Comeragh Rangers rule supreme in style to land elusive Munster title
The Comeragh Rangers team, officials and fans celebrate their Munster Club Senior Ladies Championship final win over Southern Gaels at Mallow GAA on Sunday last. Photos: Noel Browne
November 2, 2025, will live in the lives of many in the Rathgormack and Clonea areas for a long time to come.
Shortly after Rathgormack won a third Conway Cup in a row on Sunday last in Dungarvan, just under 80km up the N72, the ladies of the area were showing that they too can play football against the very best, as they won a first-ever Munster Senior Ladies Football Championship, beating a fancied Southern Gaels side from Kerry at the Mallow GAA Complex.
This was a battle that went right to the wire. Comeragh Rangers were by far the better of the sides in the opening half and were full value for their 1-9 to 0-3 lead as they headed to the dressing rooms under the stand.
However, in the second half, whatever was said in the Kerry side's dressing room obviously worked, as, to borrow and change what former TD Ivan Yates recently said, they came out to scare the bejaysus of their opponents, and it nearly worked.
The two sides are no strangers to each other on the field. Two years ago, they met in the Munster B Final, a competition for sides beaten in their respective county finals, and on that occasion the Waterford side ran out 3-9 to 1-14 winners.
For that game, the Kerry side were without inter-county forward Siofra O’Shea and have added the talented Muireann Teahan to their side since, and were fancying their chances heading into this game.
Katie Murray opened the scoring for Comeragh Rangers, and Ava Connolly quickly added a second to give their side a two-point advantage with as many minutes played.
Rachel Dwyer levelled matters when she put over a brace of frees, but this was as close as they would get all afternoon.
Mairead and Eibhlin Power pointed for Comeragh Rangers before Mayers Lyons pulled a point back after 10 minutes. This, however, would be their side's last score of the half.
Ava Connolly and Emma Murray helped stretch their sides' lead before Clodagh Power put over a point from a free with the wind at her back that in the men’s game would have counted for two points, but only one, for now in the ladies' game.
The game’s only goal came six minutes out from the break. Emma Murray intercepted a pass out of defence and found her sister Katie, who shot over the head and out of the reach of Mary Ellen Bolger to give the Waterford champions a 1-7 to 0-3 lead.
Further points from Clodagh and Mairead Power helped increase the Comeragh Rangers' lead heading into the break. Still, they were unlucky not to be even further in front as Katie Murray saw an effort come off the post, as did Mairead Power earlier in the game.
The Kerry side were first out for the second half, with Comeragh Rangers only coming out after a linesman went to the dressing room area.
Jess Gill opened the second half scoring for the Kerry Champions and when they followed up with scores from Mayers Lyons, Rachel Dwyer, Anna Galvin and then a brace by Jess Gill, midway through the second half the Kerry side had reduced the Comeragh Rangers ' nine-point advantage at the break to three midway through the second half, with Comeragh Rangers finding it hard to get deep into the Southern Gaels' half of the field to cause them trouble.
Clodagh Power saw an effort from a free called back for a foul after an advantage to Katie Murray came to nothing, but she saw her effort go wide of the upright.
With five minutes of the second to play, Comeragh Rangers had not scored since Mairead Power pointed in added time at the end of the opening half, but they put that right when Eibhlin Power pointed as the game entered its final minutes.
Points from Rachel Dwyer and Jess Gill at the other end followed to leave two (1-10 to 0-11) between the sides with seconds of the allotted sixty minutes to play, and the game there for either side to win.
In the end, it was Comeragh Rangers that showed the greater hunger, as Clodagh Power put some daylight between the sides, and deep in stoppage time, Sarah Connolly secured the title for the Waterford Champions with a point.
Katie Murray 1-1, Clodagh Power 0-3 (1f), Ava Connolly, Mairead Power, Eibhlin Power 0-2 each, Sarah Connolly, Emma Murray 0-1 each.
Rachel Dwyer (3f), Jess Gill 0-4 each, Mayers Lyons 0-2, Anna Galvin 0-1.
Abbey Norris; Kaylynn Broxson, Trish Kelly, Orlaith Kennedy; Shauna Dunphy, Cora Murray, Kate Hahessy; Emma Murray, Keeley Corbett Barry; Áine Power, Mairead Power, Ava Connolly; Clodagh Power, Eibhlin Power, Katie Murray.
Sarah Connolly for Kate Hahessy (44'), Ellen Bolger for Eibhlin Power (62').
Mary Ellen Bolger; Clodagh Dwyer, Emily O’Sullivan, Kiera Furey; Jess Gill (0-04), Anna Galvin (0-01), Cara McCrohan; Shonagh Fitzpatrick, Muireann Teahan; Mayers Lyons (0-02), Ellie O’Connell, Katie Foster; Siun Fitzgerald, Siofra O’Shea, Rachel Dwyer (0-04, 3f).
Megan O’Connell for Siun Fitzgerald (ht), Aoibhinn Fitzgerald for Clodagh Dwyer (53).
David Grogan (Tipperary).
