Tag Archives: ladies football

All but the senior decider are down for decision on Sunday week (October 1st) as eleven clubs vie for adult ladies’ football championship honours at intermediate and junior levels. The Intermediate Final clash of West Clare rivals Kilrush and Miltown Malbay takes precedence as a coveted place at senior level is on the line for two sides that have certainly paid their dues when it comes to finals. Newmarket-on-Fergus’ welcome return to adult football has proven hugely encouraging so far as they look to halt Fergus Rovers’ remarkable momentum-fuelled run from Junior B in the A decider while Rovers’ successors will be either Burren Gaels or Kilrush’s second strings. The make-up of the Shield Finals at intermediate and Junior A will be confirmed this weekend as Clooney-Quin host Clarecastle on Sunday evening (5pm) for the right to take on Doonbeg in the intermediate version while Wolfe Tones and Banner Ladies must meet again to book their place in the Junior …

There will be no shortage of motivation as the race for the intermediate ladies football championship is reduced to just two on Sunday. After all, a harrowing 2022 at senior level has seen Cooraclare understandably rebuild confidence once more in the second tier as they look to bounce back even stronger but face a Kilrush side with their own point to prove after being edged out in last year’s decider by Fergus Rovers. It’s a West Clare derby to savour on Sunday at 2pm, with Cooraclare’s senior experience giving them the slight favourite’s tag. Miltown Malbay’s issue hasn’t been the penultimate stage, more a final hoodoo as three successive intermediate decider reverses between 2019-21 have fuelled their return to form after a disappointing 2022. Éire Óg caused an upset in the final group match to lower Miltown but will face a much sterner task this time around for their rematch as the recently crowned Minor A champions look to maintain …

Kildare 2-11 Clare 2-10 Clare’s Lilywhite hoodoo continued to haunt in Croke Park after seeing their late backlash come up agonisingly short at the death, writes Eoin Brennan. Having failed to reach the heights of previous displays for the majority, the Banner sprung to life with a rousing brace of goals for chief threats Fidelma Marrinan and Chloe Moloney to slash an eight point deficit to just the minimum by the 55th minute. However, despite further opportunities including a last gasp Fidelma Marrinan free from 45 metres, Wayne Freeman’s side simply couldn’t locate an equalising score to force extra-time. Clare’s electric finish was in contrast to a stuttering first half showing that saw Clare start brightly with a brace of Marrinan frees but falter significantly after two timely goals for Trina Duggan and Ellen Dowling. Having previously been opened up by Claire Sullivan’s overlapping run and shot that cannoned off the crossbar while Amy Lenihan somehow repelled Neasa Dooley’s rebound, …

Clare’s last appearance in an All-Ireland intermediate final was in 2016 when they were edged out by Sunday’s opponents Kildare, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh, in recalling a contest that will give motivation to the current crop, particularly the four survivors from that day out in Croke Park seven years ago. With a Dr prefix before her name it goes without writing that Laurie Ryan is a seasoned academic, so the chances are that if you kicked or hand-passed a quote from German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche at her that she’s control it straight away without breaking stride, know it, own it and pass another one right back to you. “Out of life’s school of war,” he stated, “what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger,” he added. He coined it in 1888 when the GAA was just a couple of years young, but it could have been minted with the Clare ladies’ footballers in mind as they face down Kildare and some …

On the eve of Clare’s first All-Ireland Intermediate Final in seven years, the Lenihan family have unquestionably been hugely influential in the Banner’s passage back to the LGFA’s most prestigious annual day. It essentially came down to answering the county’s call as Sean Lenihan admirably stepped up to assume the vacant Chairperson’s position at short notice ahead of the 2021 season while later in the same year, his daughter Amy, a notable forward for her club St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, was asked by new manager Evan Talty to cover as sub goalkeeper despite having never played in that position before. Both have only gone from strength to strength in their respective roles ever since as Sean is now in his third year as Clare’s administrative figurehead while Amy has made the custodian’s position her own since last season. However, while their impacts have emanated from contrasting on and off the field approaches, their goal is certainly common to both as getting …

There was almost a sense of inevitability when Kildare eventually overcame chief Leinster rivals Wexford to cement their place against Clare in the All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Final in Croke Park this Sunday. After all, the hand of fate had thrown up a potential revenge mission for the Banner who had agonisingly missed their chance at intermediate glory in the 2016 decider against the Lilywhites. More than that though, having been contentiously edged out twice by Kildare already in 2023 alone including an extra-time National League Division 3 Final reverse back in April, it’s easy to see why Clare are hell bent on redressing the balance. However, the final ingredient of Clare’s date with destiny is the fact that Clare Manager Wayne Freeman and his immediate backroom team of Lee Hunt and Brian Willis are all Kildare natives, albeit that their residency permits could be in jeopardy as the banter levels have intensified over the past three weeks. “I’ve been …

Redemption has been the driving force of many’s a player but the reality is that most don’t ever get the opportunity to make up for a previous failing not to mind fully redress the balance. Caoimhe Harvey is a prime example as having hit the ground running in her first year at adult inter-county level in 2016, the teenager helped Clare to reach Croke Park only for her All-Ireland Intermediate Final dream to turn into a nightmare as the Banner were agonisingly edged out by Kildare. “This is the first time since then so it is a massive day for anyone playing in an All-Ireland Final. I mean emotions are really, really high and for me back in 2016, I had just turned 17 and I definitely let the occasion get to me. “You can’t help yourself. I mean I was a teenager getting a Garda escort down Jones Road, this is the stuff you dream about. And the atmosphere …

MUNSTER MINOR A CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL CORK 1-13 CLARE 2-7 If this Munster Final had gone on for another five minutes have no doubt that the Banner would be celebrating after a pulsating incredible fightback when all hope seemed lost. The second half of this unbelievable Munster Final saw Clare take the game to Cork outscoring the Rebels 2-4 to 0-4. Throwing the shackles off Clare pushed up on Cork pinning them back inside their own half. There were heroes all over the field with magical moments and drama aplenty. From keeper Jenna Murphy heroically saving a penalty to Lauren Conway’s brilliant goal these Banner girls gave every ounce of effort they could muster. In the harsh reality where the winner takes all John O’Malley’s teams journey ends here as there are no second chances in this knock-out format which is extremely disappointing. There is no doubt the damage was done in that opening twenty minutes where Clare seemed nervous and …