Champions prove too strong

Wexford  3-11 Clare  0-10

Taking on the All-Ireland champions, whatever the code, is never an easy task and this is particularly the case when the defending champions need victory to strengthen their chance of retaining the title.
Wexford came to Cusack Park on Saturday for round four of this year’s race for the National Senior Camogie Championship title in fifth place and in danger of not making the semi-finals. They left a sunny Clare headquarters as worthy winners and very much in contention for the 2011 title.
Two goals in the space of a minute early in the second quarter turned this tie in favour of the Slaneysiders. Clare had raced into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead at the end of the first quarter and following the Banner Ladies’ victory over Tipperary a week earlier, supporters were beginning to hold out hopes of another win.
A couple of defensive errors proved costly for Clare as Ursula Jacob and Evelyn Quigley pounced for the scores, which turned the tie in the titleholders’ favour. They went on to lead by five points at half-time and any hopes Clare had of a fight back after the break were rocked two minutes into the new half when the visitors had their third goal.
Una Leacy gave Wexford the lead in the second minute with a good point but Clare enjoyed the better of the exchanges for the next 13 minutes, during which time they outscored the winners 0-5 to 0-1.
Chloe Morey opened Clare’s account with a score from inside her own half and this was followed by three pointed frees from Clare McMahon, who also had one from play.
It was 0-5 to 0-3 when Wexford punished hesitancy in the Clare defence and Ursula Jacob scored their opening goal in the 19th minute to give her side a lead they would hold to the end. Wexford supporters were still celebrating this score when the favourites struck again and there was more than a hint of a square ball infringement about the score.
Katrina Parrock’s effort for a point was parried by Clare goalie Susan Vaughan and the ball dropped onto the foot of Wexford corner-forward Evelyn Quigley, who was standing very close to the goalie, before rolling over the goal line. It was a cruel blow for Clare, whose play up to this point did not deserve to see them four points in arrears.
That said, the Clare defence was struggling to cope with the winners’ attack and particularly with corner-forward Katrina Parrock, who forced a great save from Vaughan in the 20th minute. At this stage, Clare switched the impressive Helen McMahon from right to left-corner-back and this certainly helped matters.
It was 2-5 to 0-6 at the interval and two minutes into the second half corner-forwards Quigley and Parrock combined for goal number three, which was a real blow to Clare hopes.
Points followed from Kate Kelly and Parrock and Wexford were 10 points clear with just five minutes of the half played.
The second half was 19 minutes old before Clare had their first score of the half, which came from a long-range free by Chloe Morey.
Claire McMahon quickly added a brace but the winners finished strongly, outscoring Clare 0-4 to 0-1in the last few minutes.
Helen McMahon, Chloe Morey and Ruth Kaiser worked hard throughout in the Clare defence while up front Fiona Lafferty, Claire McMahon and Deirdre Murphy did best. However, Catherine O’Loughlin, Mary and Una Leacy and Ursula Jacob inspired a merited Wexford win.

Wexford: Mags Darcy; Claire O’Connor, Catherine O’Loughlin, Karen Atkinson; Noeleen Lambert, Mary Leacy, Aoife O’Connor; Michelle O’Leary, Josie Dwyer; Katie Kelly Una Leacy, Brid Gordon; Katriona Parrock, Ursula Jacob, Evelyn Quigley.
Subs: Deirdre Codd for Dwyer; Lenny Holohan for Gordon; Ciara Storey for C O’Connor and Fiona Kavanagh for U Leacy.
Scorers: Ursula Jacob, Katriona Parrock (1-3 each); Evelyn Quigley (1-0); Kate Kelly, Una Leacy (0-2) each; Brid Gordon (0-1).

Clare: Susan Vaughan;  Helen McMahon, Siobhán Lafferty, Aimee McInerney; Ruth Kaiser, Chloe Morey, Róisín McMahon; Kate Lynch, Aisling Hannon; Sinead O’Loughlin, Deirdre Murphy, Claire McMahon; Sharon McMahon, Fiona Lafferty, Shonagh Enright.
Subs: Naomi Carroll for Hannon; Maire McGrath for McInerney; Patricia O’Loughlin for S O’Loughlin; Mary Roseingrave for Enright and Aiveen O’Shea for S McMahon.
Scorers: Claire McMahon (0-7, 6f); Chloe Morey (0-2); Deirdre Murphy (0-1).

Referee: Karl O’Brien, Dublin

Clare taught a harsh lesson

While disappointed with the outcome, Clare coach Ger O’Halloran readily acknowledged that Clare “were beaten by a better team”.
“They are the All-Ireland champions and they have some fine players,” he said after the game.
“We had a great 10 to 12-minute period in the first half but we were then unfortunate to concede two goals, which were down to poor communication. We try not to do these things but they happen,” he said.
“We were well beaten by the All-Ireland champions but we are learning. However, today was a harsh lesson. They are very strong and they have experience at this level, which means a lot.”
The Clooney-Quin added, “Some of our girls are still coming out of minor level but we are not making excuses. The better team won today.”
Attention now turns to this week’s game and Clare’s trip to play Kilkenny. “We will have to improve a lot for that. It’s all about the squad. A couple of players came in today and they needed game time. We will re-group during the week and will go to Kilkenny and do our best,” he concluded.