Ladies pick up first league points

Clare 1-15
Offaly 0-5

CLARE laid the foundations for a merited victory over Offaly in Division 1 of the National Camogie League at Newmarket on Sunday when they built up a nine-point lead in the opening half, with the assistance of the wind.

Chloe Morey opened Clare’s tally inside the opening minute when she converted a free. Orlaith Duggan was on target after taking a pass from  Shónagh Enright within a minute.
Offaly’s opening score came from their chief scorer on the day, Elaine Dermody, when she converted a 45’. Fiona Lafferty’s free from the 21-yard line was well delivered to Susan Fahy, who popped it over the bar.
Dermody was on target again in the sixth minute, converting her second free of the day. Clare then hit a purple patch as they hit seven unanswered points in the space of 12 minutes.
Clare McMahon started that run when she pointed after taking a pass from Fahy, who had received from Duggan. McMahon hit four of the points, with Morey, Duggan and Deirdre Murphy contributing one each.
Dermody responded with two more to keep Offaly in touch. Morey’s free in the 29th minute found Lafferty and, from an awkward angle, the Inagh-Kilnamona player raised a white flag, giving Clare a 0-11 to 0-4 advantage as the game approached the halfway stage.
The lead was extended when Morey hit a long-range free, which McMahon gathered and sent to the Offaly net. Michela Morkan converted another Offaly free to give the home side a 1-11 to 0-5 advantage as referee Mike O’Kelly blew the half-time whistle.
Playing against the wind in the second half, Clare matched Offaly score for score. Points from Fahy, Enright, McMahon and Morey ensured that Clare kept the advantage and bagged their first points in the league. Clare showed the physicality previously shown against Kilkenny in their opening game, something manager John Carmody will be happy with. Their work-rate throughout was good and with the final result fairly evident going into the last quarter, Carmody and his management were able to empty the bench.
Denise Lynch, while not overly troubled in the Clare goals due to a strong defence in front, was still called upon and kept another clean sheet.
Clare travel to play Tipperary in their next outing.

Clare: Denise Lynch (Kilmaley); Carol O’Leary (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Siobhán Lafferty (Inagh-Kilnamona), Máire McGrath (Sixmilebridge); Kate Lynch (Kilkishen), Susan Vaughan (Scariff-Ogonnelloe), Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge, 0-3f), Katie Cahill (Kilmaley); Orlaith Duggan (Clooney-Quin, 0-2), Fiona Lafferty (Inagh-Kilnamona, 0-1), Shónagh Enright (Kilmaley, 0-1); Susan Fahy (Whitegate, 0-2), Claire McMahon (Kilmaley, 1-5, 3f, 1 45), Marian O’Brien (Scariff-Ogonnelloe), Deirdre Murphy (Clooney-Quin, 0-1).
Subs: Ailish Considine (Kilmaley) for O’Brien, Eimear Considine (Kilmaley) for Cahill, Sinéad Tuohy (Sixmilebridge) for McMahon, Aimee McInerney for McGrath and Aisling Hannon for Murphy.

Offaly: Eleanor Glendening; Leona McLeish, Triona McDonald, Sheila Sullivan; Fiona Stephens, Michela Morkan (0-1), Leanne Scully; Marion Crean, Arlene Watkins; Aoife Kelly (0-1), Elaine Dermody (0-5, 3f 1 45), Linda Sullivan; Ailsa Hughes, Siobhán Flannery (0-1), Emma Dunne.
Subs: Orla Kirwan (0-1) for Hughes, Gráinne Egan for Emma Dunne and Lorraine Kenna for Stephens (inj).

Referee: Mike O’Kelly.

In the other games in Division 1 on Sunday, Wexford defeated Kilkenny 0-11 to 0-10, while Cork were 2-14 to 1-10 winners over Tipperary.