CAMOGIE: Clare to the four in ideal All-Ireland start

All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship Round 1
Clare 4-17 Mayo 0-7

A buoyant Clare stormed into their latest bid for All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie silverware when brushing aside the challenge of newcomers Mayo in Cusack Park this afternoon, writes Eoin Brennan.
Fresh from being crowned Munster Junior champions eight days earlier, the Banner’s second string weathered the expected Mayo storm that was backed by a strong gale, with a 1-5 unanswered rally entering the second quarter effectively turning the tide.
Shauna Canny converted a superb solo goal in the 19th minute while debutant Aoife Anderson also finished the opening half with an impressive three point haul to move 1-8 to 0-5 clear by the break.
With the conditions to come, the second period was disappointedly one-sided as an early Regan Conway deflated any remaining defiance in the recently crowned National League Division 4 winners.
Further final quarter goals through Olivia Phelan and Abby Walsh completed the impressive opening contest that brings their perfect championship start to four ahead of a well-earned break until their next outing away to Tipperary in a fortnight’ time.

Clare: Lauran Solon (Whitegate); Caoimhe Lally (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Michelle Powell (Truagh-Clonlara), Sinead Hogg (Truagh-Clonlara) (Joint-Captain); Rebecca Crowe (Ruan), Kate O’Gorman (Kilkishen) (Joint-Captain), Sinead O’Keeffe (Kilmaley); Abby Walsh (Scariff-Ogonnelloe), Niamh Mulqueen (Broadford); Grace Carmody (Kilmaley), Shauna Canny (Feakle-Killanena), Aoife Anderson (Ruan); Regan Conway (Feakle-Killanena), Olivia Phelan (Sixmilebridge), Aideen Hickey (Whitegate)
Subs: Rachel Kelly (Sixmilebridge) for Mulqueen (HT), Siobhan Lenihan (Kilkishen) for Canny (39), Emma Kennedy (Sixmilebridge) for Lally (42), Aisling Cooney (Parteen) for Hickey (45), Éabha McInerney (Tulla) for O’Keeffe (56)

Scorers: Regan Conway (1-3); Olivia Phelan (1-2); Aoife Anderson (0-4); Shauna Canny (1f), Abby Walsh (1-1 each); Grace Carmody (0-3); Aideen Hickey, Rachel Kelly, Siobhan Lenihan (0-1 each)

Mayo: Aoibheann Crawley (Na Brideoga); Aoife Doherty (Na Brideoga), Amy Mulkeen (Na Brideoga), Grainne Delaney (Na Brideoga); Shauna Golden (Na Brideoga), Ava Lambert (Westport), Caoimhe Delaney (Na Brideoga); Meabh Delaney (Na Brideoga) (Captain), Rachel Lyons (Na Brideoga); Fionnuala McLaughlin (Westport), Saoirse O’Brien (Westport), Emily Kelly (Westport); Saoirse Delaney (Na Brideoga), Lisa Scahill (Westport), Ciara Delaney (Na Brideoga)
Subs: Roisin Cassidy (Na Brideoga) for Scahill (50), Niamh Kennedy (Castlebar Mitchels) for O’Brien (56), Brona Joyce (Castlebar Mitchels) for Golden (60), Kate Scahill (Westport) for Kelly (60), Siobhan Moloney (Na Brideoga) for Caoimhe Delaney (60)

Scorers: Saoirse Delaney, Meabh Delaney (1f, 1’45) (0-2 each); Fionnuala McLaughlin, Ciara Delaney, Roisin Cassidy (0-1 each)

Referee: Enda Loughnane (Galway)