This post was originally published on this site.
Winning a fifth successive Antrim title earlier this year was routine for St Erngat’s, Moneyglass.
But lifting the Ulster Championship crown for the first time in November with an emphatic 3-10 to 0-6 final victory over Errigal Ciaran broke new ground for the Antrim club.
Now, having edged past Kilmacud Crokes 1-12 to 1-10 to book their place in their first All-Ireland Senior Club final, they have moved into uncharted waters.
Becoming the first side from Antrim to win a top-tier ladies football national club final would help them write their name in the history books and would be the perfect way to crown an unforgettable year for Maxi Curran’s side, who were only established in 1995.
Standing in their way, however, are the mighty Kilkerrin-Clonberne. The Galway powerhouses are going for five-in-a-row and are clear favourites.
Yet, given the fairytale year they have had so far, there is confidence in the Moneyglass camp that they can produce one more big performance as the underdog tag has served them well already this year.
“We’ve been building quietly this year, and I don’t know if anyone expected us to win that semi-final apart from in the camp and around the community,” said stalwart Cathy Carey, who won three All-Ireland junior titles with Antrim.
“We have taken it and have tried to push on from there and we know what a massive task ahead, but what a place to be in.
“We know they’re an excellent team and we know they’re going for five-in-a-row, but we’ll just focus on ourselves, we haven’t spoken too much about it to be honest.”
‘No one really believed we’d be here’ – Mallon
Moneyglass haven’t had much time to think of their opponents as they aim to continue to ride on the crest of a wave that has brought them to the brink of All-Ireland glory.
Reaching this stage of the competition was not initially on their radar this year, according to forward Eleanor Mallon, with finally winning an Ulster title their primary aim following a few near misses in recent years.
A quarter-final victory over Down champions Bredagh was followed by a three-point win over Armagh’s Clann Eireann – their nemesis in previous years – and they finished the job in the final against Errigal Ciaran to become Antrim’s first Ulster senior winners.
“It’s totally unknown territory for us. At the start of the year, we set out to win the Ulster championship, that was our goal,” she explained.
“We had done five-in-a-row was Antrim and the next step up is Ulster and we finally cracked the code this year.”
PacemakerTheir positive momentum rolled into the All-Ireland semi-final as they fought back from trailing 1-5 to 0-6 at the break in Pairc de Burca to knock out last year’s beaten finalists Kilmacud Crokes on their own patch, with Carey and Maria O’Neill key to the win.
Facing the four-in-a-row winners Kilkerrin-Clonberne, who saw off Waterford’s Comeragh Rangers 1-11 to 0-3 in the other last four encounter, is an even greater step up, but one Mallon believes her side are ready to embrace.
“You can prepare and train all you want and set goals, but when it comes to it, no one really believed we’d be standing here now preparing for an All-Ireland senior final,” she continued.
“Now we’re here, we’re under no illusions we can go and do it. We’re not naive either, we are very much aware of the mammoth task that lies ahead.”
While Carey steered focus away from talk of Kilkerrin-Clonberne and their push for five, Mallon tackled it head on and spoke of Moneyglass’ desire to create their own piece of history.
“They’re going for five-in-a-row, and someone has to stop them, no one can win forever and that’s true, the winning streak has to end and if someone is going to do it, I would like us to do it.”
