*Siofra Ní Chonaill. Photograph; Burren Eye Photography
Clare’s intermediate ladies footballers gave their league promotion hopes a boost after recording their third win of the campaign.
Clare 0-06
Down 0-04
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
This Clare side are full of athletic performers. Strong in the tackle, quick in the transition they have dominated sides for large periods of time in all of their previous four matches.
Yet since the opening round annihilation of Sligo Clare have scored a total of six points in four second half outings. A scoreless second half against Wexford was followed by two points against Kildare, three against Offaly and only one today against Down. That’s six points in over two hours of action. When you break it down that’s one point for every twenty minutes of football.
This is obviously a huge area of concern and an area that will need massive improvement if the holy grail of All Ireland Intermediate glory is to be achieved.
Today, in truth Clare should have been out of sight by half time given their dominance. Down’s first effort at a score didn’t come until the twenty first minute and that was from a Natasha Ferris free.
Clare goalkeeper Amy Lenihan didn’t touch the ball at all until the seventeenth minute when Orla Devitt handpassed it back to her. Clare were utterly dominant and created scoring opportunities with almost every attack but kicked eight first half wides some of which were inexplicable efforts.
It all started so well for Wayne Freeman’s charges when Fidelma Marrinan kicked a peach from forty yards in the third minute. This was quickly followed by a fine Ciara McCarthy point but then came the series of poor wides and Clare had to wait until the 18th minute for another score. Kilmurry Ibrickane player McCarthy landing a beauty after a pivot swivel and turn gave her the space to kick over.
Despite their superiority all over the pitch epirimised by Siofra Ní Chonaill who put in a player of the match performance. Clare can be thankful for keeper Lenihan once more when she produced yet another fantastic stop.
Wing forward Amy Sexton was overturned in possession by Down captain Meghan Doherty. Doherty bore straight down the centre before offloading to Vivienne McCormack on the overlap. McCormack sold a perfect dummy before releasing sharpshooter Ferris with only Lenihan to beat.
The Doora/Barefield keeper was brave diving at the feet of Ferris somehow deflecting the ball out for a forty five. Approaching the interval Clare led 0-3 to no score before two late points cemented their dominance.
Midfielder Chloe Moloney executed a perfect one-two with Marrinan before kicking over off her trusted left peg while Megan Downes fired over on the stroke of half time with the Banner leading 0-5 to no score.
Seven minutes into the second period and Down were finally off the mark when Ferris kicked over from close range. Two more points quickly followed, a Laoise Duffy effort and a superb Ferris point from an acute angle. Suddenly out of nowhere the lead was down to two.
Clare were now struggling to create opportunities but Chloe Moloney then executed a magnificent foot pass finding Lizzy Roche in acres of space. Roche cut in on goal and probably should have fisted over but once more decision making was proving to be Clare’s Achilles heel and she blasted for goal hitting the outside of the upright.
Substitute Orla Duffy then ensured there was only the bare minimum between the sides when kicking over on the run from out on the left hand side of the field.
To their credit though Clare didn’t panic and in fact created another goal scoring chance when Roche again bore down on goal. This time Down keeper Amy McGivern was called into action producing a point blank save but yet again the wrong option was taken. Roche should have popped it off to Fidelma Marrinan on her outside who would have been in position to kick to an empty net.
Substitute Eimear Keane got the all important insurance score when kicking a fine point in the 60th minute to see Clare record a first home victory of this year’s campaign.
Overall Clare were the better side and Siofra Ní Chonaill was simply outstanding at full back. Natasha Ferris has been sensational for Down this year and is in the top ten scorers in the country yet Ni Chonaill had her as they say in her pocket giving a magnificent performance with her manager Wayne Freeman describing her as a “Rolls Royce of a player”.
Three wins from five keeps promotion hopes somewhat alive before the visit of Louth in three weeks time.
Scorers for Clare; Ciara McCarthy 0-2, Fidelma Marrinan,Chloe Moloney, Megan Downes,Eimear Keane 0-1 apiece
Scorers for Down; Natasha Ferris 0-2, Laoise Duffy, Orla Duffy 0-1 apiece
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 (West Clare Gaels)
7: Aine Keane (Miltown Malbay)
8: Sinead Considine (Liscannor)
9: Chloe Moloney (Kimurry Ibrickane)
10: Megan Downes (Cooraclare)
11: Fidelma Marrinan (West Clare Gaels)
12: Amy Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
13: Lizzy Roche (Burren Gaels)
14: Cliodhna Blake (Doonbeg)
15: Ciara McCarthy (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
Subs:
29: Eimear Keane (Miltown Malbay) for Downes (34)
25: Joanna Doohan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for Considine (39)
26: Laura Griffey (Burren Gaels) for Sexton (50)
20: Lauren Griffin (Fergus Rovers) for McCarthy (52)
DOWN
1: Amy McGivern (Teconnaught)
2: Eve McArdle (Burren)
3: Ciara Byrne (Saval)
4: Orla Doyle (RGU Downpatrick)
5: Natalie McKibben (Bryansford)
6: Meghan Doherty (Carryduff)
7: Aimee Greene (Teconnaught)
28: Paige Smyth (RGU Downpatrick)
9: Emily Martin (Burren)
10: Niamh Scullion (Rostrevor)
11: Vivienne McCormack (Bredagh)
12: Aoife Keown (Castlewellan)
13: Orlagh Blaney (Bredagh)
14: Natasha Ferris (Bryansford)
15: Niamh King (Castlewellan)
Subs:
25: Laoise Duffy(Bredagh) for Blaney (22)
23: Orla Duffy (Bredagh) for McArdle (HT), 18: Alice McAlea(Dundrum) for Martin inj (40)
8: Aoife Laverty (Bredagh) for Scullion (48)
16: Aimee O’Higgins(Bryansford) for King (56)
20: Ciara Mulvenna (Rostrevor) for Smyth (59)
REFEREE: Justin Murphy (Cork)
