Banner ease into fourth successive final

Banner Ladies 1-14   Kilmihil 1-7

BANNER Ladies were full value for their seven-point win over Kilmihil in the first of the senior championship semi-finals, which were played as a double header at Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park, Doonbeg on Saturday evening. They will play reigning champions West Clare Gaels in Doonbeg on Saturday week in what will be Banner Ladies’ fourth successive senior county final appearance.
Going into this game, a well-prepared Kilmihil were expected to put it up to the Ennis side but apart from a spell shortly after half-time when Kilmihil reduced the gap from eight points to four, the Banner were always in control.
Naomi Carroll, who finished with four points from play, got the scoreboard ticking in the fourth minute after she was well placed by Shónagh Enright. By the eighth minute, Niamh O’Dea had increased the lead from a free, while an attempt for a Banner goal was saved by Sharon O’Gorman.
Kilmihil were dealt a blow when Eimear Considine had to leave the field of play, having picked up a knock to the head in a tangle with Louise Woods. Sonya Maher from play and two from full-forward O’Dea, one of which was from a free, put Banner Ladies five ahead with Kilmihil yet to score. Close to half-time, Eimear Considine had returned and inside a minute, she got Kilmihil off the mark with a classy point off her left in a nice move, where Becky Mahon was very much involved. Five minutes into injury time, Louise Henchy pointed a free from the ground and at half-time, her side retired 0-6 to 0-1 ahead. In truth, the lead should have been more and had Kilmihil started the second half well, they would have been right back in contention.
It was the Banner who got the dream start when Niamh O’Dea goaled inside 30 seconds, having soloed at her ease past a number of Kilmihil defenders. Now eight points in arrears, Kilmihil finally got motoring. Within five minutes, Orla Keane had pointed twice before Kilmihil kicked a few bad wides. Three more Kilmihil points without reply, two from midfielder Maria Keane, saw Kilmihil trail 1-7 to 0-6 but playing much better.
However, Kilmihil’s period of dominance ended here and in the 48th minute, Naomi Carroll scored the first of six unanswered Banner points. Louise Henchy was controlling matters around midfield, with Carroll and O’Dea on form in attack.
Maria Keane, one of Kilmihil’s better players, scored her side’s final point with normal time almost up, while Carroll and substitute Aoife Martin tacked on one each for the winners. A foul on Eimear Considine deep in injury time resulted in a Kilmihil penalty and a sin-bin for Banner full-back Claire Walsh. Considine made no mistake from the 11m spot, in what was the last kick of the game and put a bit of respectability on the scoreboard from a Kilmihil point of view.
For the Banner, they are back where they wanted to be, in the final for the fourth year in-a-row. This will be a chance to reverse last year’s final result on Saturday week, albeit against a West Clare Gaels without a few players that were instrumental in their side’s success last year.

Banner Ladies: Emma O’Driscoll; Rebecca Culligan, Claire Walsh, Laurie Ryan (captain); Louise Woods, Katie Cahill, Sinéad O’Keeffe; Shónagh Enright, Louise Henchy (0-2, 1f); Naomi Carroll (0-4), Niamh Keane, Mary Tierney; Sonya Maher (0-2), Niamh O’Dea (1-5, 3f), Susan McNamara.
Subs: Orlaith Lynch for Susan McNamara (17), Aoife Martin (0-1) for Mary Tierney (55), Eva O’Dea for Sonya Maher (60) and Helen Hehir for Sinéad O’Keeffe (62).
Kilmihil: Sharon O’Gorman; Elaine O’Halloran, Edel McMahon, Laura Egan; Úna Downes, Rosie Currane, Becky Mahon; Maria Keane (0-3, 1f), Dympna Walsh (captain); Ellie O’Gorman, Ailish Considine, Orla Keane (0-3); Denise O’Halloran, Eimear Considine (1-1), Niamh Keane.
Subs: Moriah Lineen for Eimear Considine (injured, 19), E Considine for Moriah Lineen (28) and Moriah Lineen for Denise O’Halloran (half-time).
Referee: Michael Talty (Kilmurry Ibrickane).