Saturday, Clonguish GAA club Co. Longford was to be the destination for two of the provinces Junior Mixed teams, as Kilmeena and Galway City Rapparees were to play out their all Ireland Semi finals.
Inniskeen, of Co. Monaghan were the team standing in the way of Kilmeena and their hopes of improving on last year’s semi final exit in the same competition. The Mayo outfit gained invaluable experience from their run last year, and this was evident from the start. They took a 4-1 lead in the first innings and a firm grip on the game. Three quick outs for the first four batters up in the second, whilst adding five more runs of their own set Inniskeen a big hill to climb to get back in the game. To their credit, Inniskeen never rolled over. Some fine catches outfield and great plays from their backstop stopped Kilmeena from running riot, but Kilmeena kept the opposition at bay, taking the victory 19-8 and with it, securing their first All Ireland final.
Over on the next pitch at the same time, Galway City Rapparees were to face last year’s beaten finalists, St Senans of Limerick. From the first innings, this was going to be a thriller. Rapparees had the best of the first two innings, leading 7-4 going into the third. Senans added three in third and kept the Galway team scoreless, honours even after three. This game would be going to the wire and the tension was starting to crank up.
Six runs by St Senans and only three by Galway, this game had turned on its head and the Limerick team now had the upper hand going into the last with a three run advantage, 13-10 to St Senans going into the final innings. A change of pitcher and therefore a change of pace by Galway in the fifth was a bold move, and it paid dividends. St Senans could only add one to their lead in the fifth, leading now by four runs.
Galway managed four, but at cost of two outs, the score was tied and the game was on a knife edge, the bases were loaded and it fell to Galway’s Clodagh Naughton to find a way to bring third base home and win the game. It takes guts not to swing in this situation, but Galway’s batter had them and she managed to force a walk on from the St Senans pitcher and thus, win the game.
With both Connacht teams through, the junior mixed title will definitely be coming to the province, we wish both Kilmeena and Galway City Rapparees all the very best in the final. All roads lead to Abbotstown, Dublin this Saturday. It’s gonna be a cracker.
