*Karen Galvin. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
WINNING know-how helped Kilmurry Ibrickane overcome Fergus Rovers in Sunday’s Clare LGFA senior decider.
Arguably their most experienced player is corner forward Karen Galvin and she played a key role in Sunday’s victory, scoring two goals in the opening half when they faced a strong breeze.
“I have been playing adult football for about twenty years and some of the team weren’t even born when I started. The group is so talented with some really brilliant young girls in the squad”, she explained.
After winning the intermediate title in 2013 the club didn’t field in the ensuing years and Karen and some of the girls played with other clubs. “We struggled for numbers in those years as emigration took a toll. Two of this year’s side, Sophie Daly and Ciara Hickey spent some time overseas before returning this year”, Karen told The Clare Echo.
The club reformed in 2020 and won the intermediate title again. “We managed to stay up in 2021. In 2022 we played the league without a management team”, the star forward who was listed as player/manager that year recalled. “We got to the semi-final of the senior championship in 2024 and a year later we went all the way and captured the title for the first time”.
According to Karen who has filled many roles in the club “winning for the first time in 2024 was a massive achievement. We dropped off a bit last year and we were very disappointed to lose to the Banner in the semi-final. There was a determination to bounce back this year and we trained hard and put in a lot of work. Winning for the first time means a lot but a second is a big deal as it shows that the first wasn’t a flash in the pan and we wanted to show that we were deserving winners in 2024”.
Continuing Karen said “we live and breathe football in this parish, it’s a huge part of everyone’s life. There is a lot of activity around the field every day. We went to the national schools in the parish on Monday with the cup and it was great to see what it meant to the kids who could be in our position someday if they continue to train. We took the cup to the secondary school in Spanish Point on Tuesday. It’s really nice to see all the homes in the parish decked out in the green and red and with the men’s team in the final on Sunday next it’s great for the parish. Hopefully our win will prove a big boost to the men who face a very good side in Eire Og but anything can happen in a final and we will all be behind our men’s team on Sunday”.
Acknowledging that he side “got a great start in Sunday’s final”, she added “we don’t start well generally”. Karen struck for an early goal. “It was a great move. Ide O’Connor carried, then Amy Sexton broke through a tackle and gave to Ciara McCarthy who gave a lovely pass to me”
As half time approached Karen struck again. “Ellie Hanrahan passed to Kayla Darcy whose effort came off the post and fell into my hands and I had the easy task. It was massive for the team to go to the break with the lead having played against the breeze”, she said.
Commenting on the opposition she said “Fergus Rovers are young, fit and fast, a very good team, really tenacious in the tackle and it was a really tough battle. They have a lot of titles won at underage, they will be back again”.
Karen was delighted to see such a big attendance at the final. “Fergus Rovers, in their first final for a ling time had a big following and, as I said earlier, we are football fanatics in our parish and we had a big following also. There was a sizeable attendance of neutrals also as the game had the makings of a great match and it proved to be the case. It’s great to see such numbers at the games helped by the increased coverage the game is receiving”.
Concluding Karen said “our main aim starting out this year was to win back the county title. We now face a bit of a trek to play Waterford champions Gaultier. We will get back training this week and keep going now”.
