Moureabbey fancied for back to back titles
MOURNEABBEY will go in search of their second Senior Football All Ireland title on the bounce this weekend when they take on Galway’s Kilkerrin-Clonberne at the LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
The Saturday night encounter, moved in recent days from the original venue of Parnell Park will see a Mourneabbey side that have dominated Cork and Munster football over the last six years square up to the Tribeswomen, who are in their first All-Ireland Final.
Mourneabbey are the holders of the Dolores Tyrrell Cup – after beating Foxrock-Cabinteely in a showdown in 2018 – a win that helped heal most of the wounds of final failures in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Now, one of the county’s most impressive sporting sides will look to go back to back – an achievement rare in this or any national competition.
Doireann and Ciara O’Sullivanwill again be the target women this weekend as Mourneabbey look to bring their expansive, hard hitting and never say die attitude to the limerick venue.
Roisin O’Sullivan, Kathryn Coakley and Laura Fitzgerald will also bring plenty to this particular party with players of the calibre of Anna Ryan and Ellie Jack likely to put in a shortened shift from the bench.
Recent addition to the side, Noelle Healy was fantastic in the semi-final and will again be one to watch this weekend with her pace and power likely to cause the Galway side no end of trouble – particularly when she runs into the danger zone from deep.
Eimear Meaney and Mourneabbey’s current captain, Bríd O’Sullivan will also have a huge say in what happens this weekend against a side that Mourneabbey pipped in the last four all of 12 months ago. There is no playing down the fact that Mourneabbey are the favourites going into this one and they are the side with it all to lose.
Kilkerrin-Clonberne will feel that this one is a free shot to nothing to secure a title against the head however when lining out in front of what is likely to be a big crowd on Saturday night, nerves are likely to affect the Connacht side every bit (if not more) as they will the reigning champions and few can predict what will happen a side when nerves take hold.
On the Kilkerrin-Clonberne side there will be plenty of stars on show this weekend with recent all-star winners Louise and Nicola Ward two of the biggest names in the game right now ready to take on this one. In 2015 and 2018, Mourneabbey and Kilkerrin-Clonberne met at the All-Ireland semi-final stage, with Mourneabbey winning on both occasions.
Ailish Morrissey and team taliswoman Olivia Divilly are another pairing that will cause problems for the Munster Champions with Annette Clarke another player likely to have a huge say in what happens this Saturday night.
This one may not have Mourneabbey’s name written all over it but they are the side to beat and will need to deal with that expectation – along with a side full of talent all over the pitch. Mourneabbey have shown over and over again that when the chips are down they are able to dig deep and pull something special from a reserve tank just seems to have no limit.
It’s hard to see past Mourneabbey here however they will need to be cute and clinical. The old adage of take the points and the goals will come will stand to them here and if they keep the scoreboard ticking over in the manner they did in the second 30 of the semi-final they will be hard to beat – even for the Ward sisters.
Verdict: Mourneabbey