It’s down to the semi-final stage in the race for the McMahon Cup with just four teams left standing in the Clare Senior Camogie Championship.
With reigning champions Inagh/Kilnamona facing off with the 2019 winners Scariff/Ogonnelloe in Clooney on Saturday, it has the makings of one of the camogie games of the year. The absence of the O’Keeffe sisters, Andrea and Teresa has weakened the cause of Inagh/Kilnamona somewhat but their strength in depth has always proven to be a match for most clubs with Fiona Lafferty, Clare Hehir, Aoife Keane, Aoibhin Ryan and Claire Commane expected to lead the way.
Unbeaten in their four group outings, Scariff/Ogonnelloe have shown a determination to become reacquainted with the McMahon Cup. With a lively attack that includes Alva Rodgers, Mairead Scanlan and Amy Barrett, the East Clare side will ask questions of their opposing defence while full-back Susan Daly has been their player of the year to date.
Truagh/Clonlara will be roaring hot favourites in the other semi-final when they face a Kilkishen/Bodyke side not used to appearing at this stage of the competition. Truagh’s win over Inagh/Kilnamona in the group stages has given them a major lift while the presence of John Conlon in their coaching ticket is another big plus. They will need to maximise scores from the trio of Eimear Kelly, Áine O’Loughlin and Becky Foley to advance to the county final.
Having taken the scalps of Newmarket-on-Fergus and Kilmaley, Kilkishen/Bodyke’s place in the last four is fully merited. Their task on Saturday afternoon is to make this count and to ensure Kate O’Gorman, Kate Lynch, Siobhan Lenihan and Niamh O’Gorman maintain their group form while the positioning of Alannah Ryan on Kelly could be a deciding factor.
Kilmaley face off with Feakle/Killanena while Newmarket-on-Fergus do battle with Sixmilebridge in the two Senior B semi-finals. Clooney/Quin’s bid to return to the senior ranks is tipped to progress further when they meet Clarecastle/Ballyea in the intermediate semi-finals with the other clash pitting Whitegate against Tulla.
U16A Cup Final
Inagh Kilnamona 0-9
Scarriff Ogonnelloe 0-4.
Inagh Kilnamona ran out winners in a tough encounter in Fr McNamara Park on Saturday as they took on East Clare side Scarriff Ogonnelloe. Great team play was a constant as the Mid Clare side secured victory with their dominant first half which saw them build up a 0-8 0-1 half-time advantage crucial.
Inagh Kilnamona: Eva O’Halloran; Alannah Foudy, Aine Longe, Grainne Burke; Shauna Queally, Eimear Burke, Roisin Shannon; Cliodhna Queally (0-2), Ailbhe Devitt (0-3 1F); Ella Fitzgibbon, Elisha Rynne (0-2), Aine Shannon; Mary McInerney (0-1) Rhea Foudy (0-1), Caitriona Byrne.
Subs: Shona Keane for Caitriona Byrne,
U16C Cup Final
Corofin 1-07
Éire Óg 1-06
One point was the margin between Corofin and Éire Óg following a thrilling U16C Cup final on Saturday. Aine Cleary was the hero of the hour as she nailed the all-important score for the North Clare outfit in the dying seconds.
Corofin: Lisa Murphy; Ailbhe Cahill, Chloe Murphy; Kiera Fitzgerald, Saoirse Flanagan (1-02 1x ’45, 1-01f), Amy Fitzgerald; Keelin Fitzgerald, Aoibheann O’Connor; Aine Cleary (0-01), Tara Carey; Aisling O’Loughlin, Hazel O’Brien (0-03)
Sub: Hannah Moran for Aisling O’Loughlin
Éire Óg: Elise Ryan; Niamh Davies, Kate Talty; Sarah Murphy, Ruth Nihill, Kayla Connellan; Sadhbh Faughey, Shauna Faughey; Liadan de Ghlaisne, Annie Lynch, Ella Cahill (1-05); Rachel Russell (0-01), Sarah Broderick
Subs: Aoife Keane for Sarah Murphy, Rachel Murphy for Sadhbh Faughey, Aideen O’Donohue for Liadan de Ghlaisne.
