*Clare’s Chloe Moloney with Offaly’s Roisín Mealiff. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
CLARE HAVE opened their All Ireland Intermediate campaign with a fully deserved five point winning margin over their hosts Offaly on Sunday.
Clare 1-17
Offaly 1-12
Venue: Bretland Park Clara County Offaly
In truth though Clare at times made hard work of this opening encounter and probably should have won by a lot more considering the goal chances they missed. Crucially though when it was required most Clare showed immense character.
Star forward Fidelma Marrinan saw the sin bin for a foot trip in the 39th minute reducing Wayne Freeman’s charges to fourteen for a ten minute spell. It was in this period that Clare showed their mettle when Kilmurry Ibrickane player Chloe Moloney embarked on a lung bursting fifty yard solo before showing composure to lay off to the unmarked Laura Griffey who blasted home giving her side an all important eight points lead. Offaly did respond with a magnificent Emma Hand goal but never really looked like troubling this Banner side.
A Roisin Cockram free opened the scoring inside the first minute before three points in succession, two from Fidelma Marrinan and a Chloe Moloney free gave Clare a lead they would never relinquish. At the end of the opening quarter the lead was three points at 0-7 to 0-4. Doora/Barefield’s Aisling Reidy landed a monster point from distance before taliswoman Fidelma Marrinan kicked an incredible beauty off her right peg from the acutest of angles. The Banner were moving the ball through the lines at pace and the impressive Amy Sexton kicked a brace of points.
One could see how the return of Laurie Ryan benefitted Wayne Freeman’s team as time and time again she showed for possession and moved the ball at pace to a teammate on the overlap. This tactic was creating plenty of goal opportunities but players were happy to keep the scoreboard ticking over by tapping over for white flags.
At the interval Clare led by five on a 0-12 to 0-7 scoreline.
Corner forward Laura Griffey extended the lead inside ninety seconds before the teams traded points. We then had the sin binning but this didn’t prevent Clare from showing their experience and game management comfortably easing to an opening round victory. Up next in the quest for All Ireland glory will be Wicklow next Sunday in Cusack Park.
Scorers for Clare: Fidelma Marrinan 0-7 (3f), Laura Griffey 1-1, Chloe Moloney 0-3, Amy Sexton 0-2, Caoimhe Harvey, Cliodhna Blake, Aisling Reidy, Aine Keane 0-1 each
Scorers for Offaly: Roisin Cockram 0-6 (6f), Emma Hand 1-1, Michelle Mann 0-2, Eve Kelly, Saoirse McGuiness, Amy Gavin Mangan 0-1 each
Clare
1: Amy Lenihan (Doora Barefield)
2: Orla Devitt (Eire Og)
3: Siofra Ni Chonaill (Doora Barefield)
4: Grainne Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
5: Louise Griffin (Fergus Rovers)
6: Caoimhe Harvey Capt. (West Clare Gaels)
7: Aine Keane (Miltown Malbay)
27: Laurie Ryan (Banner)
9: Aisling Reidy (Doora Barefield)
10: Sinead Considine (Liscannor)
11: Chloe Moloney (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
12: Amy Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
13: Laura Griffey (Burren Gaels)
20: Lizzy Roche (Burren Gaels)
15: Fidelma Marrinan (West Clare Gaels)]
Subs:
17: Caoilinn McCormack (Burren Gaels) for O Devitt inj (29)
8: Cliodhna Blake (Doonbeg) for L Roche (39),
25: Roisin Looney (Cooraclare) for S Considine (49),
14: Ciara McCarthy Kilmurry Ibrickane for L Griffey (53)
22: Megan Downes (Cooraclare) for A Sexton (53)
OFFALY
16: Kelley Cunningham (Tullamore)
2: Emer Nally (Naomh Ciaran)
3: Ava Dolan (Shamrocks)
4: Nicole Farrelly (Edenderry)
5: Anna Grehan (Naomh Ciaran)
6: Nicole Buckley (Naomh Ciaran)
7: Kaitlyn Flynn (St Manchans)
8: Michelle Mann (Naomh Molaoise)
9: Roisin Ennis Capt. (Naomh Ciaran)
10: Emma Hand (Ballinamere/Durrow)
11: Amy Gavin Mangan (Naomh Ciaran)
12: Saoirse McGuiness (St.Manchans)
13: Emily Buckley (Tullamore)
14: Roisin Cockram (Naomh Ciaran)
15: Saorah Doyle (Ballinameere/Durrow)
Subs:
17: Eve Kelly (Clara) for S McGuinness (37)
18: Shauna Slattery (Ballinameere/Durrow) for K Flynn (52)
Referee: Eoghan O”Neill (Kildare)
