Brave Knockmore fall to Galway history makers
Knockmore’s Hannah Reape in action against Kilkerrin/Clonberne’s Siobhain Divilly during the AIB Connacht Club LGFA SFC final at Tuam Stadium last Sunday. Picture: David Farrell Photography
A heroic effort by the Knockmore ladies was unable to prevent Kilkerrin/Clonberne from making history as the reigning five-in-a-row All-Ireland champions won a ninth consecutive Connacht title last Sunday.
The victory for the Galway juggernaut meant they eclipsed Carnacon’s eight-in-a-row from 2006 to 2013, and they will be hot favourites to win sixth All-Ireland on the spin. The final scoreline is somewhat harsh as Kilkerrin/Clonberne were made to work very hard by the Mayo champions, who had got to within four points early in the second half before the experience of the Galway ladies saw them pull away in the final quarter.
“The girls gave it their all,” said Knockmore manager Frank Mulvihill after the game. “Couldn't really ask for any more from them. They were up against a very, very good team as we all know, five times All-Ireland winning champions. You don't beat them easily, but I'll tell you one thing, we gave them some fright there today from where I was standing anyways.”
Knockmore’s Amy O’Connor got the opening point of the game with a fine score inside the opening minute after great work by Shauna Howley, but Kilkerrin/Clonberne responded when Eva Noone picked out Louise Ward with a defence-splitting ball and Ward rolled the ball into the net.
Olivia Divilly and Noone punished Knockmore errors to extend their lead before Howley put O’Connor through on goal only to be denied by goalkeeper Lisa Murphy and then a superb block by Nicola Ward.
By the time Howley pointed a free to send over Knockmore’s second of the afternoon on 22 minutes, some poor fouls by the Saffron and Blue were ruthlessly punished by the right boot of Olivia Divilly, who kicked four frees in a ten-minute period to stretch their lead to eight before Howley stopped the rot.
“You look at the scores they got, the one thing I would be probably critical of is some of the frees we gave away in the first half,” said Mulvihill. “Some of them were very easy frees, a lazy tackle here and there, you know, and that makes a difference in on the scoreboard at the very end.”
The Kilkerrin/Clonberne defensive screen was outstanding in the first half, and O’Connor second point on 28 minutes was Knockmore’s final of the half, while Noone, a free, and a fine strike by Olivia Divilly made it 1-8 to 0-3 at half-time.
After Hannah Reape and Eva Noone traded the opening points of the second half, the game turned on its head when Howley somehow found a way through five Kilkerrin/Clonberne defenders before rifling the ball into the roof of the net.
Knockmore supporters were in full voice and when captain Lara Sweeney got her first of the day, the deficit was halved as the Mayo side trailed only be four, 1-9 to 1-5.
“We made up our minds in the dressing room at half time, look, we're going to go out, throw off the shackles. What have we to lose? Let's go in and give it our best shot.
“The ball couldn't have fell to a better player than Shauna and she did have to work very hard for that score, but she didn't give up,” said Mulvihill.
However, Kilkerrin/Clonberne are All-Ireland champions for a reason, and their response was a point from Nicola Ward and two from Niamh Divilly to bring the gap back to seven going into the final quarter, Nicola Ward then saw a thunderbolt of a strike cannon back off the crossbar, while Knockmore goalkeeper Grace Naughton pulled off a remarkable save with ten minutes to go to deny substitute Caitlin Boyle.
The energy expended by Knockmore up to this point was starting to show, and Nicola Ward, Eva Noone and Olivia Divilly put the result beyond doubt, while Howley and Sweeney pointed late on for Knockmore.
The Kilkerrin/Clonbern machine rolls on and the 2026 season for Knockmore comes to an end, but there is evidence the gap is closing.
“Big learning curve there today, so it is, and that experience is going to stand to our girls, lot of young girls in there. Great to win a county title and it's very difficult to win a county title,” said Frank Mulvihill.
“Sometimes you have to lose games to learn and to win from them. There's always learning to be taken out of defeat, even though on a day like today you might be thinking that way, and other girls aren't thinking that way.
“We'll go away, we'll regroup, and we'll come back as strong as ever again next year and stronger.”
Scorers - Kilkerrin/Clonberne: Olivia Divilly 0-0-7 (4f), Eva Noone 0-0-4 (1f), Louise Ward 1-0-0, Nicola Ward and Niamh Divilly 0-0-2 each.
Knockmore: Shauna Howley 1-0-2 (1f), Amy O’Connor and Lara Sweeney 0-0-2 each, Hannah Reape 0-0-1.
Kilkerrin/Clonberne: Lisa Murphy; Katelyn Mee, Sarah Gormally, Lisa Finnegan; Hannah Noone, Nicola Ward, Chloe Costello; Siobhan Divilly, Niamh Divilly; Olivia Divilly, Louise Ward, Aisling Madden; Eva Noone, Ailish Morrissey, Lynsey Noone. Subs: Caitlin Boyle (for L no one 49), Aoibhin Madden (For Finegan 53).
Knockmore: Grace Naughton; Caitlin Bourke, Emily Hughes, Siofragh Kelly; Emily Reape, Roisin Flynn, Nina McVann; Sarah Mulvihill, Hannah Reape; Amy O’Connor, Shauna Howley, Clíodhna Flynn; Ciara Durkan, Clodagh Keane, Lara Sweeney. Subs: Mia Traynor (for C Flynn 28), Marie Breslin (for Hughes 53), Sadhbh Staunton (for Howley 58-60+2 blood), S Howley and Áine Clarke (for McVann and Sweeney 60+2).
REF: John Niland (Sligo)
