CLARE failed in their bid to reach their second successive All-Ireland minor semi-final in-a-row, when they were frustratingly edged out by Mayo in the shield semi-final in Mountbellew last Saturday. Clare threw everything at the leaders in the final moments, only to run out of time.
On reflection, they will rue missed opportunities especially from play and placed balls in the first half that could have seeing them go in level at half-time.
Clare dominated the first quarter, scoring 2-1 to Mayo’s two points. Clare’s scores came from Sinéad Sexton (1-1) and Niamh O’Dea (1-0) but in the final 10 minutes of the half, Mayo completely took over, scoring 2-6. Star of the show was centre-forward Carol Hegarty, who scored 2-3. Both sides added points before half-time to leave the score at Mayo 2-7 Clare 2-3.
In the second half, Clare made a number of positional changes, which seemed to work. The sides exchanged points inside 16 minutes, with Clare’s points coming from Eimear O’Connor, Ailish Considine and Áine Burke. By now Clare were laying siege to the Mayo goal and two placed balls from Ailish Considine cut the deficit to just three points with only three minutes left on the clock. There were some nervy moments for Mayo’s defence as Clare’s Katie Geoghan’s effort at a shot for goal was deflected over the bar. However, Mayo held firm and got some major relief when Sinéad Cafferky hit a point in the 60th minute to seat victory for Mayo.
Best for Clare were Laurie Ryan at full-back, Aoife Murphy at corner-back, Louise Woods at centre-back and Eimear O’Connor at midfield, while up front Niamh O’Dea, Ailish Considine and Sinéad Sexton did well. For Mayo, Ciara Hanahoe, Treacy Hall and player of the match Carol Hegarty were all outstanding.

Clare: Siobhán Talty (Miltown); Aoife Murphy (Doora-Barefield), Laurie Ryan (Banner), Kayleigh McCormack
(Burren Gaels); Catherine Danagher (Wolfe Tones), Louise Woods (Banner), Megan Byrne (Burren Gaels);
Eimear O’Connor (Coolmeen), Katie Geoghan (West Clare Gaels); Rachel O’Brien (Wolfe Tones), Niamh O’Dea (Banner), Toni Lagan (Wolfe Tones); Áine Burke (Liscannor), Sinéad Sexton (Miltown), Ailish Considine (Kilmihil).
Subs: Niamh Pender for Rachel O’Brien, Becky Farrell for Megan Byrne and Edel McMahon for Louise Woods, injured.
Referee: Pat Kehoe, Carlow.

U-16s bound for Croke Park

ON Tuesday, the Clare U-16 ladies travel to Croke Park to take part in the Development Blitz Day. All teams will play three games, consisting of 15 minutes each.
The Clare panel is: Jacqueline Lynch, Aoife Clohessy, Louise Griffin (Fergus Rovers); Siobhán Breen (Doonbeg); Rebecca Culligan, Shauna Crowley, Eleanor Carey, Sinéad O’Keeffe (Banner); Orlaith Flanagan (Miltown); Sophie Hanna, Aoife Sheehan (Éire Óg); Aisling Reidy (Coolmeen); Eleanor O’Gorman (Kilmihil); Kate McCarthy, Aisling Corbett, (Clooney-Quin); Niki Kaiser, Clodagh Lawlor (Newmarket-on-Fergus); Emer Hillery, Aisling Torpey, Róisín Rouine (Liscannor); Fiona Loughman, Niamh Carrucan, Kanisha Flanagan (Burren Gaels); Edel McMahon, Laura Egan (Kilmihil); Claire O’Brien, Sarah Kelly (Wolfe Tones); Molly Brannock (Doora-Barefield); Aisling Brew and Shauna Harvey (West Clare Gaels).
The mentors are Kieran Harvey (West Clare Gaels), Marie Louise Kaiser (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Johnny Hayes (Fergus Rovers), Dave Flanagan (Burren Gaels) and Michael Egan (Kilmihil). The bus will leave the Auburn Lodge Hotel on Tuesday morning at 8.30am.

West Clare Gaels reach junior league final

West Clare Gaels 4-7   Éire Óg 0-14

WEST Clare Gaels and Éire Óg battled out the replay of their junior league semi-final last Thursday evening in Quilty. The original fixture was drawn back in May.
The first half opened with a scored free from Éire Óg corner-forward Shauna Keane, which was followed closely by a point from play for Éire Óg by Tara Sheehan.
A goal from West Clare Gaels’ Lisa McMahon and two goals from Bríd Troy, along with a pointed free by Bríd Troy and a point from play from Lisa McMahon totalled the western team’s tally to 3-2 at half-time.
Éire Óg’s Shauna Keane scored two more for her team in the first half, as did Jo Crowe, and Orla McMahon also put one over from play to leave their tally at seven points at half-time.
Éire Óg opened the second half  with a point from play from Joanne Walsh and a pointed free from Shauna Keane. West Clare Gaels followed suit with a pointed free from Bríd Troy and a point from play by Michelle Fitzpatrick.
Aisling Darin and Jo Crowe were next on the board for Éire Óg, with a point from play each. Bríd Troy scored another free for West Clare Gaels soon after. Two more frees for Éire Óg, scored by Aisling Darin, closed the gap to two points between the teams.
West Clare Gaels went on a scoring roll next with a point from Siobhán Marrinan, a goal from Bríd Troy and a point from Heather Harvey.
Éire Óg finished off scoring with a point from play from Shauna Keane.