Banner Ladies complete double

Banner Ladies 6-8   Kilmihil 1-9

BANNER Ladies added the Division 1 league title to their senior championship crown when they beat holders, Kilmihil in Miltown on Sunday.
A blistering start to both halves proved crucial and once more it was Niamh O’Dea who did the damage. In the first attack of the game, a quick free from Louise Henchy to O’Dea proved fruitful when the minor player drove it to the net. It was all Banner in the opening minutes and points from Rebecca Culligan and O’Dea put them 1-2 to 0-0 ahead.
Kilmihil got going and began to whittle down the lead. Two points each from the Considine sisters, Ailish and Eimear, saw them trail by three with a quarter of an hour gone, while Banner were reduced to 14 players following the sin-binning of Katie Cahill for a foul on Eimear Considine, while Suzie McNamara and Niamh Keane pointed for the winners.
O’Dea then goaled again when she was first to flick a high ball in a race with Kilmihil ’keeper Edel McMahon, who picked up a knock in the process. Another fine spell from Kilmihil yielded points once more from the Considines before Emma O’Driscoll came to her side’s rescue with a super save from Eimear Considine at a crucial time. Centre-back Rosie Currane added a point for the West Clare side and O’Dea had the final say of the half with a pointed free, while Susie McNamara was sin-binned in injury time. Banner Ladies led 2-5 to 0-7 when referee Seán Ryan blew the half-time whistle.
Within five minutes of the restart, Banner Ladies had this game wrapped up as O’Dea added 1-2, all from play. She followed with a pointed free, while her sister, Eva, put the Ennis side 4-7 to 1-7 ahead when she finished to the net with still 20 minutes to play. It was very evident the amount of competitive matches the winners played since the county final 11 weeks ago, in comparison to Kilmihil who, since their championship campaign ended in August, had just one match against Liscannor in the league semi-final, four weeks ago.
While Eimear Considine did raise a green flag for Kilmihil, Banner did not ease up and scored two more goals, courtesy of Rebecca Culligan and substitute Orlaith Lynch, to run out deserving winners on a final score of 6-8 to 1-9. Niamh Keane became the third Banner player to be sin-binned when she was yellow carded with time almost up.
Niamh O’Dea, with 3-5, was the star of the show for the winners. Emma O’Driscoll made two excellent saves, while Louise Woods, Niamh Keane and Suzie McNamara all played well. Louise Henchy and Naomi Carroll also had their moments. Eimear Considine was Kilmihil’s top player on the day, while Rosie Currane, Becky Mahon, Ailish Considine, Ellie O’Gorman, Orla Keane and substitute Moriah Lineen all played their part.
Banner Ladies: Emma O’Driscoll; Sinéad O’Keeffe, Clare Walsh, Laurie Ryan; Louise Woods, Katie Cahill, Eva O’Dea (1-0); Shonagh Enright, Louise Henchy; Suzie McNamara (0-1), Naomi Carroll, Niamh Keane (0-1); Rebecca Culligan (1-1), Niamh O’Dea (3-5, 3f), Aoife Cavanagh (capt).
Subs: Gráinne Nolan for Aoife Cavanagh, Aoife Keane for S McNamara, Orlaith Lynch (1-0) for Eva O’Dea, Niamh O’Brien for R Culligan and Rachel Grogan for S O’Keeffe.
Kilmihil: Edel McMahon; Miriam Frawley, Niamh Keane, Elaine O’Halloran; Becky Mahon, Rosie Currane (0-1), Laura Egan; Una Downes, Dympna Walsh (capt); Ellie O’Gorman, Ailish Considine (0-5, 4f), Maria Keane; Denise O’Halloran, Eimear Considine (1-3), Orla Keane.
Subs: Moriah Lineen for D O’Halloran (44th), Sharon O’Gorman for M Frawley (44th) and Maria Darcy for O Keane (inj, 57th)
Referee: Seán Ryan (Kilrush).