Carroll kicks Clare into last eight

Clare 1-11   Meath 1-10

CLARE advanced to the quarter-finals of the TG4 Ladies’ Senior Football Championship for only the second time in their history thanks to a late point from Naomi Carroll in Birr last Saturday.

 

Clare started well and when Maria Kelly goaled in the 12th, they enjoyed a four-point lead. Earlier points had come through Niamh O’Dea (2) and Ailish Considine.  A superb long-range point from Niamh O’Dea put Clare 1-4 to 0-3 ahead. However, Meath’s response was impressive.

Team captain, Katie O’Brien, who accounted for all but one of their first-half scores, rattled the Clare net to leave the minimum between the sides. They were level four times in that opening half. Clare’s remaining points came from Naomi Carroll and an Ailish Considine free. At half-time, the Leinster finalists led by the minimum, 1-7 to 1-6.

While Shauna Bennett got Meath off the mark with an early second-half score, it was Clare who then stormed in to the game with four unanswered points, turning a two-point deficit in to a two-point lead. Two from Niamh O’Dea with one each from Maria Kelly and Ailish Considine had pushed Clare 1-10 to 1-8 in front. Meath dug deep and points from corner-back Orla Sheridan and Katie O’Brien levelled the game once more. Meath had Emma Troy sin-binned with over three minutes to go. With just over a minute remaining, Naomi Carroll kicked over what proved to be the match winning score. When Clare gained possession they held their nerve to run down the clock and as a result progress to the last eight.

Emma O’Driscoll did well in goals while Lorraine Kelly, Sinéad Kelly and Laurie Ryan were solid in defence. Louise Henchy used her experience to telling effect particularly in her involvement in the match-winning score. Inside forwards, Niamh O’Dea and Ailish Considine, kicked eight points between them while the half-forward line of Naomi Carroll, Niamh Keane and Maria Kelly worked tirelessly throughout. Substitute Shauna Harvey, who won a minor B medal five days earlier, did very well following her half-time introduction.

In a game which saw both sides setting out their defensive strategies, Clare adapted slightly better.
Dublin v Kerry will follow in Birr at 6pm, while the remaining quarter-finals, Monaghan v Mayo and Cork v Donegal, will be played on August 25.

Clare: Emma O’Driscoll (captain), (Banner Ladies), Sinéad Kelly (West Clare Gaels), Lorraine Kelly (Fergus Rovers), Laurie Ryan (Banner Ladies), Róisín Looney (Cooraclare), Louise Henchy (Banner Ladies), Michelle Delaney (Banner Ladies), Marie Considine (Liscannor), Fiona Lafferty (Donaghmoyne), Naomi Carroll (Banner Ladies) (0-2), Niamh Keane (Banner Ladies), Maria Kelly (West Clare Gaels) (1-1), Niamh Lardner (West Clare Gaels), Niamh O’Dea (Banner Ladies) (0-5, 0-2f), Ailish Considine (Kilmihil) (0-3, 0-f).
Subs: Shauna Harvey (West Clare Gaels) for N Lardner, half-time.)
Meath: Irene Munnelly, Orla Byrne, Aedin Murray, Orla Sheridan (0-1), Emma Troy, Eileen Rahill, Helen Regan, Shauna Bennett (0-2), Fiona Mahon, Mary Sheridan, Katie O’Brien (captain) (1-7, 0-3f), Jenny Respin, Vivienne McCormack, Aoife Thompson, Bridgetta Lynch.
Subs: Michelle Peel for H Regan, Laura Dempsey for A Thompson, Joanna Byrne for B Lynch, Geraldine Doherty for V McCormack.
Referee: Sean Joy (Kerry)

Results from the other Round 2 Qualifiers last Saturday: Mayo 3-12 Tyrone 1-4; Donegal 3-13 Kildare 0-13; Kerry 1-25 Westmeath 0-10.