Long day for beaten Clare ladies

Mayo         2-11
Clare         0-8
LONG before the ball was even thrown in to start Clare’s second NFL Ladies’ Division 2 league game of 2012, both counties had experienced a frustrating afternoon.

The game was due to start at 2pm but it didn’t get underway until 3.25pm. PJ Rabbitte (Galway) was down to referee the game but a breakdown in communication led to him umpiring at a match in Galway and not refereeing at the league game in Ballindine. Both teams were warming up from approximately 1.30pm but it was almost two hours later before another referee, John Niland from Sligo arrived to officiate. He had been contacted to fill in for Rabbitte who was down in the match programme and on the ladies’ football website to referee the game. 
When the game eventually got underway, Clare’s Niamh Keane, for the second week in-a-row, kicked the games opening point.
Played in heavy underfoot conditions at The Davitt’s GAA Grounds in Ballindine, Clare took the game to their opponents whom they troubled for the opening 20 minutes but Mayo backboned by six Carnacon players, who captured the All-Ireland Senior Club title in November, finished the half strongly, holding Clare scoreless for the final 13 minutes of that opening half.
Come the interval, the home county led 2-7 to 0-5, with Ailish Considine, Marie Considine, Maria Kelly scoring Clare’s first-half points.
Seven-time All-Star, Cora Staunton scored Mayo’s first goal with Fiona McHale notching their second, two minutes before the interval. At the far side of the field, Mayo goalkeeper Aisling Tarpey saved well from Ailish Considine when a Clare goal would have been a huge boost to Noelle Comyn’s team.
The second half was tighter with Mayo shading the second-half, 0-4 to 0-3. To have any chance of making inroads into the eight point half-time deficit, Clare needed to start the second half on the front foot. However, Staunton pointed two frees, while her young team-mate Sarah Rowe added a point to stretch their advantage to 11. Clare didn’t manage another score until 19 minutes into the second period when Eimear Considine pointed before the same player added the county’s remaining scores.
Minors Shauna Harvey and Róisín O’Looney played well for Clare as did Emma O’Driscoll in goals, Eimear Considine, Marie Considine and Maria Kelly. What will concern Clare though is that they were held scoreless for more than half an hour, taking the last 13 minutes of the first half and the opening 19 minutes of the second half into account.   
Mayo’s Cora Staunton finished top scorer with a final tally of 1-8.  Fiona McHale was outstanding at right half-forward, while Noelle Tierney, Yvonne Byrne, Aisling Tarpey and Sarah Rowe all contributed well for the winners.
Clare: Emma O’Driscoll (Banner Ladies), Clare Hester (Fergus Rovers), Róisín McMahon (Newmarket), Shauna Harvey (West Clare Gaels), Eimear O’Connor (Coolmeen), Louise Henchy, (Banner Ladies captain), Lorraine Kelly (Fergus Rovers), Marie Considine (Liscannor, 0-1), Deirdre Troy (West Clare Gaels), Róisín O’Looney (Cooraclare), Niamh Keane (Banner Ladies, 0-1), Fiona Lafferty (Donaghmoyne), Ailish Considine (Kilmihil, 0-2f), Eimear Considine (Kilmihil, 0-3, 0-2f),  Maria Kelly (West Clare Gaels, 0-1). 
Subs: Áine Burke (Liscannor) for Ailish Considine (45mins), Susan McNamara (Banner Ladies) for Eimear O’Connor (53 mins), Anne Marie Callinan (Cooraclare) for Áine Burke (58mins), Carol O’Leary (Newmarket) for Fiona Lafferty (58mins).
Mayo: Aisling Tarpey (St Mary’s), Marie Corbett (Carnacon), Noelle Tierney (Carnacon), Sarah Tierney (Hollymount), Aimee Bell (Hollymount), Claire  Egan (Carnacon, captain), Amy Roddy (Kilmoremoy), Martha Carter (Carnacon, 0-1), Kathyrn Sullivan (Castlebar), Fiona McHale (Carnacon, 1-0), Cora Staunton (Carnacon, 1-8, 0-6f), Deirdre Doherty (Charlestown), Sinéad Murphy (Breaffy), Yvonne Byrne (Hollymount), Triona McNicholas (Moy Davitt’s).
Subs: Sarah Rowe (Kilmoremoy, 0-2 for S Murphy (21mins), Caoilfhoinn Connolly (Westport) for D Doherty (45mins), Ciara McManamon (Burrishoole) for A Roddy (58mins).
Referee: John Niland (Sligo)

Other Division 2 Results from Sunday
Cavan 1-9 Tipperary 1-05; Waterford 1-8 Galway 1-13; Kerry 3-23 Fermanagh 4-7.