Heartbreak in minor semi-final

Tipperary 3-9
Clare 1-14

The Clare minor camogie team’s bid to contest the All-Ireland final ended in defeat in Kilmallock last Thursday night, losing to Tipperary by a single point.

Goals win games and Tipperary knew they needed to register goals early on to overcome the Banner girls. The Tipp girls got off to a lightning start and registered their first goal in the second minute when Ciara McGrath capitalised on a poor clearance and drove her shot past Suzy O’Shea in the Clare goals.
Clare rallied and had points from Niki Kaiser and a Chloe Morey free to reduce the deficit to a point by the fifth minute. A goal hungry Tipp side however were on target again for their second green flag when Michela Graham blasted a shot to the Clare net.
Andrea Louhnane added two points for the Premier outfit at either side of another Morey free. Nicole Walsh got her name on the score sheet when she pointed a Tipp free in the 17th minute.
Clare’s Susan Fahy was fouled on her way through in the 18th minute and Morey again converted the resulting free. Clare added another three points before the break, two frees from Morey and a point from play from Christina Glynn, Tipp’s captain Bríd Quinn had the last score of the half leaving Clare trailing 2-5 to 0-7 at the break.
Clare were more dominant from the restart but Tipperary’s Eerena Fryday pointed in the 33rd minute to put five points between the sides before Sinead Touhy pointed for the Banner County.
Graham raised her second green flag of the game when she again broke through the Clare defence to put Tipp seven points in front.
Clare’s Susan Fahy was denied a goal when Tipp’s Orla McEniry blocked her hand pass and then got to the rebound also. However, that clearance came out to Niki Kaiser who pulled hard and saw her shot go past the Tipp defenders to the net to reduce the deficit to three.
Tipp added two more points in the 45th and 51st minutes to again push in front by five points. Clare substitute Rachel O’Halloran pointed for Clare in the 53rd minute and Morey was on target with another free in the 56th minute. Tipp’s last score of the game was in the 57th minute when substitute, Tara Kennedy pointed a 21-yard free. O’Halloran was on target for Clare in the 62nd minute.
Clare had a chance to go for goal in the 63rd minute when Maire McGrath dropped a long range free from her own 21-yard line down the middle of the field to the forward line. however, Clare fouled when in possession and with injury time ticking down, possession was vital if Clare were to win.
Clare were awarded a free in the 64th minute on the Tipp 21-yard line and Morey went for goal only to see her shot come off the defenders and out for a 45’ which Morey duly converted. Morey converted another free in the 66th minute, however time had run out for the Banner girls and despite a brave comeback, it is Tipperary who march on to the All-Ireland minor final.

Clare: Suzy O’Shea (Ballyea); Leanne Horan (Scariff), Maire McGrath (Sixmilebridge), Niamh Cahill (Kilmaley); Vera Loughnane (Feakle), Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge, 0-8f), Laura McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus); Niamh O’Dea (Corofin), Orlaith Duggan (Clooney/Quin); Katie Cahill (Kilmaley), Christina Glynn (Inagh, 0-1), Helen Hehir (Inagh); Sinead Tuohy (Sixmilebridge 0-2), Susan Fahy (Whitegate), Niki Kaiser (Newmarket-on-Fergus, 1-1).
Subs: Rachel O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge, 0-2) for Hehir (43mins); Leanne Boyle (Wolfe Tones) for Loughnane (46mins); Louise Griffin (Ballyea) for Niamh Cahill (57 mins).
Tipperary: Orla McEnery; Julie Anne Burke, Sheila Ryan, Louise McLoughlin; Clodagh Quirke, Aisling Cremin, Mairead Barry; Brid Quinn (0-1), Caoimhe Maher (0-1f); Andrea Loughnane (0-2), Eerena Fryday (0-1), Nicole Walsh (0-2f); Sarah Fryday, Michela Graham (2-0), Ciara McGrath (1-1).
Subs: Tara Kennedy (0-1) for Graham (39 minutes); Mairead Teehan for Quinn (42 minutes); Claire Kennedy for Loughnane (57 minutes); Aisling Carroll for Cremin (62 minutes).
Referee: Mike Sheehan, Cork.