Republic of Ireland soccer star scores crucial goal and Cork sharpshooter hits seven from play

Compiled by Jackie Cahill

A new name will be etched on the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup on December 8.

Senior semis

Cork’s Mourneabbey and Dublin outfit Foxrock-Cabinteely will battle it out for All-Ireland Ladies Senior Club Football glory in a month's time. While both sides have contested finals in recent times, neither has managed to lift national senior silverware. Mourneabbey will play in their fourth final in five seasons, while Fox-Cab will contest their first decider since losing to Donaghmoyne in 2016. In Sunday’s semi-finals, Mourneabbey and Fox-Cab advanced past Kilkerrin-Clonberne and Donaghmoyne respectively.

The degrees of difficulty varied as Mourneabbey overpowered Carnacon’s conquerors Kilkerrin-Clonberne, while Fox-Cab staged a late smash and grab raid against five-time winners Donaghmoyne. Cork’s O’Sullivan sisters Doireann and Ciara were on fire as Mourneabbey progressed, claiming 0-11 between them in front of a huge crowd at the Clonberne Sports Field. Doireann scored 0-8, including seven points from play, while Ciara chipped in with three as Mourneabbey had too much nous and big-game experience for Galway's Kilkerrin-Clonberne. The clubs had met in the 2015 All-Ireland semi-final when just one point separated the sides but the margin was eight on this occasion, as Mourneabbey won out by 1-14 to 0-9. Eimear Harrington put the icing on the cake for Mourneabbey with a goal in stoppage time, as Shane Ronayne’s charges marched on. Their meeting with Fox-Cab will pit a number of players who were in opposition during the 2018 TG4 All-Ireland senior final between Dublin and Cork against each other. https://twitter.com/JeromeQuinn/status/1064215220904648704 Supersub Roisin McGovern, a Republic of Ireland soccer international, came off the bench to score the late, late goal as Fox-Cab claimed a 2-8 to 1-8 victory over Donaghmoyne at Bray Emmets. Extra-time loomed large before McGovern struck soon after Cathriona McConnell had missed a free chance for Donaghmoyne at the other end of the pitch. In-form captain Amy Ring struck an early goal for Fox-Cab but Donaghmoyne rallied and were ahead at the break, 1-6 to 1-4, as skipper Cora Courtney found the net shortly before the break. Donaghmoyne led by three points in the second half but Fox-Cab kept plugging away and got that late reward from McGovern. The Fox-Cab v Mourneabbey clash will form part of a December 8 final double-header, with the Intermediate decider between Emmet Óg of Monaghan and Dublin outfit Clontarf to serve as a curtain raiser.

Intermediate semis

Monaghan ace Ellen McCarron collected 2-3 of her side’s tally as Emmet Óg claimed a 4-10 to 1-9 victory over Scottish visitors Dunedin Connollys on Saturday. Clontarf booked their place in the final on Sunday by scoring a 6-9 to 0-6 victory over Galway outfit St Brendan’s at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe. Caoimhe O’Connor and Sinead Quigley scored a brace of goals each, while Aoibhe Bell and Siobhan Killeen also raised green flags.

Junior seis

Meanwhile, the All-Ireland Junior Club Final on December 9 will be contested by Sligo’s Tourlestrane and Cork outfit Glanmire. Tourlestrane had county star Katie Walsh in fine form – and goals in either half from Laura Surlis and sub Leonie Gaughan – as they claimed a 2-10 to 0-10 victory on their travels to McGrath Park in Bagenalstown, where Carlow’s Old Leighlin were the hosts. Glanmire’s trip to Tyrone was also a winning one – as the Cork outfit scored a 2-13 to 2-18 victory against hosts Trillick in their semi-final. Glanmire were 2-10 to 0-2 clear in the second half, the goals supplied by Kate Hannon and Sarah O’Brien, but had to work hard to fend off a stern Trillick fightback. All-Ireland Ladies Club Football Semi-Final results: Saturday November 17 All-Ireland Intermediate Club Semi-Final Emmet Óg (Monaghan) 4-10 Dunedin Connollys (Scotland) 1-9 Sunday November 18 All-Ireland Senior Club Semi-Finals Kilkerrin/Clonberne (Galway) 0-9 Mourneabbey (Cork) 1-14 Foxrock-Cabinteely (Dublin) 2-8 Donaghmoyne (Monaghan) 1-8 All-Ireland Intermediate Club Semi-Final St Brendan’s (Galway) 0-6 Clontarf (Dublin) 6-9 All-Ireland Junior Club Semi-Finals Trillick (Tyrone) 2-8 Glanmire (Cork) 2-13 Old Leighlin (Carlow) 0-10 Tourlestrane (Sligo) 2-10

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