Banner Ladies lost out to Cork champions Mourneabbey in the Munster Senior Ladies Football final by twelve points.
Mourneabbey 2-16
Banner Ladies 1-06
Venue: Mallow
Coming up against a three in a row chasing Mourneabbey was never going to be easy for the Banner and the task wasn’t helped by the decider being played in their opponents backyard. Nonetheless the deserved winners came out on top and now advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where they will meet Ulster champions Donaghmoyne the pairing for last year’s club final.
In a repeat of the 2014 provincial decider the Banner failed to take advantage of an extra player and the wind in the first half. Mourneabbey goaled inside the opening quarter with Ciara O’Sullivan raising the green flag, O’Sullivan was later sinbinned as the half progressed but the Clare champions still couldn’t control the game and they trailed by five points at the break.
It was a comfortable victory in the end as Mourneabbey struck for goal once more, this time via Laura Harrington. The experienced Niamh Keane added a consolation goal for the Banner as the game progressed but the greater strength of the Cork girls saw them secure their third consecutive Munster title.
Goalkeeper Emma O’Driscoll was very impressive for the Banner and only for her the margin would have been much greater, such was the strength of her display that she collected the player of the game award despite being on the losing team.