Champions are pushed all the way for latest crown

Westport 1-8

By Martin Nally in Swinford

Kilkerrin-Clonberne were pushed all the way by first-time finalists, Westport, in Sunday’s Connacht final, as Willie Ward's side claimed a seventh consecutive title at Amenity Park in Swinford.

Few would have given the youthful Mayo outfit any chance against their all-conquering opponents, but Pop Geraghty’s team, buoyed on by their huge support, asked questions of the three-in-a-row All Ireland winners that hadn’t been asked this season.

It seemed like it was business as usual when Kilkerrin-Clonberne led 0-10 to 0-4 after the 20th minute mark but then Westport enjoyed a real purple patch, and could have easily led at the break was it not for the brilliance of the Tribeswomen goalkeeper, Lisa Murphy.

She produced two top-class saves before she was eventually beaten two minutes into the second-half by the impressive Laura Moran, whose goal put just two points between the sides.

The Westport faithful sensed a major upset was on the cards, especially when the Galway champions captain, Louise Ward, was sinbinned in the 43rd minute. However, Kilkerrin-Clonberne showed exactly why they are the force they are as they outscored the Mayo ladies by 1-3 to no score in the last quarter to claim their ninth Connacht crown in the past 11 years.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne came into this final on the back of a 28-point victory over Glencar Manorhamilton in a Connacht semi-final where they kept their opponents scoreless. It was in keeping with their ruthless nature in their passage to Sunday’s final, with Claregalway getting the closest to the 12-in-a-row Galway champions when they were defeated by 17 points when the two sides met in the Galway championship.

Westport’s journey to the final wasn’t as plain sailing, but was equally as impressive. They had defeated 14-time Connacht Champions Carnacon as well as dethroning last year’s Mayo County winners, Knockmore, before prevailing in an epic Connacht semi-final last week over Sligo's Eoghan Rua.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne were the red-hot favourites on Sunday and started on the front foot when Ailish Morrissey got the game's first point. Although Laura Moran responded with a free for the Connacht final debutants, Kilkerrin-Clonberne asserted their authority with three Eva Noone points.

Her third point could easily have been a goal as she was on the end of a brilliant pass by Morrissey that saw her bearing down on the Westport goal, but she opted to pop it over rather than under the bar to give her side an 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the sixth minute.

Pictured: The Kilkerrin/Clonberne squad that captured the Connacht title, back row, from left: Aisling Gilligan, Kasey Flynn, Karen Finnegan, Aoibheann Madden, Aisling Madden, Chloe Costello, Jane Collins, Niamh Divilly, Siobhan Divilly, Olivia Divilly, Sarah Gormally, Nicola Ward, Ailish Morrissey, Laura McGann, and Orna Costello. Front: Ava Costello, Aine Shaughnessy, Lynsey Noone, Annemarie Boyle, Niamh Feeney, Eva Noone, Louise Ward, Lisa Murphy, Hannah Noone, Leah Pettit, Katlyn Mee, Caitlin Boyle, Chloe Miskell, and Eadaoin Hynes. Photos: John McDermott.