Impressive U-15 displays blitz opposition

FOLLOWING on from a good victory in the U-15 Dublin Blitz, the Clare side were hoping for another good performance at their home venue.

FOLLOWING on from a good victory in the U-15 Dublin Blitz, the Clare side were hoping for another good performance at their home venue.
This was never going to be an easy task against Dublin A and Cork A and nothing less than a 100% effort would bring success.
Clare’s first match was against Cork A and they opened the scoring when Lauren Tuohy converted a free, which was quickly added to when Kealy Power popped over a lovely point, following a pass from Emma O’Connell.
Clare had two more points from Eimer Neilan and Ria Flanagan before Cork broke through the Clare defence to score their opening goal. Both sides exchanged points before the half-time whistle.
Clare opened the second half with two points from Lauren Tuohy. Cork, moving better throughout the field, responded with two goals in quick succession. With Marie O’Looney, Edel McNamara and Laura Brown breaking down any further Cork attack and delivering good ball to the forward lines, it wasn’t long before Clare struck again. When Anne-Marie Hayes caught a great pass from Kealy Power, nothing was in her head but goal and a rasper of a shot gave the Cork goalie no chance. A Lauren Tuohy point in the last minute gave Clare a well-deserved one-point victory, 1-8 to 3-1.
Clare and Dublin were evenly matched. The home side went in a point down at half-time, with points from Anne-Marie Hayes and Lauren Tuohy. Dublin were first on the scoreboard at the restart with a point but Clare came right back into the match when Emma O’Connell and Anne-Marie Hayes rattled the Dublin net. Dublin did manage to steal a late goal but Clare ran out winners, 2-4 to 2-2.
Clare faced Cork B in the semi-final. Cork opened the scoring with a point but this was their only score in the match. Two first-half goals from Emma O’Connell and Annemarie Hayes put the tie well beyond their opponents.
Tipperary were Clare’s opponents for the A final. The first half was a closely contested affair. Clare managed to breach the Tipperary defence early on. A Lauren Tuohy line ball forced a great save from the Tipperary goalie but Emma O’Connell, who broke the hearts of all defenders on the day, was on hand to finish it to the net. Emma added two more points to her first half-tally.
Tipperary scored a goal and point in this half. Ria Flanagan and Sarah Redmond battled hard at the centre of the field and delivered great ball to the forwards. Strong defending from both teams prevented both sets of forwards from availing of any goal opportunities. The accuracy of Lauren Tuohy from frees proved vital on the day and Clare emerged winners on a scoreline of 1-5 to 1-3.
Clare: Deirdre Cotter, Marie O’Looney, Megan O’Brien, Laura Brown, Edel McNamara (capt), Ria Flanagan, Aisling McMahon, Sarah Redmond, Michelle Powell, Kealy Power, Lauren Tuohy, Jessica Leamy, Anne Marie Hayes, Eimer Neilan, Emma O’Connell, Sinéad Hogg, Louise Stringer, Hannah King, Maebh Clune, Laura McCarthy, Samantha O’Connor and Róisín White.
Mentors: Carmel McGrath, Alan Whyte and Michael McMahon.

Mixed luck for U-13 squads
CLARE fielded three teams in their annual U-13 Blitz at Éire Óg on Sunday. The U-13 squad had wins over Cork and Kerry before facing Cork again in the A final.
Cork had an early goal and while Clare fought hard throughout, they were unable to grab the scores they needed to equalise the match. Clare pulled back a point to go in at the break trailing by two points.
Defences dominated in the second half, which remained scoreless until just before the final whistle, when Cork goaled from a long-range free to secure victory on a scoreline of 2-1 to 0-1.
In the B blitz, it was the Clare primary development squad who went through to the final again against Cork’s second string. Clare were the more dominant side throughout and led from the start.
Encouraged by the home supporters, Clare led 3-0 to 0-0 at the break. Clare continued to dominate in the second half and added 2-1 added to their tally, while holding Cork scoreless.
Clare U-13 development squad: Marie Redmond, Saoirse McNamara, Zoe O’Keefe, Sarah Loughnane, Laura Foley, Sinéad Power, Olivia Phelan, Hanna Meaney, Niamh Quirke, Laoise Hurley, Clara Madden, Ciara Grogan, Ciara Whelan, Aoife Shannon, Ciara Guilfoyle, Niamh Kelly, Lauren Crowe, Millie King, Mary O’Connor, Louise Egan, Sinéad O’Callaghan, Karen McMahon, Caoimhe O’Callaghan and Mary O’Connor.
Clare primary development squad (blue): Nikki Walsh, Moll Nolan, Hayley Brookes, Niamh O’Gorman, Chloe Crowe, Eva Whyte, Sarah Quinn, Niamh Powell, Róisín Byrnes, Áine O’Loughlin, Alannah Ryan, Laura Philpott, Eilis Whitney, Caoimhe Carmody, Áine Ryan, Aoife Sxton, Róisín Clancy, Chloe McNamara, Amy Brett, Anna Lee Marsh, Orlaith Nash, Anna Corry, Mollie Heffernan, Hannah Wilson, Aoife Vaughan, Apryl O’Reagan, Ciara Doyle, Alice Keane, Tara Mannix.