LGFA Senior and Intermediate All Ireland Club finals: Glory for Kilkerrin-Clonberne and Bennekerry/Tinryland
Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) 0-13, Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 0-9
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 semi-final clash between the same two teams – which was 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 style.
TG4 All Star Olivia Divilly and Miskell were on hand to cancel out both of Niamh Cotter's early scores for Kilmacud to keep Kilkerrin-Clonberne on level terms.
The title holders were awarded a penalty in the 12th minute, but Dearbhla Gower superbly turned away the resulting spot-kick from Ailish Morrissey.
The dynamic attacking duo of Miskell and Eva Noone 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.
Crokes 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