Preview: Weekend's AIB All-Ireland Club Ladies Football Finals

By Jackie Cahill

AIB All-Ireland Club Championship silverware is up for grabs over the coming weekend – with clubs from Antrim, Cavan, Galway, Kerry and Kilkenny all in the reckoning.

There’s a double-header at Croke Park on Saturday – and Galway clubs will be aiming for victory on the double.

Caltra Cuans from the county take on Cavan’s Knockbride in the Intermediate decider at 2pm, followed by the meeting of Galway’s Kilkerrin-Clonberne, aiming for five-in-a-row, and first time finalists St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass, from Antrim in the senior showpiece at 4pm.

On Sunday, attention switches to the Junior final between Muckalee, the first Kilkenny club ever to appear in an All-Ireland Ladies club football final, and Kerry opponents Cromane. That game gets underway at 2pm at Parnell Park.

Saturday December 13

AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship Final

Caltra Cuans (Galway) v Knockbride (Cavan), Croke Park, 2pm, TG4

A season that has offered drama, surprise and rising new powerhouses reaches its climax this weekend. The first of the 2025 AIB All-Ireland club finals is the Intermediate decider between Caltra Cuans from Galway and Cavan’s history-makers, Knockbride.

It is a pairing few could have predicted when the club season got underway but both clubs arrive in confident mood after standout All-Ireland semi-final victories and with very different strands of history tugging at their jerseys.

For Caltra Cuans, the motivation is layered. Their gritty semi-final win over St Fechin’s of Louth - a contest defined by stubborn defending and a late surge of attacking flair - underlined their resilience and experience. But it is the weight of county tradition that provides the deeper narrative. The last Galway club to lift this trophy was Annaghdown back in 2016, a triumph that followed earlier successes for Claregalway (2013), St Brendan’s (2001) and Kilkerrin-Clonberne (1999). Those victories are woven into Galway’s club folklore, a reminder that the county has long been a force at this grade.

Caltra Cuans are determined to add their name to that lineage and they arrive at Croke Park full of belief. That belief was evident against St Fechin’s, as Caltra absorbed pressure, struck clinically on the break and showed a maturity that has marked them as one of the most composed outfits in the competition.

Standing in their way, however, is a Knockbride team writing its own entirely new chapter. Their semi-final triumph over Cork champions Naomh Abán was a hard-fought one, on a 0-4 to 0-3 scoreline. Ellie Reilly’s second half score proved the difference as Knockbride became the first Cavan club ever to qualify for an AIB All-Ireland Intermediate final, a breakthrough moment that has sent excitement rippling through the county.

If Caltra carry the momentum of tradition, Knockbride carry the momentum of possibility. The team’s mix of youthful energy and seasoned leadership has proven a potent blend, none more so than in that semi-final win where their composure under pressure belied their lack of All-Ireland series experience.

The tactical battle will prove intriguing but, beyond that, this is a contest rich in human stories - Galway tradition against Cavan breakthrough, expectation versus exploration, the familiar versus the newly forged. Whether Caltra Cuans will restore their county to the Intermediate roll of honour or Knockbride will etch Cavan’s name there for the very first time, this final has all the ingredients to be a potential classic.

This is what all club players aim for at the start of their campaigns and the day has arrived for Caltra Cuans and Knockbride. Now we wait to see if it’ll be Denise Kelly (Caltra Cuans) or Sarah McCabe (Knockbride) picking up the silverware in the Hogan Stand at full-time.

Caltra Cuans: T Loughnane; C McCabe, N Conway, H Cullinane; A Murray, S Noone, C Ní Cheallaigh; D Kelly (capt.), A Fitzpatrick; R Bleahene, S Murray, C Mullins; C Murray, E Reaney, L Naughton.

Knockbride: K Mulvey; A Rogers, A Lynch, N Rogers; E Lynch, S O’Reilly, N Smith; T Rogers, K.M. Reilly; G McCabe, S McCabe (capt.), A Nulty; R Davey, K Rogers, A Connor.

AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Final

Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway) v St. Ergnat’s, Moneyglass (Antrim), Croke Park, 4pm – Live on TG4 App and Player, and on Spórt TG4 YouTube

When the curtain rises at Croke Park, the stakes could not be higher. Kilkerrin-Clonberne, the West of Ireland powerhouse from Galway, stand on the brink of history and a fifth successive AIB All-Ireland Senior Club title would cement a dynasty. Their opponents, St Ergnat’s, Moneyglass, are Antrim’s rising Ulster force and aiming to bring the top prize to the province for the first time in nearly a decade.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne’s bid for five-in-a-row carries the weight of expectation. They have made the final in six consecutive seasons and know exactly what it takes at this level. In the semi-final, they underlined their credentials with a commanding 1-11 to 0-3 win over Munster champions Comeragh Rangers. What began as a tight first half turned into a dominant display after the break, with players such as Eva Noone, Player of the Match in last year’s AIB All-Ireland Senior club final, and TG4 All-Star, Olivia Divilly, stunningly effective as the holders pulled clear.

Meanwhile, St Ergnat’s have risen through the ranks to produce a storybook run. Under the guidance of former Donegal boss Maxi Curran, they captured the Ulster title - and did so in style - before travelling south to face Dublin giants Kilmacud Crokes in the All-Ireland semi-final. In a pulsating encounter at Páirc de Burca, St Ergnat’s held their nerve to prevail by 1-12 to 1-10, with the experienced pair Cathy Carey and Maria O'Neill combining for a haul that proved decisive. In the process, St Ergnat’s achieved a landmark victory against a Crokes side that contested last year’s All-Ireland final.

That victory broke new ground for St Ergnat’s, as they are the first Antrim club to reach a top-tier All-Ireland senior club final. You have to go back to 2016, when Monaghan’s Donaghmoyne were successful, for the last time that an Ulster club was victorious in an All-Ireland Senior club final. Opportunity knocks for St Ergnat’s but it won’t be a simple against a team that has done it all – and won it all.

Two contrasting journeys set the stage for what promises to be a classic. On one side, seasoned winners accustomed to title-deciding big-days; on the other, debutants brimming with belief and an underdog spark.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne’s strengths are obvious: know-how in big matches, a settled spine and the experience of having navigated this road successfully. They will expect to dominate possession, press quickly, and exploit any early frailties in the St Ergnat’s defence.

St Ergnat’s, though, carry momentum. Their semi-final performance showed composure under pressure, forward players willing to take scoring chances, and a resilient defensive effort. If they can unsettle Kilkerrin-Clonberne early on and keep the game tight into the second half, they stand a real chance. The experience may favour the Galway representatives, but the hunger and freshness of their Antrim opponents could level the playing field.

Ultimately, the final promises to be a collision of pedigree and ambition — a seasoned champion against a brave challenger hungry for glory. Will Kilkerrin-Clonberne make history with five-in-a-row, or will Moneyglass light up Croke Park with a first-ever senior club crown for Antrim? Saturday’s final will provide the answers.

St Ergnat’s: A Devlin; C Graffin, N McIntosh (capt.), L Stewart; A Leahy, S O’Neill, R Bradley; A Kelly, E.L. McAreavey; C Griffin, M O’Neill, L McCann; B Devlin, C Carey, E Mallon.

Kilkerrin-Clonberne: L Murphy; L Finnegan, S Gormally, K Mee; H Noone, N Ward, N Divilly; S Divilly, A Madden; O Divilly, L Ward (capt.), L Noone; E Noone, C Miskell, C Costello.

Sunday December 14

AIB All-Ireland Junior Club Championship Final

Cromane (Kerry) v Muckalee (Kilkenny), Parnell Park, 2pm, Live on LGFA Facebook and LGFA YouTube

History will hang in the winter air at Parnell Park as Muckalee of Kilkenny and Cromane of Kerry collide in the AIB All-Ireland Ladies Junior Club Football Championship final. It is a pairing rich in narrative: a Kilkenny club contesting an All-Ireland Ladies Football final for the very first time, against a Kerry side seeking to extend the Kingdom’s proud record in this competition.

For Muckalee, the journey has already broken new ground. In a county synonymous with hurling greatness, Ladies Football has traditionally had to fight for space, attention and resources. Yet the northeast Kilkenny outfit have risen with remarkable purpose, charting a path that has invigorated the sport locally. Their run through Leinster showcased their growing confidence, but it was their All-Ireland semi-final win over Galway champions Menlough Skehana that truly reverberated across Kilkenny – and beyond.

That victory didn’t just book a place in the decider; it etched Muckalee into the county’s sporting story. Sunday, then, is uncharted territory, but also a landmark moment that could signal a new era.

Managerially and tactically, Muckalee enter with a grounded belief. Their defensive solidity has been a hallmark of their campaign, while their counter-attacking pace has repeatedly punished opponents. The blend of emerging youth talent with battle-hardened campaigners has created a balanced, resilient outfit.

Standing across from them will be Cromane, a club steeped in the traditions that come with Kerry football. They arrive not merely as Munster champions but as the next side from the Kingdom aiming to write their name alongside Na Gaeil (2013), Abbeydorney (2004) and Beaufort (1997) - three Kerry clubs who have all lifted this very trophy. The green-and-gold influence on the Junior grade is undeniable, and Cromane travel with both pedigree and expectation.

Their semi-final triumph over Cavan Gaels underlined their credentials. While the scoreline suggested comfort, Cromane’s discipline and patience were what impressed neutrals most. Structurally strong, swift in transition and confident in front of goal, they have the tools to trouble any opponent. This is a side that has been building for several seasons, developed from a core group who have grown up together in the sport and expanded by a new wave of athletic, attack-minded players.

What makes this final so enticing is the contrast in background but the similarity in approach. Both teams thrive on work-rate, both are lean on powerful runners from deep. Both have shown the ability to absorb pressure and turn games in bursts. And both are playing with a sense of mission: Cromane to extend a Kerry legacy, Muckalee to break down barriers for a county forging its identity in Ladies Football.

Parnell Park, with its intimate atmosphere, is an ideal stage. Expect a crowd buoyed by the novelty of Kilkenny’s appearance and the travelling Kerry faithful who rarely miss an opportunity to chase silverware.

When the final whistle blows, either a new chapter will be added to Kerry’s storied involvement in this competition, or Kilkenny’s rising footballing pioneers will have delivered one of the most symbolic victories the All-Ireland club championship has ever seen.

Whatever the outcome, the 2025 final promises to be a moment where history and ambition meet head-on.

Cromane: E Murphy; N Burke, O Burke, S O’Donovan; S Corkery, O Dunphy, S Foley; L O’Sullivan, R Smith; M Duffy (capt.), M.K. Smith, E O’Sullivan; R Griffin, E Burke, S Harkin.

Muckalee: S Corcoran; R Crowley, E Coonan, A Ring; A Coady, C Hanlon (capt.), J O’Keeffe; K Comerford, L Greene; H Moore, E Lawlor, K Purcell; S Bolger, E Keane, K Nolan.