AFTER FOUR YEARS of hurt and heartbreak, Mourneabbey are finally All-Ireland senior club champions.
The five in-a-row Cork and Munster champions finally put three painful decider defeats (2014, 2015 and 2017) and a semi-final defeat (2016) to bed as they beat Dublin’s Foxrock-Cabinteely at Parnell Park and lifted the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup.
A masterclass from Doireann O’Sullivan — who finished with 0-6 — and a goal from Laura Fitzgerald proved vital on a day to remember for Shane Ronayne’s charges.
It was a dogged game played under Saturday Night Lights, and one which had it all — from sin-bins to missed penalties, two goals and superbly-taken points.
But on an evening when new champions were to be crowned, Mourneabbey finally got over the line while Fox-Cab must go again, after also losing out in the showpiece in 2016.
Like a team most definitely on a mission from the get-go, Mourneabbey sent out a stern statement of intent as Doireann O’Sullivan fired over two excellent points in the opening two minutes.
Their dream start, aided by a strong wind, continued further as Fox-Cab were reduced to 14 players with four minutes on the clock, Emma McDonagh sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle.
The Cork outfit capitalised on the numerical advantage from there, pointing 0-6 in McDonagh’s absence as opposed to Fox-Cab’s 0-1, that coming through an Amy Connolly free.
In that period, O’Sullivan’s superb form before the posts continued while Laura Fitzgerald and Ellie Jack (two) contributed stunning efforts.
Mourneabbey's Doireann O'Sullivan in action against Emma McDonagh. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
It took Pat Ring’s Fox-Cab 18 minutes to double their tally — and to get their first score from play through Hannah O’Neill — but they pushed on from there, coming into the game more and more.
Cork captain and four-time All-Star Ciara O’Sullivan grabbed her first of the day on 23 minutes, in between two more super points off the boot of her 23-year-old sister Doireann.
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The latter then intercepted Aisling Tarpey’s kick-out before laying it off to Fitzgerald, who palmed home to make it 1-11 to 0-3 in the 25th minute.
Fox-Cab responded immediately with a goal of their own at the other end, Fiona Claffey slotting home. Ciara O’Sullivan struck back with a point, leaving it 1-12 to 1-3 at the break.
Action from the game. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Scores were few and far between in a thoroughly dogged second half, just Sinead Goldrick and Eimear Harrington having pointed at both end until Amy Ring pointed 55th, 56th and 59th- minute frees to leave it 1-13 to 1-7.
Mourneabbey had a litany of chances to rattle the net further however. Around the 40th minute, they hit the crossbar twice in succession while Harrington put a 44th-minute penalty wide.
There was a glimmer of hope for Fox-Cab when Brid O’Sullivan was sin-binned but the brilliance of the opposing defenders, and of Maire O’Callaghan around the middle saw Mourneabbey finally over the line.
Scorers for Foxrock-Cabinteely: Amy Connolly (0-1, 1f), Hannah O’Neill (0-1), Amy Ring (0-3, 3f), Fiona Claffey (1-0), Sinead Goldrick (0-1).
Scorers for Mourneabbey: Doireann O’Sullivan (0-6, 3f), Laura Fitzgerald (1-2), Ellie Jack (0-2), Ciara O’Sullivan (0-2), Eimear Harrington (0-1).
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Fifth time lucky as Mourneabbey finally crowned All-Ireland club champions
Mourneabbey (Cork) 1-13
Foxrock-Cabinteely (Dublin) 1-7
Emma Duffy reports from Parnell Park
AFTER FOUR YEARS of hurt and heartbreak, Mourneabbey are finally All-Ireland senior club champions.
The five in-a-row Cork and Munster champions finally put three painful decider defeats (2014, 2015 and 2017) and a semi-final defeat (2016) to bed as they beat Dublin’s Foxrock-Cabinteely at Parnell Park and lifted the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup.
A masterclass from Doireann O’Sullivan — who finished with 0-6 — and a goal from Laura Fitzgerald proved vital on a day to remember for Shane Ronayne’s charges.
It was a dogged game played under Saturday Night Lights, and one which had it all — from sin-bins to missed penalties, two goals and superbly-taken points.
But on an evening when new champions were to be crowned, Mourneabbey finally got over the line while Fox-Cab must go again, after also losing out in the showpiece in 2016.
Like a team most definitely on a mission from the get-go, Mourneabbey sent out a stern statement of intent as Doireann O’Sullivan fired over two excellent points in the opening two minutes.
Their dream start, aided by a strong wind, continued further as Fox-Cab were reduced to 14 players with four minutes on the clock, Emma McDonagh sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle.
The Cork outfit capitalised on the numerical advantage from there, pointing 0-6 in McDonagh’s absence as opposed to Fox-Cab’s 0-1, that coming through an Amy Connolly free.
In that period, O’Sullivan’s superb form before the posts continued while Laura Fitzgerald and Ellie Jack (two) contributed stunning efforts.
It took Pat Ring’s Fox-Cab 18 minutes to double their tally — and to get their first score from play through Hannah O’Neill — but they pushed on from there, coming into the game more and more.
Cork captain and four-time All-Star Ciara O’Sullivan grabbed her first of the day on 23 minutes, in between two more super points off the boot of her 23-year-old sister Doireann.
The latter then intercepted Aisling Tarpey’s kick-out before laying it off to Fitzgerald, who palmed home to make it 1-11 to 0-3 in the 25th minute.
Fox-Cab responded immediately with a goal of their own at the other end, Fiona Claffey slotting home. Ciara O’Sullivan struck back with a point, leaving it 1-12 to 1-3 at the break.
Scores were few and far between in a thoroughly dogged second half, just Sinead Goldrick and Eimear Harrington having pointed at both end until Amy Ring pointed 55th, 56th and 59th- minute frees to leave it 1-13 to 1-7.
Mourneabbey had a litany of chances to rattle the net further however. Around the 40th minute, they hit the crossbar twice in succession while Harrington put a 44th-minute penalty wide.
There was a glimmer of hope for Fox-Cab when Brid O’Sullivan was sin-binned but the brilliance of the opposing defenders, and of Maire O’Callaghan around the middle saw Mourneabbey finally over the line.
Scorers for Foxrock-Cabinteely: Amy Connolly (0-1, 1f), Hannah O’Neill (0-1), Amy Ring (0-3, 3f), Fiona Claffey (1-0), Sinead Goldrick (0-1).
Scorers for Mourneabbey: Doireann O’Sullivan (0-6, 3f), Laura Fitzgerald (1-2), Ellie Jack (0-2), Ciara O’Sullivan (0-2), Eimear Harrington (0-1).
Foxrock-Cabinteely
1. Aisling Tarpey
2. Aedin Murray
3. Sarah Quinn
4. Emma McDonagh
5. Sinead Goldrick
6. Niamh Collins
7. Lorna Fusciardi
8. Tarah O’Sullivan
9. Ciara Ní Mhurchadh;
10. Laura Nerney
11. Amy Connolly
12. Fiona Claffey
13. Hannah O’Neill
14. Ciara O’Riordan
15. Amy Ring
Subs
21. Roisin McGovern for O’Riordan (HT)
18. Laurie Ahern for Laura Nerney (40)
22. Jodi Egan for Aedin Murray (51)
17. Sinead Delahunty for Lorna Fuscardi (53)
23. Hazel Dennedy for Amy Connolly (58)
Mourneabbey
1. Maebh O’Sullivan
2. Eimear Meaney
3. Cathy Ann Stack
4. Aisling O’Sullivan
5. Sandra Conroy
6. Roisin O’Sullivan
7. Kathryn Coakley
8. Maire O’Callaghan
9. Bríd O’Sullivan
10. Eimear Harrington
11. Ciara O’Sullivan
12. Niamh O’Sullivan
13. Ellie Jack
14. Laura Fitzgerald
15. Doireann O’Sullivan
Subs
17. Sile O’Callaghan for Ciara O’Sullivan — blood (17)
11. O’Sullivan for O’Callaghan (19)
17 Sile O’Callaghan for Laura Fitzgerald (42)
Referee: Brendan Rice (Down)
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