Shannon Gaels 6-12
Clooney-Quin 2-5

HAVING lost the three previous intermediate finals, Shannon Gaels finally fought their way to senior status, following an excellent second-half display in Coolmeen last Saturday.

The winners outscored their mid-Clare opponents 4-6 to 0-3 in the second period and it was this half-hour’s football that clinched the championship for the ladies from Labasheeda, Kilmurry McMahon, Tullycrine and Killimer.
The Gaels captain, Carmel Bohannon, scored 3-3 from play for her side, adding an intermediate championship medal to the nine she won while playing senior with Fergus Rovers.
Shannon Gaels started very nervously and trailed 2-1 to 0-1 after 20 minutes. What made this situation more worrying for their management team of Brian Bermingham, Enda Coughlan and Marie Malone was the fact that they were playing with a very strong wind.
Marie Halpin and Nicole O’Riordan scored the Clooney-Quin goals. The Gaels needed to respond before the game ran away from them and they did with points from Sarah Bohannon, Croidhe Glynn and Ger Corry, who also kicked their first point. Crucially, Carmel Bohanon netted the Gaels’ first goal as half-time approached, while Ger Corry added a second. These scores helped the winners into a 2-6 to 2-2 interval lead.
Now playing with noticeable confidence, albeit against the wind, the Gaels made an excellent start to the second half, with Carmel Bohannon scoring two more goals. Clooney-Quin were dealt another setback when their goalkeeper, Meghan Kitson, had to leave the field injured. Gemma Hassett moved from full-back into goals. Croihde Glynn’s goal left the Gaels leading 5-6 to 2-3 and in control. Substitutes Carla Behan (1-1) and Charlotte O’Shea (0-1) notched impressive scores with Croidhe Glynn, Carmel Bohannon and her daughter Sarah tagging on their remaining points.
Orlaith Duggan and Deirdre Murphy put over late scores for Clooney-Quin.
While the Gaels forwards notched a sizeable tally, Mary Ruth Neylon and Imelda Kennedy excelled in their full-back line. Centre-back Susan Neylon was the Gaels’ best defender, winning ball after ball, and must have been in very close contention for player of the match, which was won by Carmel Bohannon. Helena Flanagan also played very well at wing-back, while in attack Carmel Bohannon was an inspirational figure, with Michelle Madigan, Ger Corry, Croidhe Glynn and Sarah Bohannon also excelling.
Orlaith Duggan, Aisling Corbett, Deirdre Murphy, Mary Kate Moloney and Jessica O’Neill all played well for Clooney-Quin, most of who play camogie for their club’s senior team.
Clare ladies’ football county board chairman Johnny Hayes presented the cup to Gaels captain Carmel Bohannon. Shannon Gaels will play the Waterford intermediate champions in the Munster club competition on Saturday, September 10. Junior champions Doonbeg will play Kerry opposition on the same day. 

Shannon Gaels: Serena Carmody; Eilis Moran, Mary Ruth Neylon, Imelda Kennedy; Helena Flanagan, Susan Neylon, Croidhe Glynn; Colette Corry, Kate O’Brien; Adrienne Nugent, Sarah Bohannon, Michelle Madigan; Edel Dillon, Carmel Bohannon (captain), Ger Corry.
Subs: Carla Behan for Edel Dillon, Hazel Baumann for Adrienne Nugent, Emer Nugent for Ger Corry, Gráinne Howard for Croidhe Glynn and Charlotte O’Shea for Michelle Madigan.
Scorers: Carmel Bohannon (3-3), Croidhe Glynn, Ger Corry (1-2 each), Carla Behan (1-1), Sarah Bohannon (0-3, 0-2f), Charlotte O’Shea (0-1).
Clooney-Quin: Meghan Kitson; Emma Sheehy, Marie Hehir, Gemma Hassett (captain); Emma Sheehy, Aisling Hannon; Siobhán Lee, Aisling Corbett; Deirdre Murphy, Mary Kate Moloney, Jessica O’Neill; Orlaith Duggan, Nicole O’Riordan, Rebecca Kennedy, Marie Halpin.
Subs: Gemma McEvoy for Meghan Kitson (injured), Hannah O’Brien for Rebecca Kennedy, Michelle Canny for Marie Hehir and Cora O’Grady for Nicole O’Riordan.
Scorers: Marie Halpin, Nicole O’Riordan (1-0 each), Jessica O’Neill, Orlaith Duggan (0-2) each, Deirdre Murphy (0-1).
Referee: Michael Fitzgerald (Clondegad/Ballyea).

Newmarket advance to senior B decider

Newmarket 4-16
Crusheen 2-13.
Clareabbey was the venue last Saturday for the Ladies’ Senior Football B Championship semi-final, where a stiff breeze seemed to dictate the flow of the game.
It took extra time to decide the winner but against the run of play and against the wind, it took Newmarket just five extra minutes to dismantle the Crusheen championship machine for 2011 and put the Blues into a final appointment with Miltown Malbay.
It was all Newmarket in the first half when playing into the Clarecastle end and they had registered 2-7 before Crusheen made their presence felt.
The Newmarket defence, which included sisters Iris and Carol Kaiser, and Róisín McMahon and Aoife Griffin, nipped several Crusheen attacks in the bud but some great attacking passages from Chloe Morey (0-3) in the centre, Jenny Kelly (1-3, 2f), captain Carol O’Leary (1-0), Laura McMahon (0-1) and two more Kaiser sisters, Ruth and Niki (0-2) racked up the scores.
However, a massive performance from Crusheen’s Emma Kearney kept Crusheen in touch as she pointed three frees and passed a quick free to Nora Murphy, who pointed the fourth. Despite being under severe pressure, Niamh McCoy, Leona McMahon, Marian Meaney and Marie  and Clair O’Grady worked very hard for Crusheen. Michael Talty blew for the break at 2-9 to 0-4 in favour of Newmarket.
A remarkable resurgence by Crusheen held the Blues to one solitary point in the second half while putting away 2-6 themselves. Jacinta O’Grady, sister of captain Marie and corner-back Clair, goaled for Crusheen almost immediately and Michelle O’Donnell pointed soon after.
Jacinta O’Grady then pointed at the end of a rapid passage of play, which started with Ann Fitzgibbon in the backs and came via Nora Murphy. A brilliant Emma Kearney was then to take the game to the opposition as she stalked the Newmarket half-back line looking for opportunities. Kearney was to receive two kick-outs into her waiting arms, which she duly returned between the posts, one above the bar and one below and she also converted a free, a sign of the effort being put in by Nora Murphy, Michelle O’Donnell and Elaine O’Mahony, Marian and Tina Meaney, who scored a well-taken point herself.
Newmarket patched some good plays together via Iris, Carol and Ruth Kaiser, captain Carol O’Leary, Áine O’Brien and Jenny Kelly, which fizzled out but Kelly did point from a free to keep Newmarket in the game.
In a frantic last two minutes of normal time, Kearney equalised for Crusheen while Newmarket’s Niki Kaiser shot came off the upright at the other end and was then fouled near the 20. Kicking into a strong breeze, Newmarket failed to nail the lid shut and the game went into extra time at 2-10 apiece.
Crusheen will have missed Rachel Lenihan and Maria O’Donnell’s involvement as they were outscored 2-6 to 0-3 in extra time.

Newmarket: Áine Lawlor; Jane O’Leary, Iris Kaiser, Maria Kennelly, Carol Kaiser, Roisin McMahon, Aoife Griffin; Ruth Kaiser, Áine O’Brien, Jenny Kelly (2-5, 5f), Chloe Morey (0-3), Carol O’Leary (capt) (1-1); Claire Arthur, Niki Kaiser (1-4), Ruth Kaiser (0-1); Laura McMahon (0-2), Maria McMahon, Aimee McInerney, Ali Quinlan, Caroline Feelihy, Lynne McMahon McInerney, Bríd Enright, Shauna Halpin, Mary Hayes, Aislinn Keogh, Stephanie Coughlan, Eleanor O’Dea, Lisa Devanney, Gemma McInerney, Stephanie Halpin.
Crusheen: Noelle McGuane, Clair O’Grady, Marie O’Grady (capt), Niamh McCoy, Ann Fitzgibbon, Mary Rosingrave, Edel McGuane, Emma Kearney (1-8, 5f), Regina Fennessey, Michelle O’Donnell (0-1), Tina Meaney (0-1), Marian Meaney, Nora Murphy (0-2), Elaine O’Mahony, Jacinta O’Grady (1-1), Triona McGrath, Leona McMahon, Catherine Nugent, Joanne Meaney, Teresa Rosengrave, Joanne O’Donnell, Rachel Lenihan, Aisling Callinan, Dori  Teodora, Annemarie McMahon, Maria O’Donnell, Sharon Fitzgibbon, Martha Liddy.