Two Galway teams are through the this year's currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Club Championship finals.
Kilkerrin-Clonberne booked their place in style with a comfortable 2-10 to 0-2 win away to Munster champions Ballymacarbry, while Salthill-Knocknacarra prevailed the junior semi-final against Naomh Abán.
Kilkerrin-Clonberne manager Willie Ward says his players, the reigning champions, deserve to showcase their skills on the biggest stage in this year's championship final at Croke Park.
They will now meet an experienced Donaghmoyne in a rematch of last January’s semi-final, which the Galway side won, after the Ulster side prevailed over Kilmacud Crokes at the weekend.
And Ward is delighted his players now have the chance to win only their second crown in Croke Park on December 10.
“I think if any team deserves it, they do,” he says. “They’ve been unbelievable ambassadors for the game in the last few years. And they’ve carried themselves so well in victory and defeat.
“Every single play, everyone is working to be where they should be and doing the job they should be doing, and I suppose that is the thing - they get the job done.”
His team delivered a comprehensive victory in Dungarvan, with Ailish Morrissey firing 1-3 and Chloe Miskell also scoring a goal.
They had a 1-5 to 0-0 interval lead, before Morrissey’s second goal wrapped up the game for Kilkerrin-Clonberne who had used the elements well in the first half with opening points from Miskell and Louise Ward before Morrissey, Olivia Divilly and Ward put five between them by the 18th minute.
The half’s critical moment came on 27 minutes when Louise Ward produced a pot shot at goal that Ballymacarbry's keeper Fitzpatrick could not hold, bouncing off the crossbar. Miskell was quickest to react, rounding the Tipperary stopper to score the goal and give Willie Ward’s team a 1-5 to 0-0 interval advantage.
Ballymacarbry bagged their first point after the break, but there was no stopping the Galway outfit after Morrissey and Nicola Ward stretched their lead to 1-7 to 0-1. And, when Nicola Ward fed Miskell who opted to pass, it was Morrissey who finished the ball into the top corner of the net. There was no coming back for Ballymacarbry as Kilkerrin-Clonberne continued their unbeaten run since the 2019 All-Ireland final.
In the junior game Salthill-Knocknacarra battled the elements with Kate Thompson applying the finishing touches for a 1-7 to 1-6 win. They will meet Naomh Abán who were too strong for Castleblayney Faughs, winning 0-12 to 0-7.
Results: Currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Senior Club semi-finalsKilkerrin-Clonberne 2-10 Ballymacarbry 0-2Donaghmoyne 1-11 Kilmacud Crokes 0-7 Currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Intermediate Club semi-finalsLongford Slashers 1-11 Charlestown 0-10Mullinahone 2-6 Derrygonnelly Harps 1-7Currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Intermediate Club semi-finalsNaomh Abán 0-12 Castleblayney Faughs 0-7Salthill-Knocknacarra 1-7 O’Dwyers 1-6Fixtures:Saturday December 10 at Croke ParkCurrentaccount.ie All-Ireland Intermediate Club FinalLongford Slashers v Mullinahone – 3pmCurrentaccount.ie All-Ireland Senior Club FinalKilkerrin-Clonberne v Donaghmoyne – 5pmSunday December 11 – TBCCurrentaccount.ie All-Ireland Junior Club FinalSalthill-Knocknacarra v Naomh Abán
Kilkerrin-Clonberne 2-10Ballymacarbry 0-2By Darren Kelly
Ailish Morrissey scored 1-3 to help holders Kilkerrin-Clonberne maintain their unbeaten run and secure a 14-point victory over Ballymacarbry in this currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Senior Club Championship semi-final in Fraher Field, Dungarvan.Chloe Miskell scored the first goal as the All-Ireland champions rubberstamped a first Croke Park appearance in two weeks’ time after efficiently building up a 1-5 to 0-0 interval lead, before Morrissey’s second on the three-quarter mark wrapped up proceedings.Kilkerrin-Clonberne gradually used the elements well in the first half as they opened through a Miskell point on seven minutes. It was quickly followed by Louise Ward making it 0-2 to 0-0 as the Connacht champions made full use of their experience.Beforehand, the first chance came when Miskell forced a stop from Lauren Fitzpatrick. And while the Galway outfit continued building their lead, they could have forced goals as Morrissey, Olivia Divilly and Ward again put five between them by 18 minutes.Ballymacarbry weren’t without chances and did kick two first half wides. However, the half’s critical moment came on 27 minutes as Kilkerrin-Clonberne played the possession game before a pass into Louise Ward. The centre forward, rotating between the three attacking lines, challenged Ballymacarbry’s defence each time she received the ball and won a free.But with advantage accruing, she had a pot shot at goal that Fitzpatrick couldn’t hold, bouncing off the crossbar. Miskell was quickest to react, rounding the Tipperary stopper to get the goal and give Willie Ward’s team a 1-5 to 0-0 interval advantage.Ballymacarbry needed a boost and got it within 30 seconds of the restart as substitute Maeve Ryan took Brid McMaugh’s pass for their first point. But Kilkerrin-Clonberne continued where they left off as Morrissey and Nicola Ward stretched their lead to 1-7 to 0-1.Ryan got another Ballymacarbry score before the defining goal for the visitors to a rainy southeast. Nicola Ward fed Miskell who opted not to shoot, passing out to Morrissey who finished the ball into the top corner of the net.That left it 2-7 to 0-2 and as both managements emptied their benches; Kilkerrin-Clonberne continued building their tally. Divilly, Hannah Noone and Morrissey all converted to give the title holders a 2-10 to 0-2 as they remain unbeaten since the 2019 All-Ireland final.
Scorers – Kilkerrin-Clonberne: A Morrissey 1-3, C Miskell 1-1, L Ward 0-2, O Divilly 0-2 (2f ), N Ward 0-1, H Noone 0-1Scorers – Ballymacarbry: Maeve Ryan 0-2.KILKERRIN-CLONBERNE: L Murphy; C Costello, S Gormally, C Dunleavy; K Mee, N Ward, H Noone; S Divilly, L Gannon; O Divilly, L Ward, L Noone; E Noone, C Miskell, A Morrissey.Subs: N Divilly for Gannon (44 ), M Flanagan for Mee (49 ), S Fahy for Miskell (49 ), C Boyle for E Noone (57 ), Á Shaughnessy for O Divilly (59 ).BALLYMACARBRY: L Fitzpatrick; M Wall, M McGrath, G Nugent; L Mulcahy, L Ryan, K McGrath; B McMaugh, KA Hogan; A Wall, Michelle Ryan, A Barron; S Kenrick, S Hallinan, C Walsh.Subs: Maeve Ryan for A Barron (ht ), M Boyce for Michelle Ryan (41 ), E Cooney for Hallinan (46 ), O Barron for Kenrick (49 ), A Dalton for Walsh (57 ).Ref – Jonathan Murphy (Carlow ).
