*Laurie Ryan in action for Clare. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE have been eliminated from the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate ladies football championship.
Tyrone 2-8
Clare 2-7
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Beaten finalists in last year’s championship, Clare’s exit will come as a surprise but it followed a poor display at home to a hungrier Tyrone outfit.
Having claimed league glory already this year, this coupled with Clare’s performances to date seemed to suggest they were on course to return to Croke Park but their plans were derailed and ripped apart by Tyrone on Sunday afternoon.
After Clare raided for two first half goals in the space of a minute, it seemed as if they were going to settle and take control of the contest, they led by six points when the sides retreated to the dressing rooms at half time but Tyrone had two goals of their own five minutes apart in the second half which allowed them to get back on level terms.
Once Aoife Horisk equalised with the second goal on forty one minutes, Clare never went back in front and even had opportunities to rescue extra time.
London based Roisin Considine opened the scoring for Clare with Sinead Considine and Laurie Ryan offering the assist. Tyrone had a chance to go in front via a penalty but Maria Canavan’s effort went above the crossbar.
Opposing centre forwards Caoimhe Harvey and Horisk swapped scores before Canavan put the visitors in front for the first time inside the opening quarter. Fidelma Marrinan hit the target from her second free to level matters on nineteen minutes, she had a shot saved a moment later and it allowed Tyrone to work the ball up field and point via Zoe Loughran.
Then Clare struck for their two goals, Laurie Ryan made a tremendous run, she offered a sidestep to dodge Amelia Coyle and struck the ball sweetly beyond the netminder on twenty three minutes. The kickout was won by Clare and suddenly Ailish Considine had the ball in the back of the net after Chloe Moloney played the ball across goal.
Marrinan kicked the final score of the half as Clare hit 1-2 without reply to hold a 2-4 0-4 advantage at the recess.
If Clare could kick 1-2 at the finish of the first half, Tyrone showed they could match them when it came to the start of the second half, Chloe McCaffrey hit 1-2 on her own to leave Sean O’Kane’s side a point adrift on thirty five minutes.
Marrinan and Moloney scored to get Clare out of the traps but their efforts were cancelled out altogether when Horisk struck a powerful shot past Amy Lenihan to tie up the sides on forty one minutes.
McCaffrey had a chance of a second goal stopped by Lenihan as Tyrone ramped up the pressure and Clare struggled to make the right decisions when in possession. Horisk and Maria Canavan added points as the Ulster side began to take full control of proceedings.
Defender Siofra Ni Chonaill reduced the deficit to a point as she began to drift forward with Clare trying to shake things up on the sideline to go about clawing their way back.
They had chances to equalise with a free from Ciara McCarthy 40m out from goal dropping short and then a Fidelma Marrinan shot also dropped short, a chance that arose after Moloney delayed offloading possession to her teammate, this was one example of the incorrect move at the wrong time and hesitancy which was costly for Clare.
Referee Ger Canny though he gave questionable frees to Clare allowed every moment for them to equalise and played over five minutes of additional time much to the frustration of the visiting Tyrone contingent who whistled to their heart’s content. Time did eventually run out and with it Clare’s involvement in the All-Ireland championship.
Workrate was lacking from too many of Clare’s players even though it wasn’t fitness which cost Wayne Freeman’s charges. Caoimhe Harvey, Roisin Considine and Aine Keane were among those to give every last drop for their county once again but up front Clare were not as industrious and showed insufficient movement off the ball. It was an occasion when Aisling Reidy who is on a J1 was certainly missed in the middle of the park.
Keeping the entire panel on board and strengthening it for 2025 is essential if Clare are to return to the top tier.
Scorers Tyrone: C McCaffrey (1-2), A Horisk (1-2), M Canavan (0-3 1’Pen 1f), Z Loughran (0-1 1f)
Scorers Clare: L Ryan (1-0), A Considine (1-0), F Marrinan (0-3 2f), R Considine (0-1), C Harvey (0-1), A Considine (0-1), C Moloney (0-1), S Ni Chonaill (0-1).
Tyrone:
1: Amelia Coyle (Castlederg)
4: Eimear Quinn (Moortown)
3: Joanne Barrett (Drumragh)
2: Jayne Lyons (Beragh)
7: Clara Daly (Omagh)
21: Caitlin Campbell (CillI seal)
6: Meabh Corrigan (Errigal Ciaran)
8: Aine Grimes (An Charrig Mhor)
12: Elle McNamee (Errigal Ciaran)
9: Aoibhinn McHugh (Aghyaran)
11: Aoife Horisk (Errigal Ciaran)
10: Emma Jane Gervin (Coalisland)
14: Zoe Loughran (CillI Iseal)
13: Maria Canavan (Errigal Ciaran)
15: Chloe McCafffrey (St Macartan’s)
Subs:
20: Emma Conroy (Moy) for Loughran (19) (inj)
5: Meabh Mallon (Aodh Ruadh) for Grimes (32)
19: Sasha Byrne (Aghyaran) for McNamee (39)
25: Emma Mulgrew (Cill Iseal) for McCaffrey (56)
Clare:
1: Amy Lenihan (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
3: Siofra Ni Chonaill (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
4: Grainne Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
2: Aine Keane (St Joseph’s Miltown)
7: Louise Griffin (Fergus Rovers)
6: Joanne Doohan (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
5: Roisin Considine (Tir Chonaill Gaels)
8: Laurie Ryan (Banner Ladies)
9: Sinead Considine (Liscannor)
10: Teresa Collins (Burren Gaels)
11: Caoimhe Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
12: Amy Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
15: Chloe Moloney (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
14: Fidelma Marrinan (West Clare Gaels)
13: Ailish Considine (Kilmihil)
Subs:
19: Orla Devitt (Eire Og) for Griffin (37)
20: Megan Downes (Cooraclare) for Sexton (37)
23: Ciara McCarthy (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for A Considine (41)
17: Rebecca Doohan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for S Considine (55)
18: Hannah Doyle (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Collins (61)
Referee: Ger Canny (Mayo)
