Spectacular return for O’Dea

Clare           5-12
Tipperary   2-10
Niamh O’Dea made a spectacular return to the Clare ladies football team when she scored 2-6 of Clare’s total in their league defeat of Tipperary in Bansha last Sunday.

The Kilfenora girl, who was captain for the day, scored all but one point of her total from play. Having not been involved in some of the earlier league games, O’Dea showed her class yet again.
However Kilmihil’s Eimear Considine also netted two goals in a game in which Clare yet again displayed their attacking prowess.
The first half was very evenly balanced. Clare led 3-5 to 3-6 at half time with O’Dea netting twice and Eimear Considine once.
Niamh Keane pointed for Clare immediately on the restart while  points from Ailish Considine and Niamh O’Dea pushed Clare into a five point lead on seven minutes. Sarah Bohannon, who substituted the injured Aine Kelly, goaled and pointed as did Eimear Considine again in the third quarter to stun the hosts. Last minute points from Niamh O’Dea and Maria Kelly were answered by Tipperary’s last score from Gillian O’Brien.
Clare: Emma O’Driscoll, Clare Hester, Louise Henchy, Sue McNamara, Eimear O’Connor, Lorraine Kelly, Shauna Harvey, Marie Considine, Roisin O’Looney, Eimear Considine (2-1), Niamh Keane (0-1), Niamh O’Dea (C) (2-6, 1f), Ailish Considine (0-2 1f), Anne Marie Callinan, Aine Kelly Subs: Maria Kelly (0-1) for Callinan, Sarah Bohannon (1-1) for Kelly, Deirdre Troy for Ailish Considine, Katie Geoghan for Eimear Considine, Edel McMahon for Emma O’Driscoll.
Subs: Bernie Kelly, Liz Murphy, Aoife Murphy, Kim Moloney, Áine Pyne.

Tough time expected in Fermanagh showdown
Clare head north to Fermanagh on Sunday to take on the Farney County in round six of Division 2 of the national league.
This is a repeat of last May’s Division 3 final at Parnell Park when Clare won the title 3-10 to 1-12 under manager David O’Brien. Ten months later Clare, under new manager Noelle Comyn, will be hoping to collect three more league points to keep their semi-final chances alive.
Currently Clare with nine points are placed fourth on the table behind Mayo who have 13 points while Galway and Kerry are tied on 12 points each.
Cavan are fifth with six points followed by Waterford and Tipperary who have three while Fermanagh are at the bottom with just one point which they picked up at home on Sunday last against table toppers Mayo.
Fermanagh need a win on Sunday as they attempt to avoid relegation. The team’s surprise result against Mayo has sent out a warning that Clare will need a good performance.
Last April in Clarecastle the sides played a draw in the final round of Division 3 (Clare 1-18 Fermanagh 4-9) but the fact that both sides had qualified for the final and promotion that game was just a matter of fulfilling the fixture. In August of 2009 when they met in round four of the Intermediate Championship in Lissan it also finished level, Clare 2-6 Fermanagh 1-9.
If Clare perform to their potential, they should be good enough to take all three points despite travelling the long distance. Two weeks later Clare will have a home fixture against Kerry in the final round.
The game will be played in Kinawley at 2pm on Sunday.