Heartbreak for Clare U-16s

CLARE lost out by the narrowest of margins to Leitrim in the U-16C All-Ireland ladies’ football final at Banagher last Saturday.

This was a thrilling contest in which the result was in doubt right to the final whistle.

Clare dominated the opening 20 minutes but a first-half stoppage time blitz by Leitrim saw them take a lead they would not relinquish.

Clare started well and Carla Behan gave them the lead after three minutes with a fine individual point scored under pressure. A fine pass from Behan and Áine Browne then set up Aoibheann Malone for Clare’s second point in two minutes. Áine Browne worked tirelessly in the half-forward line and she set up Laura Rynne soon after for Clare’s third point. Some good defending by Rachel O’Toole, Sinéad Considine and Joann Howley damped a lot of the Leitrim vigour but Emma Guckian had their first point on eleven minutes.

Things were looking good after midfielder Laura Rynne’s effort came back off the cross bar but sustained pressure by the Banner County attack saw Carla Behan fouled in the goalmouth. Gráinne Nolan netted the resulting penalty to make it 1-3 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter. When Leitrim had a player sin-binned, Clare didn’t handle the advantage well. Leitrim pressure forced a good save from Aoife O’Neill as she palmed over a ball destined for the net. However, referee Jason Mullins disallowed it for a previous infringement but they returned to take the goal a minute later. When Clare were down to 10 players, Leitrim levelled with two points by the 28 minute. In four minutes of stoppage time, Leitrim added 2-1 in a spell that had the Clare defence reeling. Leitrim went in at half-time leading 3-4 to 1-3.

Clare leaked another point on the resumption to trail by eight. As has been the case in several minor games this year, Orla Devitt sparked a Clare reaction and her fifth minute goal would be followed by points from herself and Róisín Considine. A Leitrim point in the same period left the gap at four points.

Substitute Katie Connolle goaled on 10 minutes but Leitrim pulled one back before Jenny Ryan pointed soon after to leave the minimum between the teams, 3-6 to 3-7. After Clare’s Grainne Nolan saw her free come off the crossbar with seven minutes to go, Leitrim broke out and pointed to go two ahead.

Great work by Sinéad and Róisín Considine and Gráinne Harvey had Clare back on the attack and Devitt pointed to reduce the margin to the minimum again.

Leitrim pulled away to a two-point margin with 28 minutes gone. Again, Clare were back in the last minute, via Eva O’Dea and Áine Browne, who released Aoibheann Malone for the last score of the game but it was too late and Leitrim weathered a blistering second half from Clare to take the title by a whisker.

The Clare girls did everything asked of them in the second half but they paid a heavy price for letting their opponents dominate the closing stages of the opening half.

The Clare management team comprised Joe Downes (Cooraclare), Martin Nolan (Banner Ladies), Róisín Garry (Kilmihil), Edel Malone (Fergus Rovers), Sharon Malone (Éire Óg). The team physio was Bernie Reagan.

Clare panel: Aoife O’Neil (Éire Óg), Rachel O’Toole (Wolfe Tones), Sinéad Considine (Liscannor), Joanne Howley (Burren Gaels), Sinéad Quinn (Banner Ladies), Gráinne Harvey (West Clare Gaels), Róisín Considine (Liscannor), Marie Foran (West Clare Gaels), Laura Rynne (Miltown), Áine Browne (Kilrush), Orla Devitt (Éire Óg), Nollaig Blake (Doonbeg),  Aoibhainn Malone (Banner Ladies), Gráinne Nolan (Banner Ladies), Carla Behan (Shannon Gaels).
Subs used: Katie Connolle (Burren Gaels) (captain); Jenny Ryan (Kilrush), Eva O’Dea (Banner Ladies), Chloe Normoyle (Coolmeen), Aoife Keane (Banner Ladies).
Subs: Amy O’Brien (Burren Gaels), Emer Casey (Doora-Barefield), Amy Keane (West Clare Gaels), Sophie Devanny (Coolmeen), Gillian Finnucane (Coolmeen),  Fionnula Nagle (Fergus Rovers), Aisling McMahon (Doora Barefield), Susie Williams (Kilrush), Kay Walsh (Kilrush), Tara Comber (Kilmurry Ibrickane).