Senior victory bridges 66-year gap

Cork 0-9   Clare 0-7

Clare bridged a 66-year gap on Saturday evening in The Ragg in Tipperary when they captured the Munster senior title for just the third time.

Cork 0-9   Clare 0-7

Clare bridged a 66-year gap on Saturday evening in The Ragg in Tipperary when they captured the Munster senior title for just the third time.
Clare went into this game as underdogs, up against holders Cork, who only recently overcame the All-Ireland champions Wexford in the National League Division 1 final.
However, at the final whistle, it was the underdogs who had shown fight, determination and passion to lift the title and the Morrissey Cup.
Played in wet conditions, credit is due to both sets of players, who provided their supporters with an outstanding contest. The Clare supporters, who outnumbered their Cork counterparts by three to one, were the ones who had reason to shout loudest at the final whistle.
Cork’s Anna Geary opened the scoring in the second minute. Naomi Carroll cancelled out this score after receiving a well-executed pass from Deirdre Murphy. Both sides had the opportunity to increase their tally from placed balls but with the weather having an impact, the scoreboard remained as it was. Clare lost full-forward Fiona Lafferty to injury in the 10th minute and her replacement was Niamh O’Dea. Cork got the next two scores, Katriona Mackey being on target with a free while Marie Walsh, after a run down the wing, managed to split the posts from an awkward angle. After 18 minutes, Cork had a two-point advantage.
This lead however, didn’t last long as Clare were back on level terms within two minutes, the sprightly Carroll having been fed by Orlaith Duggan from midfield, before going on one of her trademark runs, cutting through the Cork defence before firing over for Clare’s second point. McMahon levelled matters with a free. Clare took the lead in the 23rd minute courtesy of McMahon, Marion O’Brien this time sending a long-range shot down the wing. The Clare back line saw sterling displays from Maire McGrath and Carol O’Leary throughout and held firm as Cork tried time and again to snatch a goal.
The Banner girls led by the minimum margin at half-time. With no let-up in the heavy rain, both sides recommenced in determined mood and Cork levelled through O’Connor in the opening minute.
Chloe Morey intercepted a Cork sideline, which she sent down the wing to Carroll but the Irish hockey player’s shot came off the cross bar.
However, Clare McMahon was well placed to collect and she duly pointed. Substitute Susan Fahy followed up with another point for the Banner girls to put Clare in front but two Cork frees by O’Connor and Mackey saw the sides level for the fourth time after 40 minutes.
Both sides battled on and with the game entering the last 10 minutes, it was Clare who dug deepest and with Murphy leading the charge in the forwards, it was the Clooney native who put them back in front in the 52nd minute from a free. Cork were further penalised two minutes later and Chloe Morey converted to extend Clare’s lead to two points.
Cork substitute Carolyn Motherway fired over a point from play in the 55th minute to narrow the gap.
Two minutes from time, the Clare defence dealt with a delivery from O’Connor as Cork went in search of a goal. The favourites had another chance to level but O’Connor’s effort drifted wide of the upright, to the obvious relief of the big Clare following. Cork were guilty of over-carrying as they struggled to get the better of a tenacious Kate Lynch in injury time. Denise Lynch came off her goal line to send the free almost the length of the pitch to the Clare forwards and it was only fitting that the final score of the game fell to Murphy, leaving Clare victors by two points.
Munster Council vice-chairman James Moynihan presented the Morrissey Cup to joint Clare captains Fiona Lafferty and Susan Vaughan.
It was a particularly special day for Naomi Carroll, who was named as the player of the game.

Clare: Denise Lynch (Kilmaley); Máire McGrath (Sixmilebridge), Marion O’Brien (Scariff-Ogonnelloe), Carol O’Leary (Newmarket); Kate Lynch (Kilkishen), Susan Vaughan (Scariff-Ogonnelloe, joint captain), Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge); Katie Cahill (Kilmaley), Orlaith Duggan (Clooney-Quin); Laura Linnane (Wolfe Tones), Shonagh Enright (Kilmaley), Deirdre Murphy (Clooney-Quin 0-3 2f); Clare McMahon (Kilmaley 0-3, 1f), Fiona Lafferty (Inagh-Kilnamona, joint captain), Naomi Carroll (Sixmilebridge 0-2).
Subs: Niamh O’Dea (Corofin) for Lafferty (injured 10 mins); Susan Fahy (Scariff-Ogonnelloe 0-1) for Linnane (injured, half-time); Louise Woods (St Joseph’s) for McMahon (50 mins) and Sinead O’Loughlin (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Cahill (58 mins).

Cork: Aoife Murray; Jenny Duffy, Rena Buckley, Amanda O’Regan; Briege Corkery, Eimear O’Sullivan, Pamela Mackey; Lynda Dorgan, Gemma O’Connor (0-2, 1f); Orla Cotter, Joanne Casey, Katriona Mackey (0-2f); Julia White, Marie Walsh (0-1), Anna Geary (0-1).
Sub: Carolyn Motherway for Julia White.

Referee: Tadgh Whelan, Tipperary