*Caitriona Callinan scored 1-01 for Clare. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
Clare issued a statement of intent after brushing aside Group C table toppers Longford to advance to the last four of the All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship.
Clare 3-11
Longford 0-4
Venue: St Brendan’s Park, Birr
It was a thoroughly professional display from Evan Talty’s side who bounced back from a disap-pointing home group decider reverse to Louth to take their frustrations out on a stunned Longford.
In truth, Clare never allowed Longford to get into their stride at any stage following decisive unan-swered scoring blitzes in both halves. Collectively, Clare dominated in every position on the field, with only defensive anchor Leanne Keegan and the talismanic Michelle Farrell providing any modi-cum of resistance for the Leinster side.
Facing into a sizeable wind, Clare belied the conditions to grab 1-2 without reply in the first 12 minutes. Aisling Reidy raced through for the opening point in the first minute followed quickly by another for Grainne Nolan. However, after Laurie Ryan somehow crashed a shot off the crossbar, a subsequent push on Niamh O’Dea earned a 12th minute penalty that Chloe Moloney converted to boost her side 1-2 to 0-0 clear.
Farrell finally opened Longford’s account in the 19th minute but it was largely against the grain as Nolan, Catriona Callinan and Fidelman Marrinan all chipped in with points to give the Banner a commanding 1-5 to 0-2 interval cushion.
Now backed by the conditions, Clare were surprisingly not met with an expected Longford backlash as they finished the job in style with a bloodless 2-4 rally. Marrinan (2) and Moloney stretched the gap with early points but it was Catriona Callinan’s 41st minute goal that effectively put the result beyond doubt.
It stemmed from a Longford kick-out that was palmed down by Siofra Ni Chonaill to Doora/Barefield club-mate Aisling Reidy who played the ball through half-time substitute Cliodhna Blake to the waiting Callinan to rifle to the net at 2-8 to 0-2.
Ten minutes later, Clare doubled the dose when Chloe Moloney’s delivery from 45 metres was gathered and distributed by Niamh O’Dea into the path of Roisin Considine to finish from close range.
Further points through Blake (2) and Aisling Reidy would match Longford’s injury-time response that saw them finally break a 40 minute barren patch.
That stark statistic told its own story of Clare’s utter dominance as they powered into an All-Ireland Semi-Final meeting with an equally impressive Laois in two weeks time.
Scorers for Clare: Chloe Moloney (1-0 Pen, 1f), Catriona Callinan (1-1 each); Fidelma Marrinan (0-3, 1f); Roisin Considine (1-0); Grainne Nolan (1f), Aisling Reidy, Cliodhna Blake (0-2 each)
Scorers for Longford: Michelle Farrell (0-3, 1f); Grace Shannon (0-1)
Clare
1: Amy Lenihan (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
5: Siofra Ní Chonaill (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
3: Tara Kelly (Cúil Gaels)
2: Ellie O’Gorman (Kilmihil)
6: Laurie Ryan (Banner Ladies)
7: Orla Devitt (Éire Óg)
4: Grainne Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
8: Aisling Reidy (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
27: Chloe Moloney (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
14: Niamh O’Dea (Banner Ladies)
10: Amy Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
12: Roisin Considine (Liscannor)
28: Fidelma Marrinan (West Clare Gaels)
15: Catriona Callinan (Kilmihil)
19: Grainne Nolan (Banner Ladies)
Substitutions
13: Cliodhna Blake (Doonbeg) for Nolan (HT)
11: Lizzy Roche (Burren Gaels) for Callinan (41, inj)
9: Emma McMahon (Cúil Gaels) for Marrinan (46)
20: Joanna Doohan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for Moloney (52)
26: Carol O’Leary (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for Considine (55)
Longford
1: Ruth Jones (Colmcille)
4: Emma Doris (Killoe)
6: Leanne Keegan (Mastrim)
2: Shauna McCormack (Carrickdesmond)
7: Katie Crawford (Carrickdesmond)
3: Eimear O’Brien (Longford Slashers)
12: Michelle Noonan (Carrickdesmond)
8: Mairead Victory (Mastrim)
9: Mairead Reynolds (Dromard)
10: Aisling Cosgrove (Longford Slasghers)
11: Clodagh Lohan (Grattons)
5: Clare Farrell (Longford Slashers)
15: Louise Monaghan (Mastrim)
14: Sarah Shannon (Carrickdesmond)
13: Michelle Farrell (Colmcille)
Subs:
19: Grace Shannon (Longford Slashers) (HT)
18: Ciara Mulligan (Carrickdesmond) for Noonan (40)
17: Sorcha Dawson (Ballymore) for Doris (45)
22: Karen McLoughlin (Dromard) for Reynolds (52)
21: Kamille Burke (Clonguish) for Monaghan (52)
Referee: Mel Kenny (Mayo)
