Muckalee (Kilkenny) 3-6

Menlough-Skehana 1-4

By Nickey Brennan in Muckalee

GALWAY junior ladies football champions Menlough-Skehana fell at the penultimate hurdle in the All-Ireland championship in Muckalee on Sunday.

Though a point ahead at the interval, Menlough-Skehana struggled on the resumption against their hosts and can have few complaints about the outcome.

Instead, Muckalee of Kilkenny continued their incredible run in this year’s LGFA Junior Club football championship with a powerful second half display which saw them carry the day by eight points. Home advantage was undoubtedly a significant advantage for the winners, with big local support driving them on.

Despite the long journey from the West by the Galway and Connacht champions, they started the game impressively and had the Muckalee defence under strong pressure. Centre half forward Emma Barrett was unlucky to see a powerful shot skim the goalpost in the opening moments. That was a big let-off for the home side.

Enjoying the bulk of the early possession with strong performances from midfielder Kate McManamon and forwards Emma Barrett and Tessa Mullins, Menlough-Skehana could not land a score in the opening five minutes with the Muckalee defence outstanding.

In one of their first attacks of the game Katie Nolan, the Kilkenny senior camogie star, landed the opening point for Muckalee on six minutes after good build up play. Both sides were guilty of missing a number of close in frees in the opening half, particularly Muckalee.

Menlough-Skehana finally started to make better use of their possession in the second quarter. Tessa Mullins, the former Galway United player, levelled the game from a free on seven minutes.

Over the next nine minutes, the Galway champions capitalised on a number of handling errors by the home side. Rachel Dowd and Tessa Mullins both pointed from play to open up a two point lead.

Subsequently, a short kick-out from Muckalee was intercepted by corner forward Chloe Flynn who finished impressively to the Muckalee net. The pressure was now on the home side to respond and they did so in emphatic fashion.

Pictured: Aoife Reilly of Menlough-Skehana tries to halt the progress of Muckalee’s Sian Bolger during the All-Ireland Club Ladies Football Junior semi-final in Muckalee on Sunday. Photos: Matt Browne/Sportsfile.