*Niamh O’Dea. Photograph: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
Clare have qualified for the Munster Intermediate Ladies Football Final after deservingly overcoming neighbours Limerick on Saturday evening.
Clare 2-11
Limerick 1-07
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
In the first of two games at Cusack Park on Saturday, Clare’s ladies did enough to secure their second meeting with Tipperary this year. The final to be played on June 16th will be their chance at redemption having lost 2-15 2-11 against the Premier County earlier this year.
A greater scoring threat and link-up play would prove pivotal for James Murrihy’s side in recording the seven point win. It’s early days as regards the 2019 intermediate championship but plenty of progress is required between now and the latter end of the campaign if Clare are to consider themselves contenders.
Having led by six points with three minutes of normal time remaining in the first half, Clare’s concentration dropped and so too their considerable advantage. Full forward Caitriona Davis would kick 1-02 before the sounding of the half-time whistle, the ball slipping through the fingers of Ciara Harvey for the goal while her colleagues in attack were guilty of passing up very scoreable opportunities throughout the opening half.
Liscannor’s Roisin Considine rattled home Clare’s goal on the turn of the first quarter. Limerick failed to retain a Marie Lyons kickout, their opponents weaved together an attack with Considine making an excellent run off the ball and then firing home when in possession off her right boot.
Niamh O’Dea put the hosts in complete control with a second green flag five minutes from the restart. They would only add five further points in the duration of the game but it was job done at this stage. Limerick to their credit kept plugging away with Rebekah Daly and Orlaith O’Donoghue putting scores on the board.
Ellie O’Gorman, Niamh O’Dea, Siofra Ní Chonaill did best for the winners over the hour, they will hope to be able to call upon captain Laurie Ryan for the provincial decider in two weeks. Interestingly only two members of their starting side were of the Banner Ladies club that has tended to form the backbone of the lineup for the last decade and more.
Scorers Clare: N O’Dea (1-06), R Considine (1-00), C Callinan (0-02), G Nolan (0-01 1f), F Marrinan (0-01), T Kelly (0-01)
Scorers Limerick: C Davis (1-03 2f), M Kavanagh (0-01), R Delee (0-01), R Daly (0-01), O O’Donoghue (0-01)
Clare:
Ciara Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
Siofra Ní Chonaill (St Josephs Doora/Barefield)
Ellie O’Gorman (Kilmihil)
Carol O’Leary (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
Caoimhe Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
Orla Devitt (Éire Óg)
Grainne Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
Aisling Reidy (St Josephs Doora/Barefield)
Eimear O’Connor (Coolmeen)
Sarah Bohannon (Cúil Gaels)
Niamh O’Dea (Banner)
Roisin Considine (Liscannor)
Catriona Callinan (Kilmihil)
Grainne Nolan (Banner)
Fidelma Marrinan (West Clare Gaels)
Subs:
Ciara Corbett (Banner) for O’Leary (42)
Tara Kelly (Cúil Gaels) for Marrinan (42)
Roisin Looney (Cooraclare) for Bohannon (42)
Aisling Morrissey (Cooraclare) for Callinan (51)
Eva O’Dea (Banner) for Ní Chonaill (55)
Limerick:
Marie Lyons (Mungret/St Pauls)
Rebekah Doyle (Athea)
Olivia Giltenane (Mungret/St Pauls)
Kristine Reidy (Feoghanagh/Castemahon)
Caroline Hickey (St Ailbe’s)
Megan O’Shea (St Brigid’s)
Cathy Mee (Ballylanders)
Niamh Ryan (St Ailbe’s)
Loretta Hanley (Feoghanagh/Castlemahon)
Rebecca Delee (Feoghanagh/Castlemahon)
Roisin Ambrose (Old Mill)
Eimear Ryan (St Ailbe’s)
Cliodhna Ní Cheallaigh (Mungret/St Paul’s)
Caitriona Davis (Monagea)
Mairead Kavanagh (St Ailbe’s)
Subs:
Carla Sheehy (Athea) for Ambrose (19)
Eimear Quinn (Mungret St Pauls) for Hickey (HT)
Ciara Ryan (St Ailbe’s) for Ní Cheallaigh (36)
Roisin Ambrose (Old Mill) for Kavanagh (48)
Orlaith O’Donoghue (St Brigid’s) for Davis (60)
Referee: AJ Cronin (Cork)
