To win five Championships in a row is almost unfathomable, scarcely heard of in the game of Gaelic Football, Hurling, Ladies Football and Camogie. Yes, the Dublin footballers have done it, the Camogie teams of Dublin and Kilkenny have done it, and the Ladies footballers of Cork and Kerry have done it. But to reach such incredible highs at club level is something else.
To win one's County championship, starting training on wet January nights and holding standards right the way through to the October County Final, then knuckling down and returning to wet and muddy pitches to claim a provincial crown, and follow that up by besting the finest teams in the land in the All-Ireland series, is Gaelic Games' tallest order. But to return and do that five times in a row is simply nonsensical.
Waterford's Ballymacarbry are the only club to ever achieve this feat, between 1989 and 1995 in Ladies Football. No club in any code has ever achieved this, apart from the Waterford dynasty. On Saturday at 4 pm in Croke Park, Kilkerrin-Clonberne aim to become the only other club to add themselves to the most exclusive of exclusive lists in sport.
In Birr in 2021, when Kilkerrin-Clonberne avenged their 2019 final defeat to Mourneabbey, they felt on top of the world. Few who were present in St. Brendan's Park on that famous day would have foretold the empire that Willie Ward would build over the next four years.
Reverse back to the Gaelic Grounds in late November 2019. It Kilkerrin-Clonberne's first-ever All-Ireland Final, and the sides were deadlocked with less than a minute remaining. With the game seemingly headed for extra time, Laura Fitzgerald stepped up with just 20 seconds left on the clock to give Cork's Mourneabbey their second All-Ireland title in a row. It was heartbreak for the East Galway side. But they would be back. Their day was to come.
Nine of the fifteen that started on that devastating night in Limerick started in this year's All-Ireland semi-final victory over Comeragh Rangers. Sarah Gormally, Nicola Ward, Louise Ward, Hannah Noone, Lynsey Noone, Eva Noone, Lisa Murphy, Olivia Divilly and Siobhán Divilly all started in both games, with Chloe Costello and Chloe Miskell starting in the milestone 2021 victory. This is a testament to the solid core of this team, as well as the drive and hunger within the ranks.
After Willie Ward led them to that 2021 title in Birr, Kilkerrin-Clonberne went on to claim their next three titles at Croke Park. 2022 saw them beat Monaghan's Donaghmoyne; the following year, they beat the record holders, Ballymacarbry and last year they saw off Dublin's Kilmacud Crokes.
Their drive for five began with Galway Championship group stage victories over Salthill Knocknacarra, Claregalway and Corofin. They dismantled Maigh Cuilinn in the semi-final before brushing past Claregalway again in the final by 2-16 to 0-6. It was business as usual for the Kilkerrin-Clonberne machine as they claimed their 13th consecutive county title.
From there, Kilkerrin-Clonberne moved on to the Connacht Championship, where they faced a tough away trip to Westport. Despite a battling performance from the Mayo champions, Kilkerrin-Clonberne moved up the levels to advance to the decider after a 1-17 to 2-7 victory. The final was played in Castlerea against Roscommon's St. Brigid's, and with the East Galway side getting into their flow, they eased to a 3-21 to 9 points victory to claim an eighth successive provincial crown.
The All-Ireland semi-final saw the visit of Comeragh Rangers to Clonberne. The home semi-final proved difficult, however, with the Galway and Connacht Champions finding the Waterford side difficult to break down. At halftime, the home side led 1-1 to 0-2, but they found their groove in the second half, with Eva Noone, Olivia Divilly, and Hannah Noone keeping the drive for five alive and sending them back to Croke Park.
Their opponents, St. Ergnat's, Moneyglass, shocked the nation, producing a stunning display of discipline and spirit to defeat last year's beaten finalists, Kilmacud Crokes. In the Antrim County Final, they overcame St. Paul's by 1-16 to 0-4 before taking out Bredagh of Down in the Ulster quarter-final. They then took a huge scalp, knocking out Ulster Ladies Football giants Clann Éireann of Armagh by 2-5 to 0-8 before pulling apart Errigal Ciarán of Tyrone in the Ulster Final. It has been very much an underdog story for the women of Antrim.
Kilkerrin-Clonberne will be under no illusions coming into this historic battle. They will know that this St. Ergnat's side are capable of upsetting the agenda and turning over top dogs. Croke Park will be a sea of red on Saturday afternoon, as those proud supporters from the two parishes will make that familiar trip up the road to Dublin. It will be a final for the ages, and if Kilkerrin-Clonberne can seal victory, they will carve their name in history forever, as one of only two club teams in the land to do the impossible.
In the build-up to the final, John Mulligan was talking to Kilkerrin-Clonberne manager Willie Ward about the momentous occasion...
John also caught up with Kilkerrin-Clonberne Captain Louise Ward, who gave her thoughts on the opponents and the journey to the final so far...
Kilkerrin-Clonberne's Katelyn Mee spoke to John Mulligan ahead of Saturday's All-Ireland Final against St. Ergnat's, Moneyglass. She spoke about the special bond in the camp, about breaking into a star-studded team, and coming back from the heartbreak of the 2019 All-Ireland Final loss...
Kilkerrin-Clonberne's Chairperson Freddy Gannon spoke to John Mulligan ahead of Saturday's All-Ireland Final in Croke Park. He spoke about the semi-final victory over Comeragh Rangers and the preparations in the club ahead of the big day...
Michael Divilly, father of Kilkerrin-Clonberne stars Niamh, Siobhán and Olivia, spoke to John Mulligan ahead of the All-Ireland Final. He spoke about coming back from the final loss in 2019 and discussed where the drive in the club comes from...
Tom Silke, committee member at Kilkerrin-Clonberne, spoke to John Mulligan ahead of the All-Ireland Final against St. Ergnat's, Moneyglass. He discussed the committee at the club and the condition of the pitch for the home All-Ireland semi-final against Comeragh Rangers...
