Nov 30,2024
AIB ALL-IRELAND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS
SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER
Junior
Coolera/Strandhill (Sligo) v Mungret St Paul's (Limerick), Kilcoyne Park, Tubbercurry, 1.30pm
Intermediate
Mullahoran (Cavan) v Bennekenny/Tinryland (Carlow); Kingspan Breffni, Cavan, 2.30pm
Senior
Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) v Castleisland Desmonds (Kerry); Páirc de Burca, Stillorgan
SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER
Junior
Na Dúnaibh (Donegal) v Kilcock (Kildare); Na Dúnaibh GAA, Letterkenny, 1pm
Intermediate
Annaghdown (Galway) v O'Donovan Rossa (Cork), Annaghdown GAA, 1pm
Senior
Clann Éireann (Armagh) v Kilkerrin Clonberne (Galway); Clann Éireann GAA, 2.30pm
WATCH
All six semi-finals will be live-streamed and are available to purchase at https://www.247.tv/live/svmstreaming
WEATHER
Saturday: A cloudy day with patchy light rain, drizzle and mist spreading from the southwest in the morning. More persistent rain will develop in the west and southwest towards evening, spreading across much of Connacht and Munster after nightfall. A mild day with highest temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees in fresh and gusty southerly winds, increasing strong in the west and south later.
Sunday: Sunny spells and scattered showers spreading from the west through the day, some possibly turning heavy at times. Highest temperatures of 11 to 13 degrees, with moderate to fresh southwesterly winds, veering westerly by evening. For more go to met.ie
Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) v Castleisland Desmonds (Kerry)
Kilmacud Crokes pushed holders Kilkerrin-Clonberne all the way to extra-time in last year's semi-final – and the Dublin and Leinster champions will be looking to go one step further this time.
But they’ll get nothing easy from a Castleisland Desmonds side who recently captured the Munster title for the first time since 1986.
Crokes will look to Galway’s All-Star nominated goalkeeper Dearbhla Gower through to left corner forward, where former Dublin senior star Éabha Rutledge has been in superb form.
Gower's county team-mate Ailbhe Davoren is another player in form, while Crokes also have Cork’s Niamh Cotter and Aoife Kane, Molly Lamb, Grace Kós, Lauren Magee and Michelle Davoren to call upon, all players with recent inter-county experience in Dublin colours.
Throw Donegal’s Niamh Carr into the mix and it’s a potent Crokes line-up but Desmonds will look to the likes of Kerry stars Eilís Lynch, Cáit Lynch, Lorraine Scanlon and Julia Curtin for inspiration on their trip to the capital.
Former Ireland rugby captain Ciara O’Sullivan will captain the Kerry club from the centre of the park.
Kilmacud Crokes: D Gower; N Carr, E Sweeney (capt.), P Greene; A Kane, M Lamb, K Murray; G Kós, L Magee; N Cotter, A Davoren, L Kane; A Conroy, M Davoren, É Rutledge.
Castleisland Desmonds: J Drumm; H Herlihy, E Lynch, H Bourke; G Kearney, K O’Connor, C Lynch; L Scanlon, C O’Sullivan (capt.); A Curtin, A Murphy, A Leonard; L Walmsley, J Curtin, L Griffin.
Clann Éireann (Armagh) v Kilkerrin Clonberne (Galway)
With seven successive Connacht titles in the bank, Kilkerrin-Clonberne are now chasing a fourth successive All-Ireland crown.
Mayo’s Westport showed enough in the provincial decider to suggest that the gap is closing but Kilkerrin-Clonberne still eased to victory when the chips were down.
Now they face Clann Éireann and the Ulster champions have home advantage.
The Orchard outfit will feel they have some making up to do after losing 1-10 to 0-05 against Waterford’s Ballymacarbry in the 2023 semi-final.
They’ll look for a much-improved performance 12 months on but this is the ultimate test.
Kilkerrin-Clonberne have Nicola Ward, the Senior Players’ Player of the Year and All-Star, and twin sister Louise in their line-up, along with the Divilly sisters Niamh, Siobhan and recently-crowned All-Star, Olivia.
Clann Éireann arr anchored by county team captain Clodagh McCambridge, who’ll be joined by the likes of Roisin Mulligan, Dearbhla Coleman, Cait Towe, Niamh Coleman, Niamh Henderson, Tiarna Grimes and Niamh Murray. These are players with inter-county experience and every ounce of that will be needed against the visitors.
Clann Éireann: C Lawless; E Melanophy, C McCambridge, G Carville; R Mulligan, M McCann, D Coleman; C Towe, N Coleman; A Donohue, N Henderson (capt.), T Grimes; E McConaghy, N Murray, M McCambridge.
Kilkerrin-Clonberne: L Murphy; C Costello, S Gormally, N Divilly; K Mee, N Ward, H Noone; S Divilly, A Madden; O Divilly, L Ward (capt.), L Noone; E Noone, A Morrissey, C Miskell.
