Kilkerrin-Clonberne favourites for provincial nine in-a-row
Galway champions meet Knockmore of Mayo at Tuam Stadium
THOUGH they've never won a Connacht Senior Club Football Championship final on Galway soil, the ladies footballers of Kilkerrin-Clonberne have an opportunity to tick that particular box and capture what would be a record ninth straight provincial title, and 11th in total, against Mayo's Knockmore at Tuam Stadium on Sunday lunchtime (throw-in: 1pm).
Carnacon top the provincial roll of honour with 16 successes, but their longest winning sequence in the west came with an eight in-a-row stitched together during their most successful era between 2007 and '13 which also delivered four of their six All-Ireland crowns.
Kilkerrin-Clonberne are favourites to match Carnacon's haul of Dolores Tyrrell Cups next month and have been utterly dominant so far this season. They followed healthy returns of 1-15, 4-22, 1-20, 4-17 and 2-21 inside Galway with another 3-13 in last Saturday afternoon's Connacht semi-final against Leitrim's Glencar-Manorhamilton. 0-18 is the combined concession rate across six hours of football. An extraordinary statistic by any standards.
It's more opposition wearing saffron and blue this weekend as Knockmore make their second final appearance after Kilkerrin-Clonberne ran out 2-15 to 1-7 victors when the sides met at Swinford Amenity Park in 2023.
Knockmore added 2026 to previous Mayo titles won in '23 and ‘21. Westport were favourites to complete a three in-a-row until Burrishoole dethroned them at the last four stage. Knockmore defeated Kilmovee Shamrocks and then Burrishoole in the final with former Mayo star Shauna Howley scoring 2-4 and captain Lara Sweeney also netting in a 3-12 to 0-10 victory.
Knockmore travelled to Abbey Park on Sunday afternoon and defeated Roscommon champions Boyle by 1-8 to 1-10 in their own backyard. Clodagh Keane was their goal scorer while Sweeney top scored with five points. Boyle had beaten Sligo winners Eoghan Rua in the competition’s only quarter-final a week earlier.
Frank Mulvihill is Knockmore's manager after taking over from former Derry All-Ireland winner and well-known pundit Joe Brolly who parted ways with the north Mayo club in August, shortly before the championship.
Though it's set to be their sternest test to date, Kilkerrin-Clonberne go in as the hottest of favourites. There's also the added carrot of home venue advantage for an All-Ireland semi-final against Leinster champions Kilmacud Crokes from Dublin or Longford Slashers who meet Sunday week.
Two more provincial finals are also down for decision this weekend. 2025 All-Ireland runners-up St. Ergnat's, Moneyglass from Antrim and Monaghan's Donaghmoyne meet in the Ulster final. It's Aghada from Cork and Waterford's Gaultier in Munster.