Mourneabbey ladies bid for final return

Mourneabbey v Donaghmoyne

MOURNEABBEY will go in search of yet another All Ireland final berth this Sunday afternoon when they take on Donaghmoyne of Monaghan at the North Cork side’s home venue.

After securing a half-dozen county titles in-a-row in recent months the reigning All Ireland champions bounced into the provincial serious and landed their sixth provincial crown on the trot with yet another victory over a Waterford’s Ballymacarbry (2-18 to 4-8).

That Munster Final win saw Mourneabbey secure yet another spot in an All-Ireland semi-final – and again the opposition will be familiar as Donaghmoyne and Mourneabbey have plenty history – the Ulster Champions getting the better of the Cork champions in the national showpiece game back in 2015.

Last season Mourneabbey finally got their hands on the All Ireland title however this weekend’s opponents have climbed the steps on no fewer than five occasions – making them one of the most successful senior clubs sides in ladies’ football.

Mourneabbey may be the dominant side in Cork football over the last number of years however their opponents have an even more impressive record in their home county with 17 county titles in a row – add that to the 12 Ulster crowns that they have secured in the last 12 years and you get an idea of just how powerful the girls in red and white will be.

Donaghmoyne will line up with players of the quality of Lauren Garland and Louise Kerley this Sunday – a teenage pairing that are making plenty of waves in national football.

Eimear Traynor, Cathriona McConnell, Louise Kerley and Lauren Garland will also bring plenty of firepower for the visiting side with Cora Courtney and captain Hazel Kingham providing plenty experience in the attacking eight.

The opposition are impressive, of that there is little doubt, but no one should forget that after years of coming up as bridesmaids, Mourneabbey finally made the national breakthrough last season and since that day the most impressive club side in Munster have just got better and better.

With players of the calibre of Laura Fitzgerald and Eimear Meaney available, Mourneabbey will be afraid of no one. At the back Meabh O’Sullivan provides solidity between the sticks with her All Ireland winning sisters Roisin, Ciara, and Doireann providing the rebel side with an attacking threat that few club sides in the country can handle.

Maire O’Callaghan, Ellie Jack, Brid O’Sullivan and Noelle Healy in particular show that the defending champions have quality all over the pitch with Healy’s transfer from Dublin to the Cork club earlier in the year one of the most significant national off-field moves anywhere in recent years. Healy’s addition brings a three in a row All Ireland winner into a pack that are already bursting at the seams with All Stars and All Ireland champions.

This game will bring a big crowd, big expectations and if history has shown us anything then there will be no shortage of drama.

Neither side will ask, expect or receive quarter this weekend with the winners of this one sure to be installed as favourites to collect the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup – something neither side would fear.

Both sides have tasted more than their fair share of pain over the last decade with Mourneabbey in particular feeling the strain after losing three All Ireland finals before they finally got their hands on the spoils – no side will want to go out at the last four stage so expect this one to be tight, tough and tense.

Home advantage rarely hurts and for Mourneabbey it may well be the difference this time round. Mourneabbey have showed all season that the drive to succeed is as ferocious as ever and that drive may well see them over the line once more this Sunday.

Take nothing for granted, the opposition here is as good as it gets but Mourneabbey know how to win and that, on a day like this, could be enough to see them through – Mourneabbey by the minimum.