Magnificent Kilkerrin-Clonberne make it four AIB All-Ireland senior club titles in a row

AIB All-Ireland Club Senior Championship final

Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) 0-13

Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 0-9

By Daire Walsh

Chloe Miskell kicked four points at Croke Park on Saturday as Kilkerrin-Clonberne held off a strong challenge from Kilmacud Crokes to claim their fourth consecutive AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Championship title.

In a repeat of last year’s epic semi-final clash between the same two teams – which was eventually won by Kilkerrin-Clonberne after extra-time – Miskell was ably-assisted in the scoring stakes by Olivia Divilly and Eva Noone as Willie Ward’s Tribeswomen tightened their grip on the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup in fine style.

While Niamh Cotter recorded a brace of points for Kilmacud in a lively start to the contest, TG4 All Star Olivia Divilly and Miskell were on hand to cancel out both of her scores to keep Kilkerrin-Clonberne on level terms.

The title holders were presented with a golden opportunity to seize the initiative when they were awarded a penalty in the 12th minute, but Dearbhla Gower – one of two Galway natives in the Crokes starting line-up along with Ailbhe Davoren – superbly turned away the resulting spot-kick from Ailish Morrissey.

However, this was only a brief respite for Crokes as Kilkerrin-Clonberne subsequently established a foothold with unanswered points courtesy of Eva Noone, Miskell, Niamh Divilly and centre-forward Louise Ward.

Cork native Cotter continued to fly the flag for Crokes with another two-point salvo, but the dynamic attacking duo of Miskell and Eva Noone later found the range to leave Kilkerrin-Clonberne in a healthy 0-8 to 0-4 lead at the break.

The four-point gap between the sides remained in place after the in-form Miskell and Eva Noone traded scores with Aoife Kane and Cotter on the resumption, but the latter was joined on the scoresheet by Éabha Rutledge as Crokes kept themselves well in contention moving towards the final-quarter.

Paddy O’Donoghue’s Metropolitan outfit were throwing down the gauntlet to the westerners, but Kilkerrin-Clonberne eased the pressure on their shoulders with points from two of the Divilly sisters – Olivia and Siobhan – in the space of just 30 seconds.

Olivia Divilly added another point to her tally in direct response to Cotter’s seven of the game and while Crokes did their level best to forge a late fightback, Kilkerrin-Clonberne – for whom TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year Nicola Ward was once again an influential presence – dug deep to hold onto their crown for a fourth successive season.

 Scorers – Kilkerrin-Clonberne: C Miskell 0-4, E Noone 0-3 (2f), O Divilly 0-3 (2f), N Divilly, S Divilly, L Ward 0-1 each.

Kilmacud Crokes: N Cotter 0-7 (5f), A Kane, É Rutledge 0-1 each.

KILKERRIN-CLONBERNE: L Murphy; C Costello, S Gormally, N Divilly; K Mee, N Ward, H Noone; S Divilly, A Madden; O Divilly, L Ward, L Noone; E Noone, A Morrissey, C Miskell. Subs: A Madden for N Divilly (53), C Boyle for Morrissey (56). 

KILMACUD CROKES: D Gower; N Carr, E Sweeney, P Greene; A Kane, M Lamb, K Murray; G Kós, L Magee; N Cotter, A Davoren, M Jennings; A Conroy, M Davoren, É Rutledge. Subs: C Regan for Greene (38), L Kane for Conroy (45), S O’Donoghue for A Kane (47), D Egan for Jennings (60).

Referee: Gavin Finnegan (Down).

All-Ireland glory for Carlow champions Bennekerry/Tinryland

AIB All-Ireland Club Intermediate Championship final

Bennekerry/Tinryland (Carlow) 2-10

Annaghdown (Galway) 1-7

By Daire Walsh

Cliodhna Ní Shé amassed an impressive haul of 2-4 at Croke Park as a magnificent Bennekerry/Tinryland made history by defeating Galway’s Annaghdown in the AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship final.

Already in the record books as the first Carlow outfit to reach a ladies football club showpiece at national level, Bennekerry/Tinryland created further headlines in GAA headquarters by overcoming the challenge of Annaghdown – who had previously secured an All-Ireland title at this grade in 2016.

In a bright opening to the contest, Ní Shé (free) and Lauren Dwyer kicked unanswered points to give Bennekerry/Tinryland an early advantage over their Connacht counterparts. Annaghdown initially struggled to find their feet at the Jones’ Road venue, but after raiding wing-back Bronagh Quinn got them up and running with a fine white flag effort, the Tribeswomen edged in front when Ciara McCarthy rifled a low shot to the opposition net just shy of the first-quarter mark.

Yet having fired agonisingly wide from an earlier opportunity, Carlow inter-county star Ní Shé eventually had a goal to her name courtesy of a clinical finish in the 19th minute.

The dynamic centre-forward had also registered a point from play in advance of bagging a major for her side, before successive points by Dwyer and Sinead Hayden helped to propel Bennekerry/Tinryland towards a 1-5 to 1-1 interval lead.

Despite Annaghdown cutting their deficit to three with a Ciara Hegarty point just 15 seconds after the restart, Bennekerry/Tinryland established a powerful platform when Dwyer, Hayden and Ní Shé all split the uprights in quick succession.

The latter brought her personal tally up to 1-4 through a routine free on 38 minutes and while Annaghdown eventually responded with a similar score from Hegarty inside the final-quarter, Bennekerry/Tinryland reinforced their authority with Dwyer’s fourth point of the action.

Chris Townsend’s side were already well on course for victory at this stage, but the outcome was effectively placed beyond doubt when Ní Shé emphatically drilled a 51st minute penalty beyond the reach of Annaghdown’s Eleanor Lynch.

To their credit, Annaghdown did reduce the gap with four consecutive points from Hegarty (three) and skipper Riona Quinn in the closing moments, but it wasn’t enough to spoil the Bennekerry/Tinryland party.

Scorers – Bennekerry/Tinryland: C Ní Shé 2-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), L Dwyer 0-4, S Hayden 0-2.

Annaghdown: C Hegarty 0-5 (2f), C McCarthy 1-0, B Quinn, R Quinn 0-1 each.

BENNEKERRY/TINRYLAND: S Cotter; K Bullen, L Corcoran, L Mullins; R Bermingham, N Mohan, M Cranny; E Lowry, E Ware; A Webb, C Ní Shé, L Dwyer; O Woods, S Nolan, S Hayden. Subs: M O’Neill for Bullen (34), D Tomlinson for Nolan (56).

ANNAGHDOWN: E Lynch; R Fahy, I Claffey, M Canavan; Chelsie Crowe, Chloe Crowe, B Quinn; S O’Grady, R Naughton; R Quinn, C Hegarty, J Burke; E Keane, C McCarthy, B Naughton. Subs: I Killilea for B Naughton (h-t), C O’Neill for Keane (43).

Referee: Patrick Smith (Waterford).

Almost full circle for Shannon McGroddy with Na Dúnaibh

By Daire Walsh

More than 10 years on from winning a national title in the colours of a different side, Na Dúnaibh’s Shannon McGroddy finds herself back in an AIB All-Ireland club football championship decider this weekend.

Back on November 30, 2014, McGroddy played in midfield as Termon defeated Cork’s Mourneabbey to claim the All-Ireland senior crown at Tuam Stadium. Regarded as one of the best footballers in the country at the time, Geraldine McLaughlin struck an astonishing 3-08 to get the Ulster champions over the line.

It has been a decade long wait for another Donegal outfit to reach an All-Ireland decider, but Na Dúnaibh have managed to do so at the junior grade this year. With McGroddy on board as one of their most experienced operators, Na Dúnaibh will take on Mungret St Paul’s of Limerick in the junior club showpiece at Parnell Park on Sunday (throw-in 2pm).

“I was only 18 at the time, so I was quite a young cub then. Downings [Na Dúnaibh] didn’t have a team at that stage of my playing career. I had to go elsewhere to play football, so Termon was my next nearest club. I probably would have known some of the girls through county football. I went into the county scene about 16, 17,” McGroddy recalled.

“I had been playing with the likes of Geraldine [McLaughlin] and Nicole [McLaughlin] and Therese McCafferty, girls like that. They were really taking me under their wing at the time. It was a great experience and a great run, but if anything it has taught me that those days don’t really come around and big occasions don’t always come around.

“That was 10 years ago now, so 10 years later, it’s almost like a full circle moment. It’s something I’m really proud of now, to be back playing in the green and gold. Lining out for my home club in an All-Ireland final now on Sunday. It’s just great.”

While she continued to represent Termon for another couple of years, McGroddy later returned to Na Dúnaibh when the female adult section of the club was relaunched in 2017. The Downings-based side gradually established themselves on the local scene in the O’Donnell County, though Junior ‘A’ championship final defeats in 2020 and 2023 did halt their progress to a certain degree.

Yet Na Dúnaibh eventually went a step further in September of this year by comprehensively overcoming Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin in a county showpiece.

“We only really established there in 2017 and I suppose success followed very quickly for us. We went out that year in 2018, our club were hosting the Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta. We won Donegal and we won the All-Ireland at home, which was just a phenomenal occasion. Our men actually won on the same day.

“We went out then in 2019 and we won Junior ‘B’. After that, there was a little bit of a drought. We had been good enough to get to finals. We got to the junior final in 2020 and were beaten by a better Killybegs team. Then the junior final again in 2023 and beaten narrowly again by Dungloe.

“It has been a very frustrating period for us and in the midst of that, we did get promoted to Division One football in 2022. Which was a great achievement again, being in our infancy in ladies football at senior. That was great and just to win junior this year in 2024, it’s just an awful monkey off the back. It is a real relief.”

Na Dúnaibh didn’t settle for a county success, however, and following consecutive triumphs over Butlersbridge, Eoghan Rua and Warrenpoint, an Ulster junior title was added to their list of honours for 2024.

There was little to separate Na Dúnaibh from Kilcock in their All-Ireland semi-final duel at the beginning of this month, but a Sinead McBride goal ultimately propelled the Donegal women towards a 1-07 to 0-07 victory on home soil.

This leaves them just 60 minutes away from completing a clean sweep of club honours in Parnell Park tomorrow, but McGroddy (whose uncle Dominic is part of the Na Dúnaibh management) is expecting a stubborn resistance from a Mungret St Paul’s side that edged past Sligo’s Coolera/Strandhill on frees in the other semi-final.

“Obviously now in an All-Ireland final, you’re taking nobody for granted. Every team is at the standard needed to be there. We’ve done a wee bit of homework on them. We know they’re a very physical team and they’re well set up and very strong in the tackle.

“That’s something we’ll be mindful of going into the game. They’ve quite a good defensive structure as well, so we’re just looking at breaking that down. We have our eye on a few players that we need to earmark and watch on the day.”

Although she won’t have an active part in it like she did 10 years ago, McGroddy will be keeping a close watch on this evening’s AIB All-Ireland senior club championship final – a meeting between defending champions Kilkerrin-Clonberne and Kilmacud Crokes at Croke Park (throw-in 5pm).

A current member of the Donegal panel, Niamh Carr has been playing her club football with Kilmacud for the past couple of seasons.

In addition to being her school and college mate in the past, McGroddy (who was part of the Donegal set-up at the beginning of this year before subsequently stepping away for personal reasons) has lined out alongside Carr at both underage and adult levels of the inter-county game.

While acknowledging the mammoth task that faces her side against a Kilkerrin-Clonberne outfit that are seeking to secure the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup for a fourth successive year, McGroddy is hopeful her fellow school teacher can join her in becoming an All-Ireland senior club winner.

“Niamh is doing really well with Kilmacud. It’s brilliant to see another girl from home. Niamh would be from the same community as myself. Cranford is just the neighbouring place to Downings and Carrickart. I’d be really good friends with Niamh Carr and I’d really like to see her do well on Saturday evening. They’re up against a tough opposition there too,” McGroddy added.

Kerry goalkeeper Ciara Butler on winning an All Star award to crown a brilliant year

DAIRE WALSH

Winning a maiden All-Ireland senior football championship title ensured 2024 was already a special year for Kerry goalkeeper Ciara Butler, but the Castlegregory native has been given a couple of extra reasons to be cheerful since that final victory over Galway back on August 4th.

For her outstanding save to tip over an effort from Meath’s Marion Farrelly in their All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-final clash with The Kingdom in Tralee on July 6, Butler was awarded this year’s ZuCar Golden Glove. She was presented with that personal accolade on September 12 in Croke Park and a little over two months later, Butler was back in the capital at the nearby Bonnington Dublin Hotel for the All Star awards banquet.

From the 15 Kerry players that were nominated on the night, seven of them were ultimately selected on the All Star team with Butler herself named in the number one position.

“An All Star is obviously a lovely award to get at the end of a very successful year for the team. You probably don’t really realise how much of an achievement it is until you see how much it means to your family and friends,” Butler said.

“Even here in the club, we lost Brenda Casey before the Munster final. She would have been nearly the backbone of Castlegregory LGFA for years and a massive Kerry ladies supporter. Speaking to her family, her husband and I’d be best friends with her daughter. They were just so joyful with our win, so it definitely makes it worthwhile.

“There was 15 of us up there and to be honest, nearly 30 of us could have been up there because we all put in the same amount of work. It kind of just happens that the starters probably get more of a recognition, but definitely all the girls deserved everything that came their way. We probably proved that at the end with the All-Ireland.”

Keen to emphasise the power of the collective when it comes to the recognition that she and her Kingdom colleagues gained at the All Stars, this is also the case for Butler when she speaks about her Golden Glove award. Without the hard work of her understudy – Southern Gaels’ Mary Ellen Bolger – and goalkeeping coach Sean Dee, Butler doesn’t believe this particular award would have come her way.

“I suppose goalies probably don’t get recognition that much. It’s always nearly the scorers, so it’s obviously a lovely award to get. Myself and Mary Ellen (Bolger), we’d be very tight and Sean Dee did so much with us. I was nearly lucky to get the reward.

“Mary Ellen deserved the award too for all the work she put in. I was lucky to start, but at the end of the day we were so tit-for-tat and I was so lucky to get starting for the All-Ireland.”

While she was just 20 years of age when Kerry secured their first All-Ireland crown since 1993 in Croke Park back in August, this year actually represented Butler’s fifth season on the Kingdom senior panel. Having previously been coached by the duo in the minor ranks of the county, Butler was handed a senior championship debut by joint-managers Declan Quill and Darragh Long against Cavan at St Brendan’s Park in Birr on November 1st, 2020.

She has had a memorable battle for Kerry’s goalkeeper slot with the aforementioned Bolger since then, but Butler was between the sticks for a host of big games over the past four years.

After donning the number one jersey when the Kingdom lost to Meath in a National Football League Division Two decider at Croke Park in 2021, she did likewise when her county went a step further against Armagh in the same competition at GAA HQ the following year.

Yet she was also the last line of defence when Kerry fell short against Meath and Dublin in the 2022 and 2023 All-Ireland senior championship deciders respectively. Considering the heartbreak she experienced in the previous two seasons, this year’s success was an understandably emotional one for Butler.

“I actually came in by pure luck. The two goalies unfortunately got injured and I was after playing minor with Darragh and Declan. They called me in, the season of 2020. We lost to Cork in Austin Stacks.

“This year, there was probably a minute left and the clock is kind of going down. Mary O’Connell was beside me. I remember embracing her and I would have played all the way up with Mary. To just say to each other ‘we finally did it’.

“All the hurt from the two years before was gone and Mary would be someone that we’d be very close. In terms of we’ve talked about the feeling of losing and how upset we were. Just to spend those final few moments on the pitch with her was fantastic and a memory I’ll have for life.”

As a marketing and management student at TUS Midwest, Butler often travels up and down from Kerry training with a number of other Limerick-based squad members – such as Bolger, Anna Galvin, Síofra O’Shea and Ciara McCarthy.