League semi- final date for impressive seniors

Clare 0-11
Galway 0-7

CLARE camogie made history at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe on Sunday when they beat Galway at senior level for the first time.

 

The win means that the Banner ladies now top Group 2 and are heading for a semi-final spot. Sunday’s win was fully deserved as Clare dominated most areas from the start.
Clare have been on the verge of taking a big scalp over the last 12 months and had close games with both Galway and Cork in the championship last year. Galway wore the favourites’ tag and also had the added pressure of needing a win to remain in contention in the league.

Clare took to the field in a determined mood, with Claire McMahon opening the scoring with a pointed free after just 30 seconds.
Galway’s Niamh McGrath levelled just two minutes later with a free for the home side. Naomi Carroll was on target for the visitors in the fifth minute. Galway were denied by Denise Lynch two minutes later when McGrath dropped a free short and Lynch caught and cleared it back out the field. McGrath was more accurate with her next attempt and levelled matters.

Clare accounted for the next score in this physical encounter when Chloe Morey sent a long-range free down the wing to the waiting Naomi Carroll. As the Galway backs challenged, Carroll handpassed to Niamh O’Dea who split the posts with her effort. McGrath again levelled matters, this time from play before Deirdre Murphy’s pointed from an awkward angle in the 15th minute.

Galway, rattled by the intensity of their opponents, gifted Clare a number of frees and Claire McMahon converted three pushing Clare into a three-point lead after 20 minutes. With a gale swirling around Duggan Park, Galway were having difficulty in coping with the conditions. At the break, Clare led by three points, 0-7 to 0-4.

Supporters of both sides would have expected Galway to step up a gear in the second half but it was the visitors who started the stronger, McMahon duly pointing from a placed ball. With the Clare forwards piling on the pressure, it led to the concession of frees to the visitors. Referee Mike O’Kelly awarded Clare a penalty in the 34th minute and McMahon opted to split the posts and in doing so extended the Clare’s lead to six points.

The next 10 minutes were played with great intensity, Galway attacking but unable to breach a solid Banner defence. Sinéad O’Loughlin, Marian O’Brien and Carol O’Leary hooked and harried, breaking down the Galway attack, while Katie Cahill, Eimear Considine and Niamh O’Dea put in tremendous effort in clearing their lines.
Chloe Morey’s pointed free in the 50th minute was to be Clare’s last score, and it gave the winners a seven-point lead with 10 minutes remaining. Three Galway points in the 51st, 54th and 56th minutes spurred Galway on and when Orla

Kilkenny sent a low shot goal-bound in the 58th minute, Clare captain Denise Lynch was quickest to respond, coming off her line to clear the danger. Galway had one last attack but again the Clare defence stood firm and it was the home side who fouled while in possession, affording Chloe Morey the opportunity to send her trademark long-range free back down the field and well out of the Clare goal area. It was the last action of the game and moments later, Clare were celebrating a noteworthy win.

Clare deserved this win as they were the hungrier side on a day when their ability to cope with the difficult weather conditions, their determination and focus in the face of a relentless Galway attack in the last 10 minutes showed what strides they have made in the last 12 months.

They now travel to Wexford for their last group game on Easter weekend. The outcome of that fixture will decide final placings in Group 2 but could be the cause of a headache for Croke Park officials. If Clare’s win over Galway was an upset to the forecasters, then Dublin’s 1-8 to 0-4 win over Wexford surely had them tearing their hair out. Clare now top Group 2 with two wins, Dublin and Wexford both have a win each, while Galway have yet to get some points on the board. Dublin will be at home to Galway in two weeks and Clare travel to Wexford.

Clare: Denise Lynch (Kilmaley); Sinéad O’Loughlin (Inagh-Kilnamona); Marian O’Brien (Scariff-Ogonnelloe); Carol O’Leary (Newmarket-on-Fergus); Katie Cahill (Kilmaley); Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge, 0-1), Eimear Considine (Kilmaley); Niamh O’Dea (Kilmaley, 0-1); Máire McGrath (Sixmilebridge); Fiona Lafferty (Inagh-Kilnamona); Kate Lynch (Kilkishen); Deirdre Murphy (Clooney-Quin, 0-1); Naomi Carroll (Sixmilebridge, 0-1); Claire McMahon (Kilmaley, 0-7, 6f, 1 pen); Orlaith Duggan (Clooney-Quin).
Subs: Susan Vaughan (Scariff-Ogonnelloe) for Murphy, 47 mins; Róisín McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for McMahon; Aoife Griffin (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for O’Leary, both 52 mins.
Galway: Susan Earner; Colette Gill, Lorraine Ryan, Therese Manton; Sinéad Cahalan, Sarah Dervan, Heather Cooney; Niamh Kilkenny (0-2, 1f); Emma Kilkelly (0-1); Finola Keely, Niamh McGrath (0-3, 2f), Noreen Coen; Aoife Donohue, Orla Kilkenny, Ailish O’Reilly.
Sub: Rebecca Hennelly for Keely 49 mins.
Referee: Mike O’Kelly.