*Fidelma Marrinan kicked 2-09 for Clare. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
BACK TO BACK wins have secured Clare’s ladies footballers a place in the knockout stages of the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate championship.
Clare 4-22
Wicklow 0-05
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
A tour de force performance saw Clare completely dismantle Wicklow where they prevailed on a margin of 29 points.
Kilmurry Ibrickane’s Chloe Moloney was the chief provider while star forward Fidelma Marrinan showed her class when scoring an incredible 2-9 with all but one score coming from play.
Clare were superior in every sector of the field and started this round two tie in blistering pace. Only five minutes had elapsed and this game was effectively over as Wayne Freeman’s charges raced into a 2-2 to no score lead.
Ninety seconds in and we had the first major when an incisive foot pass from centre forward Chloe Moloney found Burren Gaels Lizzy Roche who in turn off loaded to the on rushing Marrinan who subsequently blasted into the top corner.
Only a minute later Moloney went on a lung bursting solo run before off loading to Caoimhe Harvey who squared it to Marrinan and it was another superb finish. This was turning into the M & M show another Moloney pass finding Marrinan once more and she kicked over. The West Clare Gaels attacker then landed a beauty from distance before patrons were treated to a sublime score.
Again it was Moloney who executed an audacious foot pass splitting the Garden County defence with Marrinan again the benefactor as she coolly slotted over.
Kimurry Ibrickane player Amy Sexton is really blossoming under Freeman’s management and herself and Lizzy Roche kicked some fine points from play before the interval which saw the Banner head to the dressing rooms fourteen points in the ascendancy on a 2-11 to 0-3 scoreline.
The second period was only two minutes old and similar to the start of the match Clare attacked immediately scoring another incredible 2-2 inside the first one hundred and twenty seconds.
Firstly midfielder Aisling Reidy spotted keeper Ellen Griffin off her line and expertly lobbed the goalkeeper. Moments later Chloe Moloney got the major her unselfish play merited when she fired off her left peg into the top corner from just inside the twenty one.
This scoring blitz seemed to completely demoralise the visitors and Clare added further points at their ease with another wonder point from the boot of Marrinan the highlight.
Valuable game time was given to players with Wayne Freeman emptying his bench as Clare book their place in the knockout stages with consumate ease.
Clare will now play Tyrone in Longford next Sunday to decide top spot and this will be an important fixture as victory will ensure an easier quarter final but for now it’s all positive as Clare Ladies Footballers continue on their quest for All Ireland glory after a twenty nine point victory.
Scorers for Clare: Fidelma Marrinan 2-9(1f), Chloe Moloney 1-3(1f), Lizzy Roche 0-4, Amy Sexton 0-3, Aisling Reidy 1-0, Emma Healy, Caoimhe Harvey, Louise Griffin 0-1 each
Scorers for Wicklow: Helena Dowling 0-2, Sarah Delahunt, Laci Jane Scanlon, Marie Kealy (f) 0-1 each
Clare:
1: Amy Lenihan (Doora Barefield)
7: Aine Keane (Miltown Malbay)
3: Siofra Ni Chonaill (Doora Barefield)
4: Grainne Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
5: Louise Griffin (Fergus Rovers)
6: Caoimhe Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
10: Sinead Considine (Liscannor)
8: Cliodhna Blake (Doonbeg)
9: Aisling Reidy (Doora Barefield)
27: Laurie Ryan (Banner)
11: Chloe Moloney (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
12: Amy Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
13: Laura Griffey (Burren Gaels)
21: Lizzie Roche (Burren Gaels)
15: Fidelma Marrinan (West Clare Gaels)
Subs:
14: Ciara McCarthy (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for L Griffey (35)
24: Emma Healy (Burren Gaels) for A Sexton (38)
25: Roisin Looney (Cooraclare) for S Considine (43)
29: Rebecca Doohan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for L Griffin (45)
22: Megan Downes (Cooraclare) for C Blake (49)
Wicklow
1: Ellen Griffin (St.Patricks)
18: Isabel Ledesma (St.Patricks)
3: Sarah Jane Winders (Baltinglass)
4: Megan Healy (Eire Og Greystones)
5: Niamh Kenny (Tinahely)
6: Lucy Dunne (St.Patricks)
7: Jackie Byrne (Baltinglass)
17: Grainne Flynn (AGB)
9: Aoife Gorman (Tinahely)
10: Ruby Keogh (Coolkenno)
11: Niamh Cullen (Blessington)
12: Laci Jane Scanlon (Annacurra)
13: Sarah Delahunt (St.Judes)
14: Marie Kealy (Baltinglass)
15: Helena Dowling (Baltinglass)
Subs:
21: Amy McManus (An Tochair) for M Healy (HT)
24: Yasmin Dagge (Carnew) for Laci Jane Scanlon (HT)
19: Aoife Cullen (Blessington) for N Kenny (42)
Referee: Kevin Corcoran (Mayo)
