Clare frustrated at referee’s display

IN the wake of their draw with Down in Saval last Sunday in Round 2 of NFL Division 2, Clare ladies’ football manager David O’Brien has expressed considerable annoyance with referee Barney Henry.

Down equalised from a free five minutes into injury time. O’Brien feels that the free was very soft and, in fact, he initially believed that Claire Hestor had won a free out for the visiting county.
However, the Clare manager is even more annoyed with the fact that the referee turned up at the game without an umpire or a linesman or woman of his own.
“He had no linesmen or umpires with him. There’s something not right about it especially with the Clare County Board having to spend up to €5,000 on the trip to Down,” O’Brien told The Clare Champion.
The Miltown Malbay man feels that the referee showed disrespect to both teams when he had to use Clare and Down people as umpires and linespeople. 
“Ladies’ GAA in general will have to look at it. If it was a club league match, the referee would bring umpires,” O’Brien believed.
He also expressed disappointment with the manner in which the late free was awarded to Down.
“It’s an old GAA thing, make a draw of it if you can at all. We were more disappointed with ourselves but five minutes into injury time when a referee gives a free for nothing, that’s equally disappointing. I asked him after the game what was the free for and he said it was a free from his position,” O’Brien explained.
Although feeling that they should have won, Clare at least improved significantly on their home loss to Armagh in Shannon in Round 1.
Clare led 3-3 to 2-4 at half-time with Miltown’s Sineád Sexton scoring two goals, while Áine Kelly netted the third.
Kilmihil full-forward, Ailish Considine, who impressed in open play, missed an early penalty, which was awarded after a foot block. 
Clare goalkeeper Emma O’Driscoll saved well from Lisa Morgan at the start of the second half and when Ailish Considine pointed from her second free, Clare had established a 3-4 to 2-4 advantage.
However, Morgan goaled for Down and Kayla Downey fired them 3-5 to 3-4 ahead before Considine tapped over an equalising free. Clara Fitzpatrick put the home county a point up before Eimear Considine buried a superb goal for Clare. Morgan pegged a point back for Down before the late, questionable free was awarded and converted.
The Clare girls’ form improved after the game, however, when selector Dan Sheedy presented the panel with a rose each to mark Valentine’s Day.
Clare’s next league outing will be against Tipperary at 12 noon on Sunday at a Clare venue.
Tipperary beat Kildare last Sunday and are currently ahead of Clare in the Division 2 league table.

Clare: Emma O’Driscoll (Banner Ladies), Sinéad Eustace (Coolmeen, captain), Lorraine Kelly (Fergus Rovers), Clare Hester (Fergus Rovers), Deirdre Murphy (Clooney Quin), Eimear O’Connor (Coolmeen, 0-1), Niamh Greene (Coolmeen), Louise Henchy (Banner Ladies), Marie Considine (Liscannor), Rachel Lenihan (Crusheen), Niamh Keane (Banner Ladies), Eimear Considine (Kilmihil, 1-0), Áine Kelly (Fergus Rovers, 1-1), Ailish Considine (Kilmihil, 0-3f), Sinéad Sexton (St Joseph’s, Miltown, 2-0).
Subs: Katie Geoghehan (West Clare Gaels), Suzanne Murphy (St Joseph’s, Miltown), Laurie Ryan (Banner Ladies), Sinéad Moloney (Coolmeen).
Down: Kerry Ann Magee, Niamh Canavan, Niamh McGowan, Catherine Boden, Áine Hardy, Eliza Downey (1-0), Sinéad Fagan, Kyla Trainer (captain, 0-3), Clara Fitzpatrick, Kate McKay, Lisa Morgan  (1-3, 0-1 f), Emma Mulhern (1-0), Chara Laverty (0-1), Natasha Ferris (0-1f), Orla Fagan.
Subs: Ciara O’Higgins, Emer Keane, Ciara McArdle, Gráinne McClean.
Referee: Barney Henry (Armagh)
Other Round 2, Division 2 results
Armagh 2-13 Donegal 3-9
Meath 2-10 Sligo 3-6
Tipperary 6-7 Kildare 1-9.