AIB All-Ireland junior club final
Muckalee (Kilkenny) 1-13
Cromane (Kerry) 2-9
By Daire Walsh
Katie Nolan was the match-winner at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon as her successful free right at the death earned Muckalee an historic AIB All-Ireland junior club championship title at the end of an engrossing battle with Cromane of Kerry.
Having already broken new ground as the first side from Kilkenny to contest an All-Ireland club ladies football championship final, Muckalee responded to the concession of a brace of frees from Cromane’s Roisin Griffin with a fifth minute goal by midfielder Laura Greene.
Kate Purcell also added a point for Pat McDowell’s charges, before Cromane restored parity with unanswered efforts from Mary Kate Smith and Griffin. Yet Muckalee reasserted themselves with three points on the bounce courtesy of Kilkenny camogie star Nolan and this was supplemented by Purcell’s second score of the tie.
While Eimear Burke responded with a point for their Kerry counterparts, the impressive Nolan subsequently knocked over her third and fourth frees of the half to guide Muckalee towards a 1-7 to 0-5 interval buffer.
The Noresiders were also five in front after Nolan and Cromane substitute Maggie Quirke traded points, but the latter’s team had suffered a set-back moments earlier when defender Shannon Foley was yellow carded. Despite conceding another point to Purcell with a temporary numerical deficiency, Cromane got themselves back into contention as a result of Griffin slotting a penalty past Sarah Corcoran on 38 minutes.
Although Nolan settled Muckalee with her seventh of the day, Burke converted a second free to leave Cromane just three points in arrears heading into the final-quarter.
There was a slight let-off for the Kerry outfit when Nolan chipped a 48th minute penalty over the bar, but another free by the sharpshooter moved Muckalee five points clear and within sight of the silverware on offer.
A determined Cromane were not prepared to throw in the towel, however, and they dramatically wiped out their opponents’ lead when Burke and Mary Ellen McDonnell kicked points either side of Griffin’s second goal in the 58th minute.
It suddenly looked like a replay was going to be required to separate these teams, but when Muckalee were awarded a close-range free with just seconds remaining, the ice-cool Nolan kicked her tenth point of the game to ensure a Kilkenny club added their name to the competition’s roll of honour.
Scorers – Muckalee: K Nolan 0-10 (6f, 1 pen), K Purcell 0-3, L Greene 1-0. Cromane: R Griffin 2-3 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), E Burke 0-3 (3f), MK Smith, M Quirke, ME McDonnell 0-1 each.
MUCKALEE: S Corcoran; R Crowley, E Coonan, A Ring; E Coady, C Hanlon, J O’Keeffe; K Comerford, L Greene; H Moore, E Lawlor, K Purcell; S Bolger, E Keane, K Nolan.
CROMANE: E Murphy; N Burke, O Burke, S O’Donovan; S Corkery, O Dunphy, S Foley; L O’Sullivan, R Smith; M Duffy, MK Smith, E O’Sullivan; R Griffin, E Burke, S Harkin. Subs: ME McDonnell for Dunphy (16), M Quirke for Duffy (35), C Joy for Foley (43), M Duffy for O’Sullivan (56).
Referee: Eddie Cuthbert (Down).
