LEINSTER SENIOR CLUB LADIES FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Kilmacud Crokes 4-18
Naomh Ciaran 1-10
By Daire Walsh
Kilmacud Crokes manager Paddy O’Donoghue has said that his side aren’t taking their current run of success for granted after they retained their Leinster LGFA Senior Club Championship title in emphatic style against Naomh Ciaran at Coralstown/Kinnegad on Saturday.
Player of the match when Crokes defeated Wicklow’s Tinahely on a scoreline of 4-15 to 0-8 in the 2022 decider, Éabha Rutledge picked up the same accolade on Saturday after delivering another stellar attacking display to inspire the Stillorgan club towards a second consecutive provincial crown.
Having found it difficult to halt Foxrock/Cabinteely’s dominance at local level for a number of years, Crokes finally claimed their maiden Dublin SFC title in 2022. That aforementioned Leinster final win over Tinahely followed a number of weeks later and now O’Donoghue’s charges have repeated this double success in 2023.
“We had Fox/Cab ahead of us for a long, long time. I think we lost six semi-finals or finals in-a-row to Fox/Cab. Six years in-a-row losing to them and then in the seventh year we didn’t even qualify for the semi. We’re not taking it for granted. We’re on a crest of a wave and we’ll keep milking it as long as we can,” O’Donoghue remarked after Saturday’s game.
After Rutledge, Crokes full-forward Michelle Davoren and Ciaran skipper Kenny had all registered two points apiece in the early stages of the contest, quickfire goals from Ailbhe Davoren and Niamh Cotter provided Kilmacud with a 2-4 to 0-2 cushion inside the opening quarter.
A haul of four points without reply preceded a third goal from Julia Buckley on 22 minutes and even though Kenny and Emma Cahill found the target for Ciaran towards the end of the half, inside duo Michelle Davoren and Rutledge posted earlier scores to ensure Crokes were 3-10 to 0-5 in front at the interval.
The game continued in much the same vein on the restart, with the point-scoring prowess of Rutledge being supplemented by a 1-1 salvo off the bench from Emma Kane. Naomh Ciaran battled admirably throughout, however, and the 2019 All-Ireland intermediate club champions bag a goal of their own courtesy of midfielder Amy Gavin Mangan in the 52nd minute.
Kenny also brought her personal tally up to 0-8 with a brace of late points, but owing in large part to their remarkable shooting efficiency, Crokes convincingly progressed to face defending champions Kilkerrin/Clonberne in a forthcoming currentaccount.ie All-Ireland SFC semi-final.
Already a formidable outfit, Kilmacud have been bolstered this year by the addition of Ailbhe Davoren and Niamh Carr – natives of Galway and Donegal respectively – to their ranks. When you also factor the form of Cork attacker Cotter into the equation, it is clear to see that Crokes are ticking along nicely as they move into the next phase of the club championship.
“She [Niamh Cotter] has been injured for three years, four years. She has had a new lease of life this year and she has been playing since March, April. A game every week or every two weeks has brought her on leaps and bounds, and she’s still getting better,” O’Donoghue – a former Dublin men’s senior football selector – added.
“Ailbhe and Niamh Carr, they’re both teaching in local schools. Ailbhe is in Andrew’s and Niamh is in Newpark. They’ve been training with us a good while. They’re new to the team and it took them a while to settle in. It’s probably only now in the Leinster run that we’re seeing the best of them.”
Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: E Rutledge 0-8 (4f), M Davoren 0-5, N Cotter, A Davoren, E Kane 1-1 each, J Buckley 1-0, N Carr, M Jennings 0-1 each. Naomh Ciaran: K Kenny 0-8 (6f), A Gavin Mangan 1-0, E Cahill, K Rigney 0-1 each.
KILMACUD CROKES: R Fleming; P Greene, E Sweeney, A Kane; S O’Donoghue, K Murray, N Carr; L Magee, G Kos; N Cotter, A Davoren, M Jennings; J Buckley, M Davoren, E Rutledge.Subs: C Regan for Murray (36), A Conroy for Buckley (39), C Sultan for Cotter (40), E Kane for Jennings (49), L Bedford for Greene (52).
NAOMH CIARAN: A Maher; A Grehan, L Keena, E Hogan; A Kelly, E Nally, R Ennis; E Maher, A Gavin Mangan; E Cahill, K Kenny, L Kelly; S Fitzgerald, E McEvoy, R Cockram. Subs: K Rigney for L Kelly (h-t), A Spain for A Kelly (53), M Egan for Fitzgerald (55).
Referee: M Hayden (Carlow).