Brave Clare lose out in minor final

Laois 4-9
Clare 2–13

 

CLARE’S habit of conceding goals struck again in this thrilling minor B All-Ireland ladies’ football decider in Nenagh on Bank Holiday Monday. 
Laois’ fourth and killer goal came three minutes into injury time and left little time for the Clare girls to respond. Clare threw everything at Laois in the two remaining minutes but could only garner an Aoife Keane point to leave them two points adrift when referee

Gerry Carmody sounded the final whistle. It was a truly heartbreaking end to a game that Clare could have won and at the very least deserved a share of the spoils. Laois were physically the stronger team but Clare played the better football throughout only to come up short with some poor finishing on occasions especially dropping some balls short into the hands of Laois keeper Fiona Kelly.

Laois had the better of the opening exchanges and led by 1-3 before Clare registered their opening score with an Orla Devitt point on 11 minutes. The Laois goal was scored in the sixth minute by wing-forward and team captain Ciara Burke. Clare settled after their opening score and were rewarded with a Gráinne Nolan penalty goal on fifteen minutes after a foul on the in-rushing Katie Connole. The Laois response was immediate and they tagged on three points in as many minutes to lead by 1-6 to 1-1 after 20 minutes. Chloe Mooney and Orla Devitt then kicked two good scores, only for Laois to land another major blow with a Shannon Costello goal on 24 minutes.

Clare responded well to this setback and kicked three unanswered points from Gráinne Nolan (2) and Moloney, before Burke pulled one back for the eventual winners from a close in free. Just on the stroke of half time up popped Nolan again to score a fine point to leave the interval score Laois 2-7 to Clare’s 1-7. Clare would have the benefit of a slight breeze in the second half so they were very much in contention despite being outplayed for periods of the first half.

Just prior to half time an out of sorts Nollaig Blake was replaced by Aoife Keane and this switch was to pay almost immediate dividends when the Banner Ladies club player blasted to the Laois net within a minute of the restart to level the game. Clare tried to push on from this early second half tonic but were foiled by both dogged Laois defending and some poor shot selections of their own. Clare eventually got their noses in front with a Gráinne Nolan free on 38 minutes but Laois levelled matters almost immediately with an

Áine Haberlin point. Another Nolan pointed free put Clare ahead again on 42 minutes but Laois were not going to go away. Newly introduced substitute Eva O’Dea then had a baptism of fire when her opponent and Laois substitute Niamh Power rifled the ball to the Clare net following a defensive lapse. It was Power again who, unfortunately for Clare, also found the net in injury time for the winning score. Following Power’s 46th minute goal Laois added another point a minute later to give themselves a 3-9 to 2-9 advantage.

Clare stuck to the task at hand and were gradually gaining the upperhand in pivotal positions despite the Laois goal. Chloe Moloney pulled a point back on 48 minutes and player of the match Gráinne Nolan levelled affairs with two pointed frees with the clock running down. Clare had chances in the final minutes of normal time to forge ahead but were blocked down on several occasions by last ditch tenacious Laois defending.

With three minutes of injury time played a draw seemed on the cards but a Clare attack was broken up and Laois moved the ball swiftly downfield. Corner forward Costello was put through on goals. In fairness, keeper Aoife O’Neill made an excellent block but unfortunately the rebound from her save fell to the unmarked Power and the Killeen club girl calmly dispatched a low shot to the left corner of the Clare net. Heartbreak for Clare but still they battled on and pressurised for an equalising score. Aoife Keane landed a point a minute later and then Gráinne Nolan blasted a twenty metre free towards the Laois goal only to see her excellent effort deflected out for a 45’. Clare were still hunting for the elusive winning goal when referee Carmody finally brought proceedings to an end six minutes into time added on.

The disappointment was palpable as the Clare players slumped to the ground following the final whistle. They had given it their all but had succumbed to a late sucker punch from Laois. The old adage that goals win matches never had such a resounding ring to it and the Laois girls must be complimented on taking their scores when the opportunity arose.

Clare must take heart from this performance though and as many of the panel are again underage next year they will know that they can go one step better and win the ultimate prize. Of some consolation was the fact that Gráinne Nolan won the player of the match accolade so some silverware travelled home to Clare on the day. Still though there will be the feeling that this was an All Ireland title that got away but credit to Laois who are worthy champions. Credit also the very sporting manner in which both teams played the game, which was well handled by referee Gerry Carmody of Mayo.

Clare: Aoife O’Neill (Éire Óg), Joanne Howley (Burren Gaels), Amy O’Brien (Burren Gaels), Shauna Harvey (West Clare Gaels), Emer Hillary (Liscannor), Marie Foran (West Clare Gaels), Orlaith Lynch (Banner Ladies), Aisling Corbett (Clooney-Quin), Niki Kaiser (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Nollaig Blake (Doonbeg), Orla Devitt (Éire Óg), Katie Connole (Burren Gaels), Aoife O’Gorman (Cooraclare), Chloe Moloney (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Gráinne Nolan (Banner Ladies).
Subs: Aoife Keane (Banner Ladies) for Blake 27 minutes, Sinéad Quinn (Banner Ladies) for Howley 28 minutes, Eva O’Dea (Banner Ladies) for Lynch 43 minutes, Laura Egan (Kilmihil) for Hillary 61 minutes.
Scorers: Gráinne Nolan 1-7, Aoife Keane 1-1, Chloe Moloney 0-3, Orla Devitt 0-2.

Laois: Fiona Kelly, Kellie Preston, Clodagh Dunne, Nicole Byrne, Fiona Dooley, Claire Dollard, Amy Loughman, Meaghan Dunne, Áine Haberlin (0-1), Ciara Burke (1-0), Áine Fitzpatrick , Laure Marie Power (0-5), Shannon Costello (1-2), Anna Fitzgibbon (0-1), Caoimhe Simms.
Sub: Niamh Power (2-0).