A new name will be etched on the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup on December 8th – when Cork’s Mourneabbey and Dublin outfit Foxrock-Cabinteely battle it out for All-Ireland Ladies Senior Club Football glory. While both sides have contested finals in recent times, neither has managed to lift national senior silverware. Mourneabbey will play in their fourth final in five seasons, while Fox-Cab will contest their first decider since losing to Donaghmoyne in 2016.
In Sunday’s semi-finals, Mourneabbey and Fox-Cab advanced past Kilkerrin-Clonberne and Donaghmoyne respectively. The degrees of difficulty varied as Mourneabbey overpowered Carnacon’s conquerors Kilkerrin-Clonberne, while Fox-Cab staged a late smash and grab raid against five-time winners Donaghmoyne. Cork’s O’Sullivan sisters Doireann and Ciara (pictured) were on fire as Mourneabbey progressed, claiming 0-11 between them in front of a huge crowd at the Clonberne Sports Field. Doireann scored 0-8, including seven points from play, while Ciara chipped in with three as Mourneabbey had too much nous and big-game experience for Galway's Kilkerrin-Clonberne.
The clubs had met in the 2015 All-Ireland semi-final when just one point separated the sides but the margin was eight on this occasion, as Mourneabbey won out by 1-14 to 0-9. Eimear Harrington put the icing on the cake for Mourneabbey with a goal in stoppage time, as Shane Ronayne’s charges marched on.
Their meeting with Fox-Cab will pit a number of players who were in opposition during the 2018 TG4 All-Ireland senior final between Dublin and Cork against each other. Supersub Roisin McGovern, a Republic of Ireland soccer international, came off the bench to score the late, late goal as Fox-Cab claimed a 2-8 to 1-8 victory over Donaghmoyne at Bray Emmets. Extra-time loomed large before McGovern struck soon after Cathriona McConnell had missed a free chance for Donaghmoyne at the other end of the pitch. In-form captain Amy Ring struck an early goal for Fox-Cab but Donaghmoyne rallied and were ahead at the break, 1-6 to 1-4, as skipper Cora Courtney found the net shortly before the break.
Donaghmoyne led by three points in the second half but Fox-Cab kept plugging away and got that late reward from McGovern. The Fox-Cab v Mourneabbey clash will form part of a December 8 final double-header, with the Intermediate decider between Emmet Óg of Monaghan and Dublin outfit Clontarf to serve as a curtain raiser.
Monaghan ace Ellen McCarron collected 2-3 of her side’s tally as Emmet Óg claimed a 4-10 to 1-9 victory over Scottish visitors Dunedin Connollys on Saturday. Clontarf booked their place in the final on Sunday by scoring a 6-9 to 0-6 victory over Galway outfit St Brendan’s at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe. Caoimhe O’Connor and Sinead Quigley scored a brace of goals each, while Aoibhe Bell and Siobhan Killeen also raised green flags.
Meanwhile, the All-Ireland Junior Club Final on December 9 will be contested by Sligo’s Tourlestrane and Cork outfit Glanmire. Tourlestrane had county star Katie Walsh in fine form – and goals in either half from Laura Surlis and sub Leonie Gaughan – as they claimed a 2-10 to 0-10 victory on their travels to McGrath Park in Bagenalstown, where Carlow’s Old Leighlin were the hosts. Glanmire’s trip to Tyrone was also a winning one – as the Cork outfit scored a 2-13 to 2-8 victory against hosts Trillick in their semi-final.
All-Ireland Senior Club Semi-Finals
Mourneabbey (Cork) 1-14 Kilkerrin/Clonberne (Galway) 0-9
Foxrock-Cabinteely (Dublin) 2-8 Donaghmoyne (Monaghan) 1-8
All-Ireland Intermediate Club Semi-Final
Emmet Óg (Monaghan) 4-10 Dunedin Connollys (Scotland) 1-9
Clontarf (Dublin) 6-9 St Brendan’s (Galway) 0-6
All-Ireland Junior Club Semi-Finals
Glanmire (Cork) 2-13 Trillick (Tyrone) 2-8
Tourlestrane (Sligo) 2-10 Old Leighlin (Carlow) 0-10
