TEAM News - Senior Club Semi Finals
- Nov 29,2024
TEAM NEWS - AIB All Ireland Senior Club Championship Semi-Finals.
THE 2024 AIB All-Ireland Ladies Club Football Senior Championship final line-up will be confirmed over the coming weekend. The final is scheduled for Saturday December 14th at Croke Park, throw in 5pm.
Jackie Cahill previews both senior All Ireland semi-finals:
Saturday November 30th, 2pm.
Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) v Castleisland Desmonds (Kerry); Pairc de Burca, Stillorgan, Dublin.
Kilmacud Crokes pushed holders Kilkerrin-Clonberne all the way to extra-time in last year’s semi-final – and the Dublin and Leinster champions will be confident of going one step further this time.
But they’ll get nothing easy from a Castleisland Desmonds side who recently captured the Munster title for the first time since 1986.
Crokes have class all over the pitch, from Galway’s TG4 All-Star nominated goalkeeper Dearbhla Gower through to left corner forward, where former Dublin senior star Éabha Rutledge has been in superb form.
Galway’s TG4 All Star Ailbhe Davoren is another top player, while Crokes also have Cork’s Niamh Cotter and Aoife Kane, Molly Lamb, Grace Kós, Lauren Magee and Michelle Davoren to call upon, all players with recent inter-county experience in Dublin colours.
Throw Donegal’s Niamh Carr into the mix and it’s a potent Crokes line-up but Desmonds will look to the likes of Kerry stars Eilís Lynch, Cáit Lynch, Lorraine Scanlon and Julia Curtin for inspiration on their trip to the capital.
Former Ireland rugby captain Ciara O’Sullivan will captain Desmonds from the centre of the park.
Kilmacud Crokes: Dearbhla Gower; Niamh Carr, Emer Sweeney (capt.), Philippa Greene; Aoife Kane, Molly Lamb, Kate Murray; Grace Kós, Lauren Magee; Niamh Cotter, Ailbhe Davoren, Laura Kane; Amy Conroy, Michelle Davoren, Éabha Rutledge.
Castleisland Desmonds: J Drumm; H Herlihy, E Lynch, H Bourke; G Kearney, K O’Connor, C Lynch; L Scanlon, C O’Sullivan (capt.); A Curtin, A Murphy, A Leonard; L Walmsley, J Curtin, L Griffin.
Sunday December 1st, 2.30pm
Clann Éireann (Armagh) v Kilkerrin Clonberne (Galway); Clann Éireann GAA, Armagh.
With seven successive Connacht titles in the bank, Galway’s Kilkerrin-Clonberne are now chasing a fourth successive All-Ireland Senior title.
Mayo’s Westport showed enough in the provincial decider to suggest that the gap is closing but Kilkerrin-Clonberne still eased to victory when the chips were down.
Now they face Armagh’s Clann Éireann for an All-Ireland Final slot – and the Ulster champions have home advantage.
Clann Éireann will feel they have some making up to do after losing out by 0-5 to 1-10 against Waterford’s Ballymacarbry in the 2023 semi-final.
They’ll look for a much-improved performance 12 months on but this is the ultimate test.
Kilkerrin-Clonberne have Nicola Ward, the TG4 Senior Players’ Player of the Year and All-Star, and twin sister Louise in their line-up, along with the Divilly sisters Niamh, Siobhan and recently crowned All-Star, Olivia.
Clann Éireann will be no pushovers, however, as they’re anchored by county team captain Clodagh McCambridge, who’ll be joined by the likes of Roisin Mulligan, Dearbhla Coleman, Cait Towe, Niamh Coleman, Niamh Henderson, Tiarna Grimes and Niamh Murray, who has been in excellent attacking form. These are players with inter-county experience and every ounce of that will be needed against the visitors.
Clann Éireann: C Lawless; E Melanophy, C McCambridge, G Carville; R Mulligan, M McCann, D Coleman; C Towe, N Coleman; A Donohue, N Henderson (capt.), T Grimes; E McConaghy, N Murray, M McCambridge.
Kilkerrin-Clonberne: L Murphy; C Costello, S Gormally, N Divilly; K Mee, N Ward, H Noone; S Divilly, A Madden; O Divilly, L Ward (capt.), L Noone; E Noone, A Morrissey, C Miskell.
LGFA are streaming (€) both games for more information click this link LGFA STREAMING SERVICE