Carnacon suffer upset in provincial final

Kilkerrin/Clonberne ............ 3-4

Carnacon ............................. 1-8

DEFENDING All-Ireland champions have been dethroned.

The Mayo supremos were brought to their knees in this afternoon's Connacht Club Ladies SFC final at wind-swept Ballyhaunis by Galway challengers Kilkerrin/Clonberne.

Carnacon were on course to retain their crown when disaster struck four minutes from the end.

A two-point lead was wiped out by a stunning goal by the Galway side's captain, Louise Ward.

It was a blow from which Carnacon never recovered despite the spirited efforts of Cora Staunton, who registered 1-7, Michelle McGing, Amy Dowling, Fiona McHale and Sharon McGing.

Then Kilkerrin/Clonberne killed off the encounter with a point in the dying moments by substitute Claire Dunleavy.

The result bore testimony to the sporting maxim that goals win games.

Giving her reaction to the defeat, Carnacon's Fiona McHale said the victors deserved credit for their determination and perseverance.

As regards her side's display, she said it was a success to get a team onto the pitch to defend the title in the first place due to all that happened off the pitch in recent weeks.