PREVIEWS: London clubs aim to topple Kilkenny and Louth Leinster opposition in AIB All-Ireland quarter-finals

AIB All-Ireland Club Championship semi-final slots are up for grabs over the coming weekend – with visitors from London looking to topple Kilkenny and Louth opposition in key quarter-final ties.

In the Junior grade, St Kiernan’s will take on Kilkenny opponents Muckalee at the GAA’s National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin, on Saturday (12pm) before Holloway Gaels tackle Louth’s St Fechin’s on Sunday (11.30am) at Intermediate level, with that game fixed for Drogheda’s Integral GAA Grounds.

The winners of the Junior fixture will pit their wits against Galway’s Menlough-Skehana in the semi-finals, while Galway’s Caltra Cuans await the winners of the Intermediate quarter-final.

Both weekend fixtures are available to view live by visiting https://page.inplayer.com/streamsportireland/index.html

Saturday November 22

AIB All-Ireland Junior Club Championship quarter-final 

Muckalee (Kilkenny) v St Kiernan’s (London); GAA National Games Development Centre, Abbotstown, Dublin (Pitch 1), 12pm

Muckalee’s historic AIB Leinster final victory over Meath’s St Colmcille’s brought the provincial junior title to Kilkenny for the first time in 21 years.

Now, Muckalee have the chance to make some inroads in the All-Ireland series.

Muckalee have a number of talented Kilkenny inter-county players in their ranks, including 2025 captain and vice-captain Ellen Lawlor and Jennifer O’Keeffe, while Edwina Keane at full-forward is a former All-Ireland Camogie medallist and All-Star.

They’ll face stiff opposition from St Kiernan’s, however, as the London-based outfit made their trip to France a winning one in the preliminary stage of the All-Ireland series.

A hard-fought 2-9 to 2-6 victory against Ar Gwazi Gouez Rennes ensured that St Kiernan’s progressed and now they’re on their travels again.

A semi-final against Galway and Connacht champions Menlough-Skehana is the reward for the winners of this one.

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

St Kiernan’s: H Murphy; N McCarthy, O Reilly, M Reddington; M Heffernan, E Moran (capt.), S Killeen; E Morrison, C O’Shea; L Staunton, R Mills, C O’Keeffe; L Moran, O Hillary, S Masterson.

Sunday November 23 

AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship quarter-final 

St Fechin’s (Louth) v Holloway Gaels (London); Integral GAA Grounds, Drogheda, 11.30am

St Fechin’s have already achieved so much in 2025 but there could be more to come.

Having won the Louth senior title for the very first time, St Fechin’s embarked on a run in Leinster that saw them land the provincial title, with victories achieved over the Dublin, Westmeath, Meath and Kildare champions.

The Leinster final win over Kildare’s Balyna has propelled St Fechin’s into the All-Ireland series, where London’s Holloway Gaels await at the quarter-final stage.

St Fechin’s can call upon 2025 TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship winners Rachel Beirth, Céire Nolan (Player of the Match against Antrim at Croke Park) and Moya Corrigan, while team captain Orla McEvoy was a 2019 All-Ireland Junior medallist.

Opponents Holloway Gaels have Tokyo 2020 Olympian Deirdre Duke listed at midfield.

Duke, a former Ireland hockey international who won a 2018 world cup silver medal, is enjoying her debut season with Holloway Gaels, having lined out with home club Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) in the past.

Down’s Emma Mulhern will captain the Holloway Gaels team from full-forward – as Sunday’s quarter-finalists target an All-Ireland semi-final clash with Galway’s Caltra Cuans.

St Fechin’s: M Savage; M Corrigan, A Redmond, O Brennan; L Devery, R Beirth, L Devine; O McEvoy (capt.), C Nolan; A Johnston, A Briscoe, H McDonnell; R Kavanagh, R Howell, C Hynes.

Holloway Gaels: M O’Donnell; E Giblin, E Byrne, N Crowley; A Scullion, C Hanley, E McCarthy; C Twohig, D Duke; M Adegbamiye, C Sultan, R Dullea; M O’Donnell, E Mulhern (capt.), M Woods.