ACHIEVED at a cost of €11,000, West Clare Gaels will feel that their trip to London was worth every cent as they are now preparing for Sunday’s All-Ireland Intermediate Club semi-final against St Patrick’s, Leitrim in Doonbeg.
The Clare senior champions flew to London last Friday and returned on Monday morning having become the first Clare ladies’ football club to play a competitive match overseas.
At about 1.15pm last Saturday in North West London, however, the weekend looked as if it was about to take a turn for the worse.
The Gaels were 1-5 to 0-1 down at that stage and it looked like their efforts to follow their 2007 All-Ireland junior final appearance, by reaching the 2010 intermediate final, were disappearing at lightening pace. Parnell’s did have the breeze at their back though and the Gaels had spurned a number of goal chances, including a penalty.
Come the interval, they trailed by just a point, 1-6 to 1-5. Bríd Troy scored the crucial goal, following good link up play involving Sineád Kelly and Majella Griffin, who also pointed four first half scores, with Shauna Harvey notching the fifth.
On the resumption, the Gaels lost the throw and a great block by Deirdre Troy denied Parnell’s the first score. At the opposite end, Katie Geoghegan notched the first point from play. Majella Griffin put over another free, which was closely followed by a Niamh Lardner run and a Leanne Lynch point. Having found their form and now winning most of the kick-outs, the Gaels added 1-1 from Majella Griffin, a point from Maria Kelly and a fine goal by Niamh Lardner before Parnell’s responded. Their response came in the form of a penalty which was scored by centre-forward Hannah Noonan. Noonan also put the next point on the board for Parnell’s. With Parnell’s closing the gap an exchange between Majella Griffin and Bríd Troy allowed Denise Geaney to point for the Gaels, which was answered by an Áine McGeogh point from play for Parnell’s. Katie Geoghegan sealed the deal when she blasted the back of the Parnell’s net. 
West Clare Gaels could relax at that stage before heading home on Monday and dwelling upon Sunday’s semi-final against the Connacht champions.

West Clare Gaels: Megan McGrath; Kathleen Foley, Sinéad Kelly, Rita Boland; Fiona Troy, Deirdre Troy, Shauna Harvey; Michelle Downes, Maria Kelly; Leanne Lynch, Denise Geaney, Majella Griffin; Niamh Lardner, Bríd Troy, Katie Goeghegan.
Subs: Ciara Harvey for Kathleen Foley, Lauren McMahon for Leanne Lynch, Lisa McMahon for Bríd Troy, Suzi O’Gorman for Rita Boland, Becky O’Farrell for Niamh Larnder.
Referee: Pat Kehoe (Carlow).

Shorter trip for All-Ireland chasing Gaels

WHILE West Clare Gaels had to check their club bank balance with their hands over their eyes once they got back from London on Monday, the slightly shorter trip to Doonbeg won’t prove as financially taxing for the Clare senior and Munster intermediate champions this weekend.
Last Saturday, the Gaels survived a testing opening half in Ruislip before eventually defeating Parnell’s comfortably enough. Now an hour from an All-Ireland final appearance, the girls from Kilkee and the Peninsula parishes face St Patrick’s Dromahair from Leitrim at 2pm on Sunday in Doonbeg.
The north Leitrim club is located in the parish of Drumlease and half the parish of Killenumary. Unfortunately for the Leitrim people in Killenumary, the other half of that parish is in Sligo.
While West Clare Gaels had to fly to their last game, St Patrick’s will have to travel 152 miles from Dromahair before arriving in Doonbeg. A return journey of the same distance will seem twice as long if they are beaten by the Clare champions.
Although having played regularly in recent weeks, West Clare Gaels have no major injury concerns. With many of their players either working away or studying, their management team’s priority (Patrick Foley and Darragh Kelly) is to keep them fresh between games.
Virtual home advantage should be a huge help to West Clare Gaels, who attracted a huge crowd to Doonbeg in 2007 for their junior All-Ireland semi-final.
Of course, there won’t be many Doonbeg people in Sunday’s crowd as their club will be engaged in Munster club action in Dungarvan against Stradbally.
A feature of West Clare Gaels’ recent games has been the number of substitutes they have been able to introduce. Their panel seems to have depth and plenty of options.
Still if they are to have at least one more competitive game before the year is out, they will again look to the Kelly twins, Majella Griffin, Michelle Downes, Deirdre Troy and Denise Geaney to lead them to victory. Reaching this stage has been a magnificent achievement but they will expect to win this weekend and attempt to make up for their 2007 All-Ireland final disappointment.