Clare need a win and goals to progress

Tipperary 2-18 Clare 0-11

Following a comprehensive defeat at the Ragg in Tipperary in their third round All-Ireland senior camogie championship game on Saturday, Clare now find themselves in the position that they must beat Derry on this Saturday and, in the process, score four goals if they are to get into the quarter finals.

A win over Derry will leave Clare level on points with Dublin. When Clare and Dublin met two weeks ago they drew, so if they are level on points, according to competition rules, they will be separated by the number of goals scored during the league section of the competition.

To date Dublin have scored four goals while Clare have managed just one, hence the need to score  four goals and, of course, beat Derry, on Saturday next in a game that will be played at a Clare venue.

Clare can have no arguments about the result of their clash with Tipperary who were much the sharper side from start to finish.

The writing was on the was from an early stage as the home side raced into an early lead. they had the aid of the wind in the first half and were 0-6 to 0-3 clear after the first quarter. By half time they had extended this marginto five points, 0-12 to 0-7.

Clare’s hopes of a rally suffered a massive blow inside the first minute of the new half. Straight from the resumption of play they launched an attack which ended with Megan Ryan blasting to the net. This score clearly rocked Clare and they never really recovered. By the three quarter stage Tipperary had extended their advantage to ten points and were dominating in most positions.

They had victory sealed well before substitute Nicole Walsh struck for their seco nd goal, a minute from the end of normal time.

Cait Devane who was named at full forward but lined out at corner forward, hit 0-11 for the winners and caused huge problems for a variety of Clare defenders. Megan Ryan, Caoimhe Maher, Mary Ryan and Anne Eviston were other to impress for the winners.

Maire McGrath, Orlaith Duggan and Roisin McMahon battled hard for Clare   for whom Chloe Morey contributed 0-7 from frees but, overall, the Clare forward line failed to pose any major problems for the home side.

Tipperary;-Orle McEniry; Ciannait Walsh, Anne Eviston, Kzaren Fox; Aoife McGrath, Mary Ryan, Brid Quinn(0-1); Caoimhe Maher, Julianne Bourke; Mairead Teehan, MeganRyan 1-2, Gemma Grace; Sarah Fryday 0-1, Roisin Howard 0-2 Cait Devanne 0-11;

Subs–Andrea Loughnane for Howard; Ciara Maher for Fryday; Nicole Walsh (1-0) for M.Ryan;

Clare–Denise Lynch; Emma O’Connell, Maire McGrath, Aoife Griffin; Carol O’Leary, Roisin McMahon, Orlaith Duggan 0-1; Kate Lynch, Clare Hehir; Michelle Caulfield, Eimear Kelly 0-1, Andrea O’Keeffe; Ailish Considine, Chloe Morey 0-7, Aoife Keane 0-2

Subs–Emma O’Driscoll for Kelly;

By Seamus Hayea