Noone goal sends champions on their way to county final

Kilkerrin/Clonberne 4-22

Moycullen 3-11

Ivan Smyth in Monivea

With Corofin keeping their hopes of seven county titles in a row alive, Kilkerrin/Clonberne did likewise in the ladies football championship after they overcame a game Moycullen side on Saturday evening.

Kilkerrin/Clonberne might have won the game by 14 points, but there will be aspects of this performance that Kevin Reidy and his management team will be unhappy with as they coughed up five of the last six points in the first-half; while their opponents found the net early in the second half to leave themselves within touching distance.

However, Kilkerrin/Clonberne responded to this goal by hitting 2-5 as they won this game long before referee Tom Browne blew his final whistle. They will feel they have more to offer in the final, a worrying prospect for a Claregalway side hoping to pulling off a major upset when the sides meet in the county final.

The reigning champions enjoyed the perfect start when Lynsey Noone found the net with less than 20 seconds gone on the clock. Ailish Morrissey added a point for Kilkerrin/Clonberne but Moycullen responded with a long range Áine McDonagh effort.

Olivia Divilly hit a brace of scores before she played Louise Ward through with the midfielder’s goal effort blocked. However, Moycullen turned over possession and Divilly punished them with her third point before Chloe Miskell assisted Divilly for her fourth point.

Shannon Keady reduced the deficit once more, but Moycullen were struggling to deal with the pace and direct running of the Kilkerrin/Clonberne forwards. Last year’s Connacht champions should have hit their second goal of the game when Divilly played Lynsey Noone through on goal but the wing forward’s close-range goal attempt hit the post.

It was former NUIG footballer Divilly who struck the next score after good work by Louise Ward in the build-up. Divilly added another point after a driving run by Lynsey Noone as the defending champions began to build up ahead of steam.

Kilkerrin/Clonberne struck their second goal when Lynsey Noone set Ailish Morrisey through on goal and she made no mistake to put clear daylight between the sides.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.