Heavy defeat for Clare ladies in opening league game

Armagh 2-14
Clare 1-4

Clare got their Ladies’ National Football League Division 2 campaign off to a disappointing start when they suffered a heavy defeat to Armagh in Shannon on Sunday.

Armagh won the toss and played with a strong breeze and led at half-time 0-6 to 1-2. Clare played good, intelligent football in the opening half and the management must have been satisfied at the half-time whistle.
The opening score of the match was Clare’s goal in the fourth minute, which was well taken by half-forward Eimear Considine following a pass from midfielder Marie Considine. Come the 17th minute, the visitors had equalised with two points from centre-forward Aoife Lennon, the first from a 13m free and the second from play. Armagh’s third point came from another Aoife Lennon, who lined out at full-forward. Debutant Sinéad Sexton from Miltown Malbay pointed Clare ahead but Kelly Mallon pointed two frees to put Armagh into a 0-5 to 1-1 lead. Full-forwards Niamh Keane and Aoife Lennon exchanged points and the 2006 senior championship finalists led by the minimum at the interval.
On home ground, with the wind to their backs and following a good first-half performance, it augured well for Clare. However, it was Armagh that did all the running and put the scores on the board. They seemed to have a better level of fitness and were physically stronger overall.
The breeze seemed to fade during the half and Armagh introduced a number of first-choice players with immediate effect. Caroline O’Hare got them off the mark from a 13m free and Marie O’Donnell stretched their lead with another point before Sharon Reel, who had just been introduced, also pointed. Áine Kelly, following a great Eimear Considine run, pointed for Clare nine minutes into the half to reduce the lead to three but this was as close as it got. Sinéad McCleary added another for the orange county before they introduced Shauna O’Hagon, who was to add 1-2 from play.
Eimear Considine had Clare’s final score from play while the aforementioned Reel, O’Hagon and Mags McAlinden added 2-4 between them, the goals being their last two scores.
Sinéad Eustace and Sinéad Kelly played well in defence for Clare while Eimear O’Connor had a good first half at midfield. Kilmihil’s Eimear Considine was Clare’s best player on the day while Marie Considine and Rachel Lenihan had their moments.
Clare’s next outing is on Sunday, when they travel north to face Down, who were defeated by Donegal last Sunday, while a week later Clare will have a home match in round three against Tipperary.

Clare: Emma O’Driscoll, (Banner Ladies); Sinéad Eustace, (Coolmeen); Lorraine Kelly, (Fergus Rovers); Clare Hester, (Fergus Rovers); Sarah Hoey, (Banner Ladies); Sinéad Kelly, (West Clare Gaels); Deirdre Murphy, (Clooney-Quin); Eimear O’Connor, (Coolmeen); Marie Considine, (Liscannor); Eimear Considine, (Kilmihil) 1-1; Louise Henchy, (Banner Ladies); Rachel Lenihan, (Crusheen); Áine Kelly, (Fergus Rovers), 0-1; Niamh Keane, (Banner Ladies) captain, 0-1; Sinéad Sexton, (St Joseph’s, Miltown), 0-1.
Subs: Ciara Cleary, (Coolmeen); Niamh Greene, (Coolmeen); Suzanne Murphy, (St Joseph’s, Miltown); Laurie Ryan, (Banner Ladies); Alish Considine, (Kilmihil).
Armagh: Emma Guy, Caoimhe Morgan (capt), Dervla Mallon, Rebecca O’Reilly, Paula Powell, Maebh Moriarty, Sinéad McCleary, 0-1, Caitlin Malone, Marian McGuinness, Caroline O’Hare, 0-1, f, Aoife Lennon (Mullabrack), 0-2, (0-1 f), Maria O’Donnell, 0-1, Kelly Mallon, 0-2 f, Aoife Lennon, 0-2 , (Derrynoose), Laura Forker.
Subs: Sharon Reel, 0-2, Shauna O’Gagon, 1-2, Clodagh McCann, Mags McAlinden, 1-1.
Referee: Gerry Guiney (Galway).

Other Division 2 Results
Donegal 4-12 Down 3-4
Sligo 1-10 Tipperary 1-8
Kildare 2-17 Meath 2-7