Clare inspired by Lafferty’s efforts

CLARE senior camogie side continued on their upward curve when they had an impressive win over Tipperary in the All-Ireland senior championship at Clarecastle on Saturday.

Because of the inclement weather throughout Friday and Saturday, the game was moved from Cusack Park on Saturday morning.
In a game played in very difficult weather conditions, Clare finished strongly to deservingly capture their first points of the campaign.
The sides were level on six occasions before Clare put in a strong finish, which yielded 1-3 in the final five minutes.
Cora Hennessy gave Tipperary the lead inside the opening minute but Clare quickly levelled when Chloe Morey converted a long-range free. Two Clare McMahon efforts saw Clare take the lead but Tipperary battled back with like scores from Nicole Walsh and Claire Grogan to level from the second time with 10 minutes still to play in an opening half when Clare had the aid of a slight wind.
They exchanged points again before the break through the respective free takers, Clare McMahon and Clare Grogan, to leave the half-time score at 0-4 each.
While there was nothing between the teams in the opening half, Tipperary  had reason to be confident that they would have an edge in the second period. The Clare mentors made what proved to be a great move for the second half when they placed midfielder Fiona Lafferty at full-forward.
In the opening minute of the half, she gave an indication of the problems she would cause the visitors when she raced through their defence before Tipperary managed to clear their lines.
Clare McMahon (free) and Jill Horan swapped points before Lafferty put Clare in front with a fine point. Clare McMahon added another from a free but Tipperary fought back with like scores from Jill Horan and Claire Grogan to level the game for the fifth time.
Lafferty continued to cause problems for Tipperary and when she was fouled with eight minutes remaining, Clare McMahon again pointed but, again, Tipperary hit back and Jill Horan levelled.
A foul on Deirdre Murphy presented McMahon with another free and she again converted to give Clare back a lead they would hold to the finish. Lafferty put two points between the sides when she grabbed a delivery from Chloe Morey and sent over a fine point.
Two minutes from time, the Kilnamona woman again caused problems for the Tipperary defence when she won possession and passed to substitute Nora Murphy who first timed to the net for the game’s only goal. The goal gave Clare a five-point advantage with time running out and as the match ticked into injury time, Clare McMahon made the advantage six when she converted her eighth free of the afternoon.
Helen McMahon, Siobhán Lafferty and Chloe Moran did well in defence in front of impressive goalkeeper, Susan Vaughan. Deirdre Murphy, Clare McMahon and, particularly Fiona Lafferty also made valuable contributions to this victory.
Julie Kirwan, Jill Horan did best for Tipperary.

Clare: Susan Vaughan; Helen McMahon, Siobhán Lafferty, Kate Lynch; Ruth Kaiser, Chloe Morey, Róisín McMahon; Fiona Lafferty, Aisling Hannon; Aine O’Brien, Deirdre Murphy, Sinéad O’Loughlin; Clare McMahon, Mairéad Scanlan, Sharon McMahon.
Subs: Nora Murphy for S McMahon; Patricia O’Loughlin for M Scanlon.
Scorers: Clare McMahon (0-8, all frees); Nora Murphy (1-0), Fiona Lafferty (0-2), Chloe Morey (0-1, free).
Tipperary: Rita Burke; Maria Tynan, Sabrina Larkin, Geraldine Stapleton; Clodagh Quirke, Julie Kirwan, Julie McGrath; Jill Horan, Mary Ryan; Noreen Flanagan, Cora Hennessy, Claire Grogan; Alli Lonergan, Eimer Shanahan, Nicole Walsh.
Subs: Amy Kennedy for N Flanagan; Joanne Ryan for E Shanahan.
Scorers: Jill Horan (0-3), Claire Grogan (0-3, 1 f); Cora Hennessy (0-2), Nicole Walsh (0-1).
Referee: Keith O’Brien, Dublin.
All-Ireland champions Wexford are Clare’s next opponents and this game will take place at Cusack Park on Saturday at 1.30pm.

Coach impressed with Clare’s performance
CLARE team coach Ger O’Halloran was delighted with the performance. “We are thrilled for the girls. They have been working very hard and have performed well in the last two games.” The Clooney-Quin man said after this latest performance, “Fitness levels and confidence are improving all the time and we got a full hour out of everyone on this occasion. We have been improving and this was all about a win,” O’Halloran added.
He referred specifically to Fiona Lafferty’s performance. “Fiona has the hurling ability to cause problems. She had played for the Clare footballers in the Munster championship in mid-week and we were conscious of that when we made the decision to move her to full-forward. She has a great hurling sense and tremendous ability,” he said.
This week Clare will entertain the All-Ireland champions, Wexford, in Round 4 of the championship. “There is a bit of pressure this week in that the management have to step up and make sure the conditions are right. The girls are doing all we ask of them so now it’s up to us,” he said.
The panel will be strengthened this week by the return of Shónagh Enright and Naoimi Carroll and both will be pressing for inclusion in the line-up at some stage.
“We are not a bad team when we do what we are supposed to do. If we continue to do what we are doing, we will do well,” the team coach said.