All roads will lead to Ballinasloe this Saturday for Clare ladies football as the county minor representatives strive to salvage some underage pride for the county from what has been a very disappointing year to date at inter-county underage. They take on Roscommon in the All-Ireland minor semi-final at 2pm.

With both the U-14s and U-16s making early and tame Munster championship exits all hopes of silverware rested with the U-18 squad and, in fairness, the John Burke trained squad did not disappoint with a battling performance against Waterford to gain victory in what was a thrilling Munster final in Tipperary Town back in May.

With the competition then suspended for the duration of the leaving certificate and first year college exams both semi-finalists have been almost 11 weeks without a competitive match.
Clare have had a recent challenge against their Kerry counterparts and it remains to be seen how the long lay-off without competitive fare will effect the team.

Clare are fortunate that many of their first 15 are also on the senior panel and will have benefited from participation in senior inter-county games over the past two months.
They will have gained added benefit from senior county championship action with their clubs over the past number of weeks also.

Players such as Amy O’Brien, Aisling Corbett, Orlaith Lynch, Emer Hillary, Marie Foran and Katie Connole should be in an advanced state of preparedness for this match given their senior squad involvement. Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s Chloe Moloney is also in flying form for her club as is Niki Kaiser of Newmarket. Shauna Harvey remains a big injury doubt and if not fully recovered will be a big loss to the side while her sister Grainne should make the starting defensive line up.

Clare will be favourites for this game given the higher standard of the Munster B Championship than that in the Connacht B series but they will have to be wary of the Roscommon challenge if they are to secure an All-Ireland final place on the August Bank holiday Monday.

John Burke is the trainer of a team managed by David Browne with selectors JJ O’Dea, Martin Nolan and Marie Louise Kaiser. A win will be a major boost for Clare ladies football that hasn’t had the best of seasons.

Clare panel: Aoife O’Neill, Sinéad Considine, Amy O’Brien, Gráinne Harvey, Joanne Howley, Marie Foran, Orlaith Lynch, Aisling Corbett, Emer Hillary, Katie Connole, Niki Kaiser, Orla Devitt, Nollaig Blake, Chloe Moloney, Grainne Nolan, Orlagh Kennelly, Aoife Keane, Carla Behan, Karen Roche, Eva O’Dea, Jenny Ryan, Rachel O’Toole, Eimear Casey, Sinéad O’Keeffe, Rebecca Devine, Emma McMahon, Shauna Harvey, Colette Keniry.

Senior qualifier

Clare ladies senior team will be in action on Saturday, July 27, in a first round qualifier game against Kildare. The time and venue for the game has yet to be decided as it will form part of a double header with Donegal v Westmeath. Both games are to be covered by TG4.