Donaghmoyne one step from another All-Ireland final appearance

THE race for the 2022 currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies Club Football Championship titles will be whittled down to six teams over the weekend.

Saturday (1.30pm)

CurrentAccount.ie All Ireland Senior Club Championship – Semi Final
Ballymacarbry (Waterford) v Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway), Fraher Field, Dungarvan

Ballymacarbry have enjoyed a superb run to the currentaccount.ie All-Ireland semi-finals but now the acid test awaits them.

Ballymac won a 41st consecutive Waterford title before defeating Cork, Kerry and Clare opponents en route to winning a first Munster Senior A crown since 2000.

Ballymac got the better of Mourneabbey, Southern Gaels and Banner to taste provincial glory, as Kilkerrin-Clonberne landed a fifth straight Connacht title.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne are the reigning All-Ireland champions and they enjoyed a straightforward Connacht Final win over Mayo opponents Burrishoole.

With home advantage, and a team littered with Galway inter-county experience at various grades, they’ll start as favourites but Ballymac won’t fear them.

The visitors have plenty of inter-county experience themselves, with a number of current Waterford players in their ranks.

Leading the line at centre forward is the vastly-experienced former county star Michelle Ryan, while current county ace Aileen Wall has been in scintillating form of late.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne will look to the creative skills and direct running of captain Louise Ward at centre forward, while the inside line of Eva Noone, Ailish Morrissey and Chloe Miskell is capable of wreaking havoc.

Ten-time winners Ballymac are aiming for a first All-Ireland Senior Final appearance since 1998 – with the added carrot of a possible outing at Croke Park.

Ballymacarbry (v Kilkerrin-Clonberne): L Fitzpatrick; M Wall, M McGrath (capt.), G Nugent; L Mulcahy, L Ryan, K McGrath; B McMaugh, K Hogan; A Wall, M Ryan, A Barron; S Kenrick, S Hallinan, C Walsh.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne (v Ballymacarbry): L Murphy, C Costello, S Gormally, C Dunleavy; K Mee, N Ward, H Noone; S Divilly, L Finnegan; O Divilly, L Ward (capt.), L Noone; E Noone, A Morrissey, C Miskell.

Sunday (1.3pm)

CurrentAccount.ie All Ireland Senior Club Championship – Semi Final
Donaghmoyne (Monaghan) v Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin), Donaghmoyne Fontenoys

DONAGHMOYNE are five-time All-Ireland Senior winners and 14-time Ulster champions.

And perhaps their most recent provincial success will go down as one of the most satisfying.

Reduced to 14 players early on, when Hazel Kingham was red-carded, Donaghmoyne called upon their vast reserves of experience to dig out a victory against St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass.

Now, they have home advantage for an All-Ireland semi-final against Kilmacud Crokes, as they aim for a first final appearance since 2016.

Kilmacud Crokes recently captured their very first Dublin senior title – before going on to land their a maiden Leinster senior crown.

They have former Dublin county panellist Michelle Davoren pulling the strings at full-forward, while Éabha Rutledge, thankfully recovered from long-term concussion issues, netted a hat-trick of goals in the Leinster decider.

Molly Lamb and Aoife Kane are vastly-experienced defenders who have also worn the Sky Blue with distinction and Crokes are playing with a freedom that makes them dangerous opponents.

Donaghmoyne will be another step up for Crokes and the hosts will be aiming to show that they still have what it takes to compete in the All-Ireland series.

This is a team laced with former All-Ireland club medallists and Monaghan inter-county stars, while the likes of the Garland twins, Amy and Lauren, bring that youthful experience.

Cathriona McConnell, still operating brilliantly in attack, has a weekend to remember in store. She gets married on Saturday before lining out on Sunday.

Donaghmoyne (v Kilmacud Crokes): L Martin, J Geoghegan, N Callan (capt.), A Callan; F Courtney, S Courtney, E Traynor; C Courtney, E McElroy; A Burns, A Garland, R Courtney; C McConnell, L Garland, S McConnell.

Kilmacud Crokes (v Donaghmoyne): D Gower; P Greene, E Sweeney (capt.), C Regan; L Kane, M Lamb, A Kane; G Kós, K McDaid; C Sultan, É Rutledge, M Jennings; J Buckley, M Davoren, K Murray.