All-Ireland ladies club football final previews

December 01, 2017

Senior finalists Cora Staunton (Carnacon) and Brid O'Sullivan (Mourneabbey). Intermediate finalists Annie Moffatt (Dunboyne) and Aoife Keating (Kinsale). Junior finalists Emma Farmer (Aghada) and Laura McEnaney (Corduff).

Compiled by Jackie Cahill

Saturday, December 2:

All-Ireland junior club final:

Corduff (Monaghan) v Aghada (Cork) - Crettyard, 2pm.

Aghada fly the flag first for Cork on Saturday as clubs from the Rebel County go in search of an All-Ireland clean sweep across the junior, intermediate and senior grades, a feat last achieved in 2003. 

But Aghada, captained by county player Emma Farmer, will get nothing easy from a Corduff side led by Monaghan's Laura McEnaney.

Aghada, who won county and provincial titles for the first time this year, accounted for Galway's Tuam-Cortoon at the All-Ireland semi-final stage, when first half goals proved decisive.

Róisín Phelan and Hannah Looney are other well-known players for Aghada, while Elena McEnaney was the star for Corduff in the Ulster final, before notching 1-3 against Dublin outfit Cuala last time out.

Eva Woods and Barbara Ward are other dangerous forwards in the Corduff ranks and this one could go right down to the wire.

Sunday, December 3:

All-Ireland intermediate club final:

Dunboyne (Meath) v Kinsale (Cork) - Parnell Park, Donnycarney, 1.45pm.

Kinsale contested an All-Ireland junior final last year but lost out to Dublin outfit St Maur's.

12 months later, they're back in a national decider, this time at intermediate level, and the Cork club finds itself very much on an upward curve.

Opponents Dunboyne from Meath have been on a similar trajectory and were crowned All-Ireland junior champions two years ago.

In their recent semi-final victory over Monaghan side Latton, Dunboyne were hugely impressive, racking up a tally of 3-18.

Underage graduate Vikki Wall is well known to fans of the Meath county team but against Latton, Dunboyne had eight different scorers on target.

2016 All-Star Orla Finn is Kinsale's marquee forward but she has All-Ireland minor winner Sadhbh O'Leary in close support, while and Faye Ahern and Jenny Murphy have been contributing.

Kinsale survived a late fightback from Galway opponents Moycullen to book a final spot, scoring 18 points in the process.

They might need goals to win this final - but both teams have them in their respective lockers.  

This game will be streamed live on the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel, and you can watch it by clicking on this link.

All-Ireland senior club final:

Carnacon (Mayo) v Mourneabbey (Cork) - Parnell Park, Donnycarney, 3.45pm.

The 2017 All-Ireland senior club final pits five-time winners Carnacon against a Mourneabbey side waiting to sample that winning feeling at senior level.

Mourneabbey have won junior and intermediate titles but the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup is the silverware they crave.

Winners of the last four Munster senior crowns, they were beaten All-Ireland finalists in 2014 and 2015, before falling to eventual winners Donaghmoyne at the semi-final stage last year.

Managed by Tipperary's TG4 All-Ireland intermediate winning boss Shane Ronayne, Mourneabbey have the O'Sullivan sisters, Ciara and Doireann, in fine form up front.

Bríd O'Sullivan (no relation) will captain the team against a Carnacon outfit led by 11-time All-Star Cora Staunton, who will board a plane for Australia on Tuesday morning to link up with the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Women's AFL.

Staunton would love nothing more than to jet off with another All-Ireland club medal in her back pocket, and she'll have Mayo team-mate Fiona McHale powering the charge from midfield.

McHale was phenomenal in the Connacht final replay victory over Kilkerrin/Clonberne, before producing another stellar display as Carnacon comfortably accounted for Ulster champions, and Donaghmoyne's conquerors, St Macartan's.

The bookies have Carnacon as favourites to win their first All-Ireland title since 2013 but Mourneabbey will hope their time has finally come, and they're battle-hardened after getting past Dublin's Foxrock-Cabinteely after extra-time in the recent semi-final.

Sunday's senior decider will be broadcast live by TG4, following coverage of the Leinster senior club hurling final.


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