Clare fall foul of neighbours Limerick in National Camogie League Division 1

National Camogie League Division 1 Round 2
Limerick 2-14 Clare 1-11

A NERVY relegation series is Clare’s lot after disappointingly falling to neighbours Limerick in their concluding group stage outing in Fr.McNamara Park on Saturday afternoon, reports Eoin Brennan.
Sorely second best for the opening three-quarters of the tie, the Banner never reached the encouraging heights of their opening performance against Galway seven days previously.
0-4 to 0-3 in favour of the visitors by the first water break, a blistering second quarter ensured that Limerick put themselves firmly in the driving seat as they outscored their hosts by 2-6 to 0-4, with Caoimhe Costelloe firing both goals including a 28th minute penalty to carve out a 2-10 to 0-07 interval cushion.
With the conditions to come, Clare’s expected fightback never really materialised as five goal chances of varying degrees of difficulty went abegging. Instead, a superior Limerick, who were making their competitive bow for 2021, maintained their nine point advantage by the turn of the final quarter.
Eimear Kelly did finally raise a much needed green flag for the Banner entering the final ten minutes but it wouldn’t be enough to spark a rousing revival as Limerick deservedly advanced to the knock-out stages with a game to spare.
Clare meanwhile have at least a three week break until their next outing depending on the draw for a three way relegation series.

Limerick: Laura O’Neill; Marian Quaid, Muireann Creamer, Mairead Ryan; Megan O’Mara, Judith Mulcahy, Roisin Ambrose; Karen O’Leary, Aisling Scanlon; Caoimhe Lyons, Deborah Murphy, Sophie O’Callaghan; Caoimhe Costelloe, Rebecca Delee, Aine Cunningham
Subs: Dearbhla Egan for Scanlon (54), Néamh Curtin for O’Mara (56), Lisa Leonard for Cunningham (58)

Scorers: Caoimhe Costelloe (2-6, 1-0 Pen, 2f); Caoimhe Lyons (0-3); Deborah Murphy, Rebecca Delee (0-2 each), Karen O’Leary (0-1)

Clare: Doireann Murphy (Clarecastle); Ciara Grogan (Clooney-Quin), Clare Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona) (Captain), Roisin Minogue (Bodyke); Alannah Ryan (Kilkishen), Laura McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Sinead Conlon (Tulla); Ziyan Spillane (Feakle-Killanena), Aoife Keane (Inagh-Kilnamona); Máire McGrath (Sixmilebridge), Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge), Orlaith Duggan (Clooney-Quin); Eimear Kelly (Truagh-Clonlara), Aine O’Loughlin (Truagh-Clonlara), Becky Foley (Truagh-Clonlara)
Subs: Susan Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe) for Conlon (25), Roisin Begley (Truagh-Clonlara) for O’Loughlin (36), Robyn Conway (Feakle-Killanena) for Foley (39), Clodagh O’Halloran (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for Keane (43),

Scorers: Chloe Morey (0-8, 5f, 1’45); Eimear Kelly (1-1, 1f); Orlaith Duggan, Laura McMahon (0-1 each)

Referee: Justin Heffernan (Wexford)