConnell, M Grimes.

Subs: A Lennon for L Kingham (44), L Daly for A Lennon (inj, 50).

DONOUGHMORE: C O’Connell; E Walsh, L Barrett, R O’Mahony; A Barrett, V Sheehan, A.M. O’Shea; R Buckley, J Murphy; O Healy, R Curtin, P Kearney; Y Twomey, L Murphy, A O’Connor.

Sub: R Barrett for O’Connor (53).

Referee: D McEnery (Westmeath)

Captains gather ahead of Tesco Ladies finals

Nov 26, 2009

From the GAA.ie web site

The captains of the teams competing in the Tesco All Ireland Club Championship finals gathered in Croke Park today ahead of the action this weekend. The senior final sees Donaghmoyne of Monaghan take on Donoughmore of Cork. Both clubs have won the senior all Ireland club title in the past but it is the Farney girls who have won the title most recently beating Carnacon in 2006. Donoughmore have claimed the All Ireland Club crown twice in 2003 and 2001 with their last appearance in a final coming in 2004 when they lost out to Dublin outfit Ballyboden St Endas. Despite boasting four members of the All Ireland winning Cork panel, Donoughmore were not expected to win the county championship. However the quality of Juliet Murphy and Rena Buckley propelled the team to county and provincial success before accounting for defending champions Carnacon in the All Ireland semi-final.

Five time All Ireland winner and Donoughmore star, Rena Buckley, said, “We had a very quiet start to the season with small numbers at training so there was very low expectations for the team. We just took it game by game and had a very positive approach to each match and none of us thought we would get this far in the competition.” Donaghmoyne are a powerhouse of ladies football in Monaghan. They have nine members of the Monaghan county panel in their ranks including Amanda Casey, Catriona McConnell, Linda Martin and the Courtney sisters Sharon, Fiona, Cora and Joanne. Donaghmoyne defeated Leinster champions Timahoe of Laois to book a place in the final. Donaghmoyne captain Niamh Lynch said, “We are trying to get to the levels we were at back in 2006 when we won the senior club title and our goal is to bring the cup back to Donaghmoyne. Everyone is flying fit and rearing to go but anything can happen on the day.” The senior final will take place in St Rynagh’s GAA Club, Banagher, Co Offaly. Throw-in is at 2.30pm and the game will be televised by TG4.

The Tesco Junior All Ireland Club final sees Clonakilty of Cork take on Drumcliffe/Rosses Point of Sligo. This is a first appearance in an All Ireland club final for both clubs and Drumcliffe/Rosses Point could become the first club from Connacht to win the junior title. Clonakilty powered past Corduff of Monaghan to reach the final while Drumcliff/Rosses Point eked out a one point victory over St James of Wexford to secure their spot in the final. The Tesco Junior All Ireland final will take place in Ferbane GAA Club in County Offaly at 1pm on Sunday 29th November. Pat Quill, President of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, was in GAA Headquarters to wish the players luck. “The club scene is the foundation of our game. It cements our communities and is an integral part of our local identity. The chance to win an All Ireland Club medal does not come around very often and all the players competing this weekend should treasure the experience of playing in a final in front of their family, friends and neighbours. I would also like to pay tribute to our club competition sponsors Tesco who have come on board this year and will play an important role in developing the club game over the next three years. I have no doubt they will be a huge asset to the club competitions and to Ladies Football alike.” Kenny Jacobs, Marketing Director, Tesco Ireland, commented, “We are delighted to be the new sponsors of the Club Championships. I would like to congratulate all four teams in reaching the finals and I would like to wish everyone involved the very best of luck next Sunday.”