Kilkerrin Clonberne show no mercy in round one of Galway Ladies Football Championship
MEMBERS of the All-Ireland winning Galway senior ladies football panel returned to action with their clubs in the opening round of the county championship at the weekend.
Kilkerrin Clonberne still remain the standout team and the reigning champions aim to win their 14th Galway ladies’ football championship in-a-row this season. There were wins too for Moycullen, Corofin and Caltra Cuans in the opening round of the championship
Group One
Kilkerrin Clonberne 1-15
Claregalway 0-1
The title holders cruised past Claregalway in Kilkerrin Clonberne GAA Grounds on Friday evening. Willie Ward’s side showed no signs of slowing down, even without the services of Olivia Divilly.
Claregalway have been the closest team to Kilkerrin Clonberne in recent seasons but the winners simply had too much for their opponents. Ailish Morrissey finished as a top scorer nailing an impressive 0-7, while Niamh Divilly continued her inter-county form onto the club scene, hitting 1-1. Galway star Kate Slevin was on target with Claregalway’s only point of the game.
Moycullen 2-12
Salthill Knocknacarra 1-9
Moycullen defeated neighbours Salthill Knocknacarra in a local derby at home on Friday evening. All-Ireland winning 1998 captain with Galway, Ray Silke is part of the Moycullen backroom team.
Emma Carter and Ella D’Arcy Devine combined for 2-7 between them to get Moycullen’s campaign off to a winning start. Current Galway ladies footballer Kate Thompson raised Salthill Knocknacarra’s only green flag.
Group Two
Corofin 3-12
Dunmore MacHales 1-11
COROFIN had too much for Dunmore MacHales, winning out by seven points. Roisin Leonard and Leanne Coen who have been in fine scoring form all year hit 2-6 between them, while Ella Zywczyk got the other goal for Padraig Kilcommins charges.
Megan Healy was on target with 1-1 for Dunmore MacHales, while Galway ladies footballer Sophie Healy, who has had injury trouble in recent seasons, chipped in with 0-2.
Caltra Cuans 1-12
Annaghdown 1-11
In the clash of the last two intermediate champions, Caltra Cuans edged past Annaghdown by the minimum on Saturday evening in Caltra GAA Club.
After falling short in the All-Ireland intermediate club final last December, Caltra Cuans marked their return to senior football with a hard-fought victory. Ciara and Saoirse Murray landed 1-9 for the winners.
Quinn sisters Bronagh and Riona were almost central to Annaghdown's effort to pull off a result away from home. Bronagh scored 1-2 and Riona finished with 0-1.
There is a break this weekend in the Senior Ladies Football Championship with the action getting back underway on the first weekend of September.
After suffering defeats in round one, Annaghdown and Dunmore MacHales face off in a crucial clash in Group Two on Friday, September 4 in Cregg. Caltra Cuans make the trip to Corofin at the same time.
In Group One, Salthill Knocknacarra and Claregalway will both look to bounce back on Saturday, September 5th in Knockdoemore. Moycullen will test themselves against the standard bearers of Galway football in Kilkerrin Clonberne in Clonberne on the same date.