Heartbreaking loss for Kilkerrin/Clonberne ladies

Mourneabbey 2-11

Kilkerrin/Clonberne 2-10

MOURNEABBEY made their Cork inter-county experience count last Sunday as they denied Kilkerrin/Clonberne an All-Ireland football final place in an eventful contest.

Thirteen wides by the Galway champions was also a telling statistic as Kilkerrin/Clonberne’s year ended in heartbreaking fashion.  Four goals and four yellow cards entertained and angered supporters but with the O’Sullivan sisters, including Cork’s All-Ireland winning captain Ciara, to the fore, Mourneabbey took their chances in holding out for victory.

What will haunt Kilkerrin/Clonberne over the winter is that this semi-final was very winnable. They matched, and at many times surpassed, the hosts in breaking ball down, creating chances, fighting for possession, etc. But the difference was that Mourneabbey were more economical with their opportunities.

Against the slight breeze, Kilkerrin/Clonberne began promising when Lisa Gannon finished a move involving Nicola Ward, Olivia Divilly and Ailish Morrissey after just 41 seconds for the opening point.  O’Sullivan equalised for Mourneabbey but already Kilkerrin/Clonberne were running up a worrying tally of missed scores. An Annette Clarke free on six minutes put Michael Divilly’s team 0-2 to 0-1 ahead, but they received a big lift 60 seconds later when O’Sullivan was sin-binned for a hefty challenge on Louise Ward.

Kilkerrin/Clonberne needed to stamp their authority but didn’t manage a point until just before O’Sullivan’s re-introduction. A Doireann O’Sullivan free levelled for the Munster side but when Clarke and Gannon added to their accounts by 19 minutes, Kilkerrin/Clonberne only had a 0-4 to 0-2 advantage.

It was poor return for all their possession as Mourneabbey had shown their danger and punished the visitors on 20 minutes. A long delivery allowed Eimear Harrington space before, soccer-style, she placed her kick to the far corner for the first goal.

In fairness to Kilkerrin/Clonberne, they stuck to the task. Nicola Ward was opening up space from centre back, Louise Ward and Clarke were on top in midfield, Gannon was spreading play effectively while Olivia Divilly and Ailish Morrissey were causing trouble down the right flank.

Morrissey set up Divilly for the equalising point but the misses continued with seven first half wides.  Mourneabbey only had two as sisters Doireann (2) and Brid O’Sullivan stretched the margin to three before Morrissey pulled back a point after being set up by Divilly, Gannon and Clarke.

Despite trailing 1-5 to 0-6, Kilkerrin/Clonberne were in a good position and made an immediate impact within 13 seconds of the restart. The midfield won possession before Clarke sent Louise Ward on the attack. The Galway player opened space, doing a one-two with Gannon, and finished to the net to put her side ahead.

Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.