LGFA Club Championship round-up

Sport GBFM

Share this article

Compiled by Declan Rooney

MOURNEABBEY manager Shane Ronayne expressed his
satisfaction after the reigning All-Ireland Senior Club Champions made it
six-in-a-row in Munster.

Mourneabbey saw off the challenge of Waterford
outfit Ballymacarbry by 2-18 to 4-8 in Bahsha on Sunday.

The reward for the winners is a crack at Ulster
winners Donaghmoyne at the All-Ireland semi-final stage, in what will be a
repeat of the 2015 Final.

Donaghmoyne reclaimed their provincial title with
a 1-11 to 1-9 victory over Donegal outfit Termon on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the other All-Ireland Senior semi-final
on November 10 will be contested by Galway’s Kilkerrin/Clonberne, who retained
their Connacht title, and last year’s runners-up Dublin’s Foxrock-Cabinteely,
who made it five-in-a-row in Leinster.

Nicola Ward starred as Kilkerrin/Clonberne
accounted for the challenge of Roscommon’s Kilbride on a 3-21 to 1-6 scoreline,
while Fox-Cab ran out 4-6 to 1-7 winners over Laois opponents Sarsfields.

In Munster Cork stars Ciara and Doireann
O’Sullivan scored 2-11 between them as Mourneabbey denied Ballymacarbry in the
closing stages. Goals from Lauren Guiry, Aileen Wall, Michelle Ryan and Lauren
McGregor gave the Waterford champions the lead but Mourneabbey sparkled in the
closing stages to claim the win.

“It was an incredibly tough game. It was a
super game for a neutral, it wasn’t easy on the sideline,” said Mourneabbey
manager Shane Ronayne.

“We leaked four goals today and we leaked
four in the county semi-final as well. Maybe we took our eye off the ball. It’s
back to the drawing board as regards the defending. We need to be better.”

Last year’s other All-Ireland finalists, Foxrock/Cabinteely,
secured a fifth Leinster Senior Ladies Football Championship title in
succession with an emphatic triumph over Sarsfields of Laois.

Goals from Jodi Egan, Katie McNally, Hannah
O’Neill and Aisling Murphy helped the Dublin champions to the win, and they now
face Connacht winners Kilkerrin/Clonberne in the last-four of the national
grade.

“We know Sarsfields so well and we knew it
was going to be a battle. We’ve played them a few times and we just knew if we
got a good start, we’d put ourselves into a good position just to control the
game then. Thank God we did get those two early goals, because that was the
difference in the end,” said Foxrock/Cabinteely captain, Amy Connolly.

“Peter Clarke our manager has always said
that everyone is replaceable. No matter what your name is, we still have
someone to fill in. It’s horrible to see the likes of Sinead Goldrick injured
and Niamh Collins were unable to play today. It’s hard going into a match
thinking that we’re missing them, but at the same time we know we’ve such a
strength in depth in our squad and our subs, and all the young girls coming
up.”

In Connacht, Louise and Nicola Ward struck 3-3
between them as Kilkerrin/Clonberne claimed back-to-back Connacht Senior Club titles
with a convincing victory over Kilbride in Enfield.

“We’re happy enough to win two Connachts.
Not a bad day’s work,” said Kilkerrin/Clonberne manager Kevin Reidy.

“We are looking forward to the semi-final
now. It’s down to last four and they are going to be tough games. There will be
nothing easy at this stage.”

In Ulster Donaghmoyne had late points from
teenagers Lauren Garland and Louise Kerley to thank as they eventually shook
off the resilient challenge of Termon for a two-point victory.

Geraldine McLaughlin scored all of her side’s nine
points, while a 42nd minute Lucy O’Flynn goal looked like giving them the win,
but a Cora Courtney goal and Kerley’s five points saw the Monaghan side to
victory.

“It was tight the whole way through, we know
it was going to be tight but the girls pulled it out there in the end,” said
Donaghmoyne selector Anne Marie Burns.

“When they went a point up I thought we were
in a bit of bother but then wee Lauren stepped up and no bother to her she
threw it over the bar. If we have the right work rate we will get over the
line.”

Elsewhere, Donoughmore and Inch Rovers were
crowned Junior and Intermediate champions respectively in Munster, while
Edendork and St Paul's claimed the Ulster Junior and Intermediate titles. In
Leinster Kilcock and Naomh Ciaran were crowned Junior and Intermediate
champions.

Meanwhile, Sligo champions St Nathy’s progressed to the All-Ireland
Intermediate Club championship semi-finals after their All-Ireland
quarter-final win against Parnell’s in London, while CL McHale Rovers booked
their place in the Junior semi-finals.

Results:

Connacht:

SFC Final

Kilbride (Roscommon)
1-6 Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) 3-21

Leinster:

JFC semi-final

Kilcock (Kildare)
3-11 Grattan (Longford) 2-11

IFC semi-final

Naomh Ciaran (Offaly)
2-16 Old Leighlin (Carlow) 1-8

SFC Final

Foxrock-Cabinteely
(Dublin) 4-6 Sarsfields (Laois) 1-7

Munster: