*Laurie Ryan bursts past Emma Healy. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
Banner Ladies and Kilmihil justified favouritism when winning their respective Clare ladies senior football semi-finals on Sunday.
The sides will clash in the final at Shanahan McNamara park in Doonbeg on Sunday week. It was a busy weekend for the Clare ladies board with games at intermediate and junior grades also.
Banner Ladies in control
Banner Ladies 2-14
Burren Gaels 0-6
Venue: Shanahan McNamara Park, Doonbeg
Banner Ladies moved a step closer to a thirteenth Clare senior ladies football title when they comfortably disposed of the challenge of first time semi-finalists Burren Gaels at Doonbeg on Sunday.
The writing was on the wall for the North Clare side at half time when Banner Ladies led by thirteen points, 2-8 to 0-1.
Experienced duo Grainne Nolan and Niamh O’Dea were the goalscorers for the winners in a tie in which relative newcomers, Caoimhe Cahill, Shannon O’Donovan and Elisa Malone impressed.
In the final they will take on Kilmihil and adding interest to this meeting is the fact that when Banner Ladies were going for their ninth title in a row in 2019, Kilmihil defeated them.
Banner bounced back strongly from that defeat and they have won the last two and now are chasing another three in a row.
It makes for an interesting final clash which should bring a big attendance to Shanahan McNamara park on Sunday week.
Referee: Barry Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown)
First half goals send Kilmihil on their way to final
Kilmihil 2-10
West Clare Ladies 0-8
Venue:
Two goals in a five minute spell midway through the opening half helped Kilmihil to this victory in the championship semi-final on Sunday.
Catriona Callinan and Tara Kelly were the scorers of the goals which gave Kilmihil a lead they held to the finish. It was 2-4 to 0-6 at the interval in the winners’ favour.
While it was a merited win for Kilmihil, the game was not as close as the scoreline suggests.
Overall Kilmihil’s greater experience proved key to this victory on a day when their defence confined their opponents to just two scores in the second half while they added six points to their halftime tally.
Referee: Noel Quinn (Gort)
Intermediate final pairing decided
Fergus Rovers and Kilrush will meet in the Clare ladies intermediate football championship final on Sunday week.
At Miltown on Sunday, Rovers were 4-5 to 2-4 winners over Éire Óg while Kilrush booked their place in the final when they were 4-9 to 1-9 winners over Liscannor.
Clarecastle win Junior A Cup
Clarecastle won the junior A cup final when they had the minimum margin to spare over the Banner at the weekend, winning on a score of 3-9 to 3-8.
Fergus Rovers were crowned junior B champions after they recorded a 2-10 to 0-5 over Miltown at the latter’s venue on Sunday.
