On Saturday afternoon our junior footballers travelled to Feenagh to take on Clare champions Coolmeen in the V.H.I. Munster Junior Club Championship final. Whilst there was widespread heavy rain on route to the match everybody was relieved to see the sun shining when they arrived at the pitch. Kildorrery took to the pitch injury free from the Munster semi final the previous Saturday. When the referee through in the ball their was a resounding response for the stand from both sets of fans. From the throw in both teams got down to the business at hand. Kildorrery had the best of the opening exchanges applying much early pressure on the Coolmeen defence resulting in a free to Kildorrery. Which unfortunately went wide. This would appear to have given Coolmeen more heart, which resulted in a break away in a four-player movement. With Kildorrery under severe pressure options were limited and this resulted in a penalty being awarded to Coolmeen.

Coolmeen Grace Lynch stepped up to take the kick and fortunately for Kildorrery her shot went narrowly over the crossbar. Kildorrery upped their game with a great point on the 8 minute from Rose Twohig from the left wing. They were now playing like through champions and again on the 15 minute Rose got her second point for Kildorrery. Immediately afterwards her sister Eleanor got on her shooting boots and added two further points for Kildorrery.

Coolmeen had to wait for the 26-minute for their second score, a point from Grace Lynch. In the last four minutes there were missed opportunities on both side and so the score at the interval read 0-2 to 0-4 in favour of Kildorrery

On the resumption both sides had early chances but the defences stood solid. Coolmeen went in front when a high dropping ball caught the Kildorrery defence off guard and substitute Josephine Fennessy deflected the ball to the Kildorrery net.

Kildorrery were lucky to escape when a Coolmeen point was disallowed and called back for a free by the referee, which fortunately went wide.

This miss gave new life to Kildorrery and a good point from Eleanor Twohig from a free kick brought the teams level. Again Coolmeen went ahead from the kick out with a great point on the right wing from Coolmeen captain Grace Lynch.

Kildorrery were pressing hard and this resulted in a foul by a Coolmeen player who was sin binned for the offence. Kildorrery took advantage of the numerical advantage when Joanne Hennessy soloed from her own half to kick a point to bring the teams level.

Substitutions and positional changes by Kildorrery yielded further pressure on the Coolmeen defence resulting in a free which Eleanor Twohig put over the bar to put Kildorrery back in front.

Niamh Hickey stretched the Kildorrery lead with a good point from play however Coolmeen came back with a pointed free from Grace Lynch to leave a minimum between the sides. Coolmeen responded and immediately lay siege on the Kildorrery goals and a goal seemed on the cards but a brilliant save from Kildorrery keeper Orlaith Murphy deprived Coolmeen of a possible winning score.

Kildorrery fired up with this save surged up field, this saw some desperate scrambling by the Coolmeen defence, the referee in his wisdom threw in the ball which substitute Niamh Walsh connected with and punched towards the goal however the Coolmeen keeper saved but the ball slipped away from her and Niamh Hickey pounced to rattle the net to the loud cheers of the Kildorrery supporters.

Both teams at this stage were playing with a never say die attitude. Coolmeen made one last surge down field but the Kildorrery defence stood solid and the ball went wide and the referee blew the final whistle. The final score read Kildorrery 1-8 Coolmeen 1-4.

The celebrations started straight away in the centre of the pitch and it took some time before the presentations could be made such were the elation of the Kildorrery panel mentors and supporters. Michael Ryan the chairman of the Munster council presented Rose Twohig with the player of the match award and the Kildorrery captain Mairead Noonan with the Munster Junior Club Championship Cup.

Credit for this victory must not alone go to the starting 15 but to everyone on the panel. Great credit for this victory must also go to Cathal O’Callaghan the team trainer and his selectors Emmet Kelly and Willie O’Connor.

On Saturday night the victorious team returned to the hill and they paraded from the GAA grounds through the main street lead by the Anglesboro pipe band where a great crowd had gathered on the main street to greet the Munster champions and their mentors. The team are now taking a well-earned rest this week and are back training this weekend in preparation for the All Ireland semi final, which will be played in Kildorrery on the weekend of the 11/12 November.

Thanks to everyone who made special efforts in decorating their premises in the club colours. And also to the local primary school that decorated the school and presented a good luck card to the girls containing all their names. There were some well-phrased posters on the approach roads courtesy of Gary and Julie Walsh

Team and Scorers
Kildorrrery: Orlaith Murphy, Caroline Coughlan, Deirdre Murphy,Eileen Mc Carthy,Caroline Hanley, Joanne Hennessy, Laura Hanley, Mairead Noonan (C), Eleanor Twohig, Shelly Twohig , Niamh Hennessy, Rose Twohig, Niamh Hickey , Trish O Callaghan, Annie O Callaghan , Valerie McCormack, Niamh Walsh, Eleanor O Gorman.
Coolmeen: Laura Handrahan, Eimear Greene, Fiona McMahon, Eimear McMahon, Ciara Cleary, Valerie McMahon, Lisa Farrell, Sinéad Eustace, Niamh Greene, Sinéad Moloney, Grace Lynch (0-4), Carmel Eustace, Marie Haugh, Aoife McMahon, Claire Haugh. Subs used: Josephine Fennessy (1-0), Ailish O'Rourke, Fiona Carey, Edel Meaney.