Ladies Football Weekend Previews

Compiled by Jackie Cahill

AIB All-Ireland Club Championship final slots are up for grabs over the coming weekend – with a Junior semi-final on Saturday followed by five Sunday ties.

Clubs from Antrim, Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Louth, Kilkenny and Waterford are all aiming for final places.

There’s a chance that Galway could be represented in all three grades over the weekend of Saturday/Sunday December 13/14, with Menlough Skehana competing in a Junior semi-final, Caltra Cuans in the last four of the Intermediate grade, while holders Kilkerrin-Clonberne are preparing for another senior semi-final.

The weekend action gets underway on Saturday with the meeting of Cavan Gaels and Kerry visitors Cromane in the junior semi-final, before a bumper Sunday of action will see all other finalists confirmed.

All six of the weekend’s semi-finals are available to view live at: https://page.inplayer.com/streamsportireland/index.html

Saturday November 29

AIB All-Ireland Junior Club Championship semi-final

Cavan Gaels (Cavan) v Cromane (Kerry), Terry Coyle Park, Kilnavaragh, Cavan, 1pm

An intriguing AIB All-Ireland Junior Championship semi-final lies in store at Terry Coyle Park.

Cavan Gaels claimed the Ulster title with a hugely impressive 15-point victory over Monaghan’s Killeevan Sarsfields, as Kerry’s Cromane scored a 23-point Munster final win against Tipperary’s St Patrick’s.

Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-finalists are strong through the middle and with pace in abundance on the flanks.

This should make for an entertaining fixture as the teams aim for a final spot on December 14.

Na Gaeil (2013) were the last Kerry team to contest an All-Ireland Junior club final, while a Cavan Gaels victory would break new ground for the Breffni County.

Cavan Gaels: L Lynch; G Keogan, L Sheridan, L Brady; É Lawton, N Briody (capt.), C Doyle; E McIntyre, S Clarke; K Brady, K Leddy, L Galligan; C Farrell, K O’Meara, M McGuinness.

Cromane: E Murphy; N Burke, O Burke, S O’Donovan; S Corkery, O Dunphy, S Foley; L O’Sullivan, R Smith; M Duffy (capt.), M.K. Smith, E O’Sullivan; R Griffin, E Burke, S Harkin.

Sunday November 30

AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Championship semi-final

Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) v Comeragh Rangers (Waterford); Father Stephen’s Park, Clonberne, 2pm

Kilkerrin-Clonberne are the reigning AIB All-Ireland Senior Club champions and they’ve shown no signs of dropping their standards as they chase five-in-a-row.

On Sunday, the title holders put their crown on the line against visitors Comeragh Rangers, fresh from their very first Munster senior title win.

The Waterford representatives have the county’s first TG4 All-Star since 2007 pulling the strings at midfield, with captain Emma Murray in scintillating form.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne also have current TG4 All-Stars in their ranks, in the form of Galway pair Nicola Ward and Olivia Divilly.

A Comeragh Rangers win would ensure Waterford representation in the Senior club final for the first time since Ballymacarbry in 2023.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne, in contrast, are chasing a sixth successive final appearance.

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

Comeragh Rangers: A Norris; K Broxson, T Kelly, O Kennedy; S Dunphy, C Murray, K Hahessy; E Murray (capt.), K Corbett Barry; Á Power, M Power, A Connolly; C Power, E Power, K Murray.

AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Championship semi-final

Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) v St. Ergnat’s, Moneyglass (Antrim), Páirc de Burca, Stillorgan, Dublin, 2pm

Runners-up last year, Kilmacud Crokes are just one step away from a return to Croke Park on final day.

And they have home advantage on Sunday as they welcome St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass, to Páirc de Burca for an interesting semi-final.

Moneyglass were hugely impressive when capturing a very first AIB Ulster senior club title recently, as they outscored Tyrone opponents Errigal Ciaran by 3-10 to 0-6.

But they’ll have to go up another level to compete with Kilmacud Crokes, who won their fourth successive Leinster crown with a comfortable provincial final win against Wicklow opponents Tinahely.

Kilmacud trio Niamh Cotter, skipper Éabha Rutledge and Amy Conroy were very much on song last time out, while former Antrim skipper Cathy Carey continues to pull the strings up front for Moneyglass.

Kilmacud Crokes: D Gower; P Greene, E Sweeney, C Regan; S O’Donoghue, A Kane, N Carr; D Egan, K Murray; L Kane, A Davoren, N Cotter; A Conroy, M Davoren, É Rutledge (capt.).

St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass: A Devlin; C Graffin, N McIntosh (capt.), L Stewart; A Leahy, S O’Neill, R Bradley; A Kelly, E.L. McAreavey; C Griffin, M O’Neill, E Griffin; B Devlin, C Carey, E Mallon.

AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship semi-final

Knockbride (Cavan) v Naomh Abán (Cork), Knockbride GFC, 1pm

Cavan are also represented in the Intermediate championship semi-final, with hosts Knockbride preparing to welcome visitors Naomh Abán from Cork.

No Cavan team has ever contested an All-Ireland Intermediate club final but Knockbride have the chance to scrub that record from the history books.

Naomh Abán, meanwhile, will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Cork outfit Glanmire in 2023 by winning the title.

There’s a semi-final hurdle to vault first, with Knockbride and Naomh Abán both hoping to reach Croke Park on December 13.

Knockbride were in excellent form in their Ulster final win against Brigid O’Neills from Monaghan, with Abbi Connor sparkling in attack during a 3-13 to 1-6 win.

Naomh Abán were All-Ireland Junior club finalists in 2022 and they’re now hoping to book a place in the Intermediate showpiece.

They needed extra time in the Munster final before getting past the challenge of Kerry’s Clounmacon/Moyvane.

Knockbride: K Mulvey; G Smith, A Lynch, N Rogers; E Lynch, S O’Reilly, N Smith; T Rogers, K.M. Reilly; G McCabe, S McCabe (capt.), A Nulty; R Davey, K Rogers, A Connor.

Naomh Abán: L Hughes; I Ní Riordáin, M Dineen; C Murphy, R Corkery, A Creedon; A McDonagh, G Ní Luasa; C Vaughan, G Murphy, A Maher; R Lehane, C Phelan (capt.), L McDonagh.

AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship semi-final

St. Fechin’s (Louth) v Caltra Cuans (Galway), Integral GAA Grounds, Drogheda, 1.15pm

A wonderful season for St Fechin’s continued when they defeated Holloway Gaels last weekend in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

St Fechin’s worked hard for a 0-8 to 0-5 victory against the London visitors and British champions – and now Louth’s finest have a home tie against Galway’s Caltra Cuans.

A Croke Park final place is the prize for the winners of this one and while the scoreline may have been modest for St Fechin’s last time out, they had six different scorers, proof positive that different players can chip in when required.

Annaghdown flew the flag for Galway in the Intermediate final at Croke Park last year and now Caltra Cuans are aiming to follow in their footsteps.

Caltra Cuans were All-Ireland Junior club winners in 2010 and are now aiming for the Intermediate silverware 15 years on.

And they come into this one in good form, having won the Connacht final against St Barry’s from Roscommon by 3-9 to 0-9.

St Fechin’s: M Savage; M Corrigan, A Redmond, O Brennan; L Devery, R Beirth, L Devine; O McEvoy (capt.), C Nolan; A Johnston, A Briscoe, H McDonnell; R Kavanagh, R Howell, C Hynes.

Caltra Cuans: T Loughnane; C McCabe, N Conway, H Cullinane; A Murray, S Noone, C Ní Cheallaigh; D Kelly (capt.), A Fitzpatrick; R Bleahene, S Murray, C Mullins; C Murray, E Reaney, L Naughton.

AIB All-Ireland Junior Club Championship semi-final

Muckalee (Kilkenny) v Menlough Skehana (Galway); Muckalee GAA, Kilkenny, 2pm

Two Galway teams have previously contested an All-Ireland Junior club final.

Salthill-Knocknacarra (2022) and Caltra Cuans (2010) were both successful and now Menlough Skehana are hoping to emulate those feats.

A 2-10 to 1-10 victory over Roscommon’s Northern Harps sealed Connacht glory for Menlough Skehana and now they face a trip to Kilkenny to face a Muckalee side enjoying a dream season.

Victory over Meath’s St Colmcille’s saw Muckalee become the first Kilkenny club in 21 years to win the Leinster Junior title, before they accounted for London opponents St Kiernan’s at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage.

Now more history is within touching distance for Muckalee as they aim to become the very first team from Kilkenny to contest an All-Ireland club final.

Muckalee: S Corcoran; R Crowley, E Coonan, A Ring; E Coady, C Hanlon (capt.), J O’Keeffe; K Comerford, L Greene; H Moore, E Lawlor, K Purcell; S Bolger, E Keane, K Nolan.

Menlough Skehana: A Warde; S McManus, S Flattery, C Jordan; A Reilly, J Glynn, A Jordan; K Screene, K McManamon; R Dowd (capt.), E Barrett, A Scarry; L Kelly, T Mullins, C Flynn.

Ends