Clare reach Munster U-16A final

Clare 3-12   Limerick 1-12

Conditions were excellent as Clare travelled to Kilmallock to meet their neighbours Limerick in the first round of the U-16A Munster Championship on Saturday.
Limerick were quicker to settle, notching up two points from Caoimhe Costelloe in the first six minutes after Aoife Wilson and Deborah Murphy were fouled. Clare captain Niki Kaiser brought Clare into the game when she pointed in the seventh minute and equalised when she pointed from a 45 a minute later after Orla Devitt sent a high ball into the Limerick goalmouth, which was saved by goalkeeper Áine Bresnihan.
In the ninth minute, Kaiser again sent the ball between the posts to edge Clare ahead but they were level again in the 10th minute when the accurate Caoimhe Costelloe pointed from a free after Deborah Murphy was fouled.
Limerick’s Leona McCarthy edged her team ahead when she pointed in the 11th minute. Clare had a goal disallowed a minute later when Kate O’Gorman was deemed by referee Donal Leahy to have caught the ball three times before she sent the ball into the Limerick net. Orlaith Lynch levelled again when she pointed for Clare in the 13th minute.
Points were exchanged again when Caoimhe Costelloe and Niki Kaiser were on target.
The next few minutes saw Clare put the Limerick backline under a lot of pressure, with Kaiser pointing from a free after Eimear Casey was fouled and Orla Devitt pointing in the 21sr minute. Limerick came back into the game when Leona McCarthy goaled in the 22nd minute after a great run up the right wing.
Orla Devitt levelled for a third time when she pointed for Clare in the 23rd minute.
In the last few minutes of the half Clare laid siege on the Limerick goal.  Orlaith Lynch had a great shot saved by the Limerick goalie Áine Bresnihan, which came out to an incoming Kate O’Gorman, who flicked the ball to the net. O’Gorman was on target again when she goaled in the final minute of the half to leave the half-time score Clare 2-8,  Limerick 1-6
On the resumption, Limerick settled quicker and notched up three points without reply  from Aoife Wilson and Caoimhe Costelloe. This was quickly cancelled out when Kate O’Gorman goaled in the 43rd minute after a move involving Niki Kaiser and Orla Devitt.
Scores were exchanged as both sides battled for supremacy, with Clare holding a slight edge and adding points through Orla Devitt and Nikki Kaiser.
This was very much a team victory for Clare, who had impressive performances from Ellen Roche, Niki Kaiser, Clodagh Lawlor, Orla Devitt and Kate O’Gorman.

Clare: Pauline McNamara (Kilkishen); Jane Flanagan (Ballyea), Ellen Roche (Sixmilebridge), Shauna Flemming (Kilkishen); Aislinn Keogh (Sixmilebridge), Clodagh Lawlor (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Eimear Casey (St Joseph’s); Niki Kaiser (0-06, 2f, 3 45) (capt), (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Aisling Corbett (Clooney/Quin); Fiona Murphy (Sixmilebridge), Orla Devitt (0-3) (Éire Óg), Orlaith Lynch (0-1) (St Joseph’s); Lauren Guilfoyle (Feakle), Kate O’Gorman (3-2, 1f) (Kilkishen), Rebecca Devine (St Joseph’s).
Limerick: Áine Bresnihan; Orla Condron, Katrina White, Helena Fitzgerald; Miren O’Grady, Aoife Doyle, Muireann Creamer; Jane Wilson, Katie Hennessey; Rebecca Delee (capt), Leona McCarthy (1-02), Martina McMahon; Aoife Wilson (0-01), Caoimhe Costelloe (0-8, 6f, 1 45), Bridget O’Leary.
Subs: Orla Cunningham for O’Leary; Margaret Roche for Hennessey and Ellen Casey for White
Referee: Donal Leahy ­(Tipperary)