Fifth victory for table-topping ladies

Clare 3-13 Wexford 1-10

Clare continued on their winning ways in the Bord Gais Energy National Football League when they maintained their unbeaten run and finished with nine points to spare against the 2007 All-Ireland intermediate finalists in Enniscorthy on Sunday afternoon.
Clare led from the start when, like the win over Limerick last week, Niamh O’Dea got Clare off the mark with the first of her four points. By the fourth, Eimear Considine had added a goal and a point.
Team captain and top scorer on the day, Niamh Keane, who went on to have a fine hour, pointed. Wexford keeper Mary Rose Kelly and corner-back Leona Tector prevented O’Dea from scoring when a goal seemed to be on and so after eight minutes the visitors were 1-3 to no score up and cruising.
Sensing that the Clare full-forward line of the Considine sisters and O’Dea were all on song and causing problems, Wexford deployed their centre-half-forward Tara Moloney as a sweeper in front of her own full-back line. It did limit Clare’s scoring success and crowded that area.
Ailish Considine added a fine point off her left and Wexford’s first attack ended up dropping short in to the hands of Clare keeper Grace Lynch. Colette Corry, who played well on the day, was unlucky to see her attempt at goal rebound back off the upright into the hands of Mary Rose Kelly. It took Wexford 14 minutes to open their account, a well-taken free off the ground by Tara Moloney. Clare broke forward once more and Niamh Keane took on a few defenders and rattled the Wexford net for Clare’s second goal.
Wexford finished the half with three points without reply, two frees from Katie Redmond and the other from midfielder Fiona Rochford. At half-time the scoreboard read Clare 2-4 Wexford 1-4.
Once again, O’Dea got Clare off the mark for the first score of the second half and soon after Wexford breathed a sigh of relief when Louise Henchy’s shot for a goal came back out off the crossbar. Niamh Keane was pulled down as she raced through and O’Dea shot wide from the resultant free.
Wexford did not give up however and contiunued to produce their best spell. Full-forward Lisa Goff pointed from play in the ninth minute of the half and Katie Redmond pointed from a free after Eimear O’Connor had brought down a Wexford attacker.
Then came Wexford’s goal, when corner-forward Katie Redmond scored and now there was just two points between the sides, Clare 2-6 to Wexford’s 1-7, with over a quarter of an hour to play. This was now a test for Clare but they responded well and replied with points from Niamh Keane, Marie Considine, Eimear Considine and Ailish Considine to open a six-point gap.
With six minutes of normal time remaining, Louise Henchy put the icing on the cake when she finished well to the net, having been set up by Sarah Bohannon, who fielded well before passing to Henchy. Points from Wexford’s Niamh Crosbie and Lisa Goff were cancelled out by like scores from midfielder Marie Considine and team captain Niamh Keane, while the final score of the afternoon fell to Katie Redmond for the home side.
Clare will be pleased with the result, which now guarantees them a semi-final spot, with two home games left to play against Longford and joint table-toppers Fermanagh.
However, it will be the semi-final game that will be the crucial one and it will be the two teams that contest the final that will be promoted to Division 2.
Best for Clare on the day were Laurie Ryan, Clare Hester, Louise Woods, Marie Considine and Louise Henchy while all forwards did well. For Wexford, Mary Rose Kelly and Leona Tector were their standout players while Maeve Quill, Niamh Crosbie, Lisa Goff and Katie Redmond all had their moments.

Clare: Grace Lynch (Coolmeen); Clare Hester (Fergus Rovers), Eimear O’Connor (Coolmeen), Laurie Ryan (Banner Ladies); Niamh Greene (Coolmeen), Róisín McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Louise Woods (Banner Ladies); Marie Considine (Liscannor, 0-2), Louise Henchy (Banner Ladies, 1-0); Colette Corry (Shannon Gaels), Niamh Keane (Banner Ladies) 1-3, Naoimi Carroll (Banner Ladies); Ailish Considine (Kilmihil 0-2), Niamh O’Dea (Banner Ladies 0-4), Eimear Considine (Kilmihil 1-2).
Subs: Sarah Bohannon (Shannon Gaels) for C Corry; Lorraine Kelly (Fergus Rovers) for N Greene; Katie Geoghegan (West Clare Gaels) for N Carroll; Niamh Lardner (West Clare Gaels) for A Considine.

Wexford: Mary Rose Kelly; Maeve Quill, Nikki Scallon, Leona Tector; Rosie Lawlor, Michelle Doyle (capt), Nicola Cullen; Deirdre Fox, Fiona Rochford (0-1; Kellie Kearney, Tara Moloney (0-1f), Niamh Crosbie 0-1); Liz Evered (1-0), Lisa Goff (0-2), Katie Redmond (0-5).
Subs: Sharon Kehoe for K. Kearney (half-time); Maebh Kehoe for D Fox; Clara Donnelly for T Moloney; Mairéad Sheehan for L Evered; Linda Casey for R Lawlor; Aoife Waters for M Doyle.
Referee: Tony Lennon (Dublin)

Division 3 results
Longford 1-1 Down 2-12
Fermanagh 5-9 Leitrim 1-4
Wicklow 6-7 Limerick 3-10