Clare’s league hopes ended

Galway 1-11    Clare 0-10

CLARE’S involvement in this season’s National Camogie League ended on Saturday at Clarecastle but not before the Banner side made highly rated Galway battle all the way for victory.
Clare went into this tie needing a victory to force a play-off against Cork, whereas Galway were already through to the competition semi-finals.
In what turned out to be an entertaining game, it was Clare’s failure to get the better of a strong Galway defence which proved decisive.
The sides were evenly matched in the opening quarter at the end of which the visitors led by 0-3 to 0-2. Galway had marginally the better of the second quarter and got through for the game’s only goal, a vital score, in the 21st minute when corner-forward Orla Kilkenny applied the finish.
This score helped them to a five-point lead at the break, when the score was 1-5 to 0-3.
Clare went into this tie without centre-back Susan Vaughan and forward/midfielder Deirdre Murphy and the absence of these players was certainly a blow to the side.
When they came back for the second half, Vaughan was in the team, which released Fiona Lafferty for duty at full-forward, where she was originally named to play. They also had Niamh O’Dea in their line-up for the second period, with Marian O’Brien and Róisín McMahon the ones to make way.
Points were exchanged twice in the opening 10 minutes and the sides traded points again early in the final quarter.
Scores from Fiona Lafferty and Laura Linnane left a goal between them with nine minutes remaining but try as they did, Clare failed to get any closer and the accuracy of Aisling Connolly, who converted two frees and a 45’ in the closing minutes, sealed victory for the visitors.
Máire McGrath, Fiona Lafferty, Chloe Morey, Katie Cahill, Laura Linnane and Clare McMahon did well for the home side while Galway’s best were Sinéad Cahalan, Niamh McGrath, Therese Maher, Aisling Connolly and Orla Kilkenny.

Galway: Susan Eamer; Regina Glynn, Sinéad Cahalan, Heather Cooney; Ann Marie Hayes, Sarah Dervan, Lorraine Ryan; Niamh Kilkenny, Niamh McGrath; Jessica gill, Theresa Maher, Aislinn Connolly; Tara Ruttledge, Brenda Hanney, Orla Kilkenny.
Subs: Noreen Coen for Gill; Ann Marie Starr for Ruttledge; Emer Haverty for B Hanney; Colette Gill for H Cooney.
Scorers: Aislinn Connolly (0-7), Orla Kilkenny (1-1); Jessica Gill, Therese Maher, Brenda Hanney (0-1 each).

Clare: Denise Lynch; Máire McGrath, Siobhán Lafferty, Carol O’Leary; Katie Lynch, Fiona Lafferty, Chloe Morey; Katie Cahill, Róisín McMahon; Laura Linnane, Shónagh Enright, Orlaith Duggan; Clare McMahon, Marian O’Brien, Susan Fahy.
Subs: Niamh O’Dea for M O’Brien; Susan Vaughan for R McMahon (both half-time); Deirdre Murphy for Duggan (16 mins); Louise Woods for Enright; Sinéad O’Loughlin for Lynch (both 22 minutes).
Scorers: Clare McMahon (0-5); Laura Linnane, Fiona Lafferty (0-2 each); Chloe Morey (0-1).

Referee: Ger O’Dowd, Limerick.