Doonbeg to host senior ladies’ semis

Doonbeg will host a double header of ladies senior football semi-finals on Saturday evening.
In the opening game Banner take on Kilmihil at 5.15pm. It will be a repeat of the 2009 county final and could be the game of the championship so far.
Last September Banner reached the final where they came away second best to West Clare Gaels.
Kilmihil will take confidence from the fact that they won their first senior title last October capturing the division league title, beating Saturday’s opponents.
The teams were due to meet in round one but Banner opted not to participate. Instead they took part in a Munster 7s competition the previous day. Since then Banner defeated Cooraclare (3-17 to 1-6), Liscannor (4-10 to 2-8) and West Clare Gaels (3-20 to 1-9). They had nine players on the Clare senior panel this year, while Kilmihil had two. Kilmihil recorded wins over Cooraclare (6-13 to 3-9) and Liscannor (2-8 to 0-5), while West Clare Gaels failed to show for the last round.
Kilmihil mentors Enda O’Halloran (manager), Mark O’Connell and Kevin O’Halloran will need a big performance from their side. They have players of the calibre of Rosie Currane and Dympna Walsh who share the captaincy, Úna Downes, Becky Mahon, Edel McMahon, Sharon O’Gorman, the O’Halloran, Keane and Considine sisters and young stars Laura Egan, Eleanor O’Gorman and Moriah Lineen. They have lost some excellent players from last year’s panel in Fiona O’Neill and the Doonbeg players who now have their own team.
Banner will be looking to Emma O’Driscoll, captain Laurie Ryan, Louise Woods, Louise Henchy, Mary Tierney, Niamh O’Dea, Naomi Carroll, Niamh Keane, Susan McNamara, Sonya Maher, Katie Cahill, Shona Enright, Clare Walsh and underage players Rebecca Culligan, Orlaith Lynch and Helen Hehir. Team manager Joe Reidy and his backroom team of Pat Crotty and JJ O’Dea know they have a talented group of players.
Kilmihil will need to have a plan to curtail the supply of ball to the Banner forwards Niamh Keane, Naomi Carroll and Niamh O’Dea. If they can they have a great chance.
In the second game in Doonbeg at 6.45pm on Sunday, reigning champions West Clare Gaels play Miltown. West Clare Gaels have made it to the semi finals as the third placed team from their group with wins over Cooraclare and Liscannor.
They suffered a heavy defeat to Banner in round four. In their opening match they finished with two points to spare over Cooraclare (2-7 to 1-8) while in round two the winning margin was just a point, (2-5 to 0-10), against Liscannor.
They had a bye in round three and, while they were through to the semi-final, they did not play their last round against Kilmihil. There is no doubt that their panel so far is not as strong as last year but has been bolstered with the return of Maria Kelly from Australia since their last match.
Becky O’Farrell is probably their most improved player, while Marie Foran, Gráinne Harvey, Ailish Brew, Colette Keniry and Mary Beth Downes have all done well this season. In Megan Haugh they have a fine goalkeeper, while Kathleen Foley, Rita Boland, Deirdre Troy, Shauna Harvey, Michelle Downes, Leanne Lynch, Denise Geaney, Lisa Harte McMahon and Brid Troy are experienced players.
They will be hoping Niamh Lardner will have recovered from a hand injury, while Fiona Troy is recovering from a shoulder injury. All-Ireland intermediate club champions West Clare Gaels will be determined to progress to the county final under their new management of Eoin Troy, Michael O’Shea and Michael Liddane.
Miltown are back in a senior semi as a result of wins over Crusheen and Newmarket in the B group, while they received points from Coolmeen, who were forced to withdraw, and Fergus Rovers, who failed to field due to lack of numbers. Last Sunday Ennistymon had a point to spare over Liscannor in a keenly contested local derby where it finished 1-7 to 2-3.
Miltown have a big panel and James Murrihy and his backroom team of Jim Marrinan and Thomas Garrihy have worked hard to get to this stage. Fiona and Siobhán Lafferty are key players, while Tara Rynne, Niamh Coyne, Bernie McGuire, Niamh Pender, Karen Galvin, Sinéad Sexton, the Curtin sisters, Clare and Katie and team captain Michelle McCaw are all fine footballers.