*Clare Hehir. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE’s senior camogie side have been beaten for the second weekend in a row.
Galway 1-14
Clare 0-13
Venue: Kilbeacanty GAA Club, Galway
Trailing by eight points at the interval a huge second half display outscoring the home side 0-9 to 0-5 in the process just wasn’t enough for a Clare team that gave it their all.
Earlier in the day the Clare Juniors had a huge eleven point winning margin over neighbours Limerick with soaring star winner Michelle Powell dominating proceedings so optimism was high heading up the M18 for a Clare senior victory.
However a blistering start by the Cathal Murray managed team saw Clare trailing 0-3 to no score after six minutes. Galway were intent on making a statement moving the ball through the lines at a breathtaking pace.
Centre forward Niamh Hanniffy popped a sublime handpass to corner forward Ailish O’Reilly for a well taken point before wing back Rachael Hanniffy went on an unbelievable solo run evading several would be tacklers before slotting a beauty over on the run.
One worried at this stage for John Carmody’s charges but they grew into the contest with Clare Hehir beginning to dominate in the half back line. Lorna McNamara converted the first of placed balls in the ninth minute and the Banner were up and running.
Moments later an Aine O’Loughlin hook on full back Roisin Black provided Muireann Scanlon with an opportunity, one she easily converted. There was a real physical intensity to proceedings and it was an extremely tight tense contest.
Twenty minutes in and the teams were deadlocked at four points apiece. A converted Carrie Dolan free restored Galway’s lead but Clare would have been very happy approaching the interval only trailing by one. However a 1-4 scoring burst without reply from the 26th minute to the break would ultimately prove the difference.
A long range free was dropping in the Clare square when it was batted out but only a few metres where the game’s best player Aoife Donohue picked up possession with a delightful first touch.
Donohue then popped a pass to Shannon Corcoran who subsequently blasted home. A series of Dolan points followed and Clare headed to the dressing rooms trailing by a huge eight points on a 1-9 to 0-4 scoreline.
Galway were first off the mark in the second period with Dolan scoring after fifty seconds and one worried for the Banner. However from here to the finish Clare were the better team. Upping their physical levels they began to dominate the middle third area hitting five unanswered points in a ten minute spell of dominance.
Both Clare Hehir and substitute Chloe Morey landed monster frees to go along with Lorna McNamara’s unerring accuracy from close in frees and suddenly there was only a goal between them at 1-12 to 0-12 with ten to play.
Credit has to be given here to the home side as they showed their All-Ireland winning experience managing the contest from here to the end. The game’s insurance score was a moment of camogie genius when Aoife Donohue pointed after a sublime first touch and an arrow like precision effort sailed over the black spot in injury time.
Although the result didn’t go Clare’s way the performance levels were much better than the Páirc Uí Rinn experience seven days earlier.
Scorers for Galway: Carrie Dolan 0-9(5f), Shannon Corcoran 1-0, Ailish O’Reilly 0-2, Aoife Donohue, Shauna Healy, Rachael Hanniffy 0-1 each
Scorers for Clare: Lorna McNamara 0-9(7f, 1 45), Muireann Scanlon, Caoimhe Carmody 0-1 each, Chloe Morey(f), Clare Hehir(f)
Galway:
1: Fiona Ryan (Ballinderreen)
2: Shauna Healy (Ardrahan)
3: Roisin Black (Oranmore-Maree)
4: Dervla Higgins (Athenry)
5: Rachael Hannify (Oranmore-Maree)
6: Emma Helebert (Ballinderreen)
7: Katie Anna Porter (Davitts)
8: Aoife Donohue (Mullagh)
9: Jennifer Hughes (Carnmore)
10: Carrie Dolan (Clarenbridge)
11: Niamh Hannify (Oranmore-Maree)
12: Aine Keane (St.Thomas)
13: Shannon Corcoran (Sarsfields)
14: Sabina Rabbitte (Athenry)
15: Ailish O’Reilly (Oranmore-Maree)
Subs:
20: Lisa Casserly (Ballinderreen) for N Hanniffy (18) (inj)
18: Ciara Hickey (Davitts) for J Hughes (53)
22: Laura Kelly (Salthill/Knocknacarra) for A O’Reilly (53)
21: Niamh Niland (Clarenbridge) for S Corcoran (59)
Olwen Rabbitte (Athenry) for C Dolan (60) (inj)
Clare
1: Doireann Murphy (Clarecastle)
5: Caoimhe Kelly (Bodyke)
2: Susan Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe)
4: Ciara Grogan (Clooney-Quin)
3: Clare Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona)
6: Niamh O’Dea (Kilmaley)
7: Ellen Casey (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
8: Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley)
9: Abby Walsh (Scariff-Ogonolloe)
10: Lorna McNamara (Feakle-Killanena)
13: Becky Foley (Truagh-Clonlara)
12: Muireann Scanlon (Sixmilebridge)
11: Jennifer Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe)
14: Aine O’Loughlin (Truagh-Clonlara)
15: Amy Keating (Inagh-Kilnamona)
Subs:
19: Zi Yan Spillane (Feakle-Killanena) for J Daly (HT)
17: Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge) for A Keating (41)
20: Alannah Ryan (Kilkishen) for Casey (42)
18: Lynda Daly (Scariff/Ogonolloe) for M Scanlon (53)
Referee: Gavin Donegan (Dublin)
