Deirdre Murphy inspires Clare to a winning start

Clare        3-11

Derry       1-8

CLARE overcame Derry in the first round of the All-Ireland Camogie Championship at Donaghmore GAA grounds in Ashbourne, County Meath on Saturday.

Clare gave championship debuts to seven players. Laura McMahon, Cushla Hehir and Sinéad Tuohy were in the starting line-up, while Lisa Loughnane, Caitriona Hennessy, Joanne Walsh and Vera Loughnane were all introduced during the course of the game.
Experienced Deirdre Murphy turned in a powerful performance and inspired Clare to this latest victory
With the aid of a very strong breeze in the first half, the Clare girls held Derry scoreless, while accounting for a commendable 1-8. Clare were slow to settle and after 10 minutes only had one point on the board, a Niamh O’Dea score from play after good work by Deirdre Murphy.
Two pointed frees followed from Claire McMahon before Deirdre Murphy was first to pounce on a short clearance by the Derry defence to send an unstoppable shot to the net. This was the score that really settled Clare and with confidence growing, they shot over five further points before the break. Chloe Morey split the posts with a monster free from her own half of the field. Kate Lynch, moving up from defence, scored a fine point on the run and this was quickly followed by another point from Deirdre Murphy. Claire McMahon, unerring from placed balls, closed the half with two pointed frees.
Derry came out all guns blazing in the second half and really put it up to Clare with five unanswered points in a 10-minute spell. The first came from a Karen Kielt free followed quickly by a point from play from the Northern side’s captain Gráinne McGolderick. Karen Kielt hit over three more points from frees before Deirdre Murphy scored a crucial point from play for Clare.
The Clooney-Quin woman’s score broke Derry’s momentum and brought Clare right back into the game. Murphy, who was outstanding throughout, was then fouled and McMahon converted to put eight points between the teams. Clare were now on top and good defence work from Fiona Lafferty, Kate Lynch, Máire McGrath and Chloe Morey kept Derry at bay. McMahon scored another pointed free before Derry’s Karen Kielt hit a goal from a free and followed up with a point from play but they proved consolation scores.
Instead, it was Clare who finished strongest with super sub Lisa Loughnane hitting the net twice in quick succession.
Overall, it was a very impressive display from the Clare girls who face Kilkenny in the second round in Nolan Park, on Saturday. Kilkenny scored an impressive two-point win over Galway last week and will prove to be difficult opponents but Clare are in a confident mood following last week’s win and they are expected to make the Noresiders fight all the way.

Clare: Denise Lynch (Kilmaley); Sinéad O’Loughlin (Inagh-Kilnamona), Máire McGrath (Sixmilebridge), Carol O’Leary (Newmarket-on-Fergus); Kate Lynch (Kilkishen), Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge), Laura McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus); Eimear Considine Kilmaley, Cushla Hehir (Kilkishen); Deirdre Murphy (Clooney Quin), Susan Vaughan (Scariff Ogonnelloe), Niamh O’Dea (Kilmaley); Sinéad Tuohy (Sixmilebridge), Claire McMahon (Kilmaley), Ailish Considine (Kilmaley).
Subs: Fiona Lafferty (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Hehir 23 mins; Lisa Loughnane (Kilkishen) for Laura McMahon 37 mins; Vera Loughnane (Feakle) for Tuohy 55 mins; Caitriona Hennessy (St Joseph’s) for A Considine 56 mins; Joanne Walsh (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for O’Leary 57 mins.
Scorers: Deirdre Murphy (1-2), Claire McMahon (0-6), Lisa Loughnane (2-0), Chloe Morey, Niamh O’Dea and Kate Lynch (0-1 each)
Derry: K Kielt (1-5), G McGoldrick (0-1).
Derry: Claire O’Kane; Aoife Ní Chaiside, Katrina O’Kane, Edelle Henry; Gráinne McNicholl, Aileen McCusker, Meabh McGoldrick; Karen Kielt, Maria Mooney; Eimear Mullan, Ashling Diamond, Denise McGuigan; Katie McAnenley, Gráinne McGoldrick, Sinéad Cassidy.
Subs: Cailín Quinn for McGuigan 49 mins; Siobhán McKeigue for Ní Chaiside; Eilis Ní Chaiside for Diamond.
Referee: Owen Elliott
Other results from last week’s first round:
Kilkenny 1-10 Galway 1-08; Cork 2-15 Tipperary 1-05;
Offaly 3-13 Dublin 0-05.