*Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
BANNER LADIES and Kilmihil claimed top spots in both groups of the Clare LGFA senior championship to advance directly to the semi-finals.
Relegation battles await both West Clare Gaels and Fergus Rovers while quarter-finals are in store for St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Kilmurry Ibrickane, St Joseph’s Miltown and Burren Gaels.
Quarter-final ties pit Doora/Barefield against Miltown in Gurteen at 14:45 while Carron is the venue for the meeting of Burren Gaels and Kilmurry Ibrickane at 16:15.
Doora/Barefield do the damage in Cross
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 9-7
West Clare Gaels 2-10
Venue: Pairc Eoin, Cross
A remarkable nine goal haul sent St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield on their way to the quarter-finals and send West Clare Gaels into a relegation battle.
It’s a big turnaround in fortunes for last year’s senior finalists but their cause was greatly weakened by the loss of goalkeeper Ciara Harvey and county forward Fidelma Marrinan.
By half-time, it was West Clare Gaels who led 1-7 2-3 but a seismic shift in power saw Doora/Barefield keep them to 1-3 in the second half and kick 7-4 of their own, their ability to raise green flags stemming from the manner in which they pushed up on kickouts.
Substitute Aisling Hannon kicked three goals upon her introduction while full-forward Eabha O’Driscoll once again caused havoc at the edge of the square finished up with a personal tally of 2-4 as the league finalists keep themselves in contention.
Scorers Doora/Barefield: Eabha O’Driscoll 2-4, Aisling Hannan 3-1, Roisin Fowley 2-2, Shauna Moloney 1-0, Aisling Reidy 1-0
Scorers West Clare Gaels: C Harvey (1-5), S Griffin (1-0), E Nagle (0-2), A Moloney (0-1), S Harvey (0-1), S Keane (0-1)
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Amy Lenihan; Aisling McMahon, Siofra Ni Chonaill, Anna Courtney; Meadhbh O’Connor, Hannah Doyle, Lyndsey Clarke; Aisling Reidy, Eimear Clune; Shauna Moloney , Roisin Fowley, Aoibhinn O’Loughlin; Fiona Tuohy, Eabha O’Driscoll, Lucy Power
Subs: Sinead O’Connor, Sophie Torpey, Aisling Hannan, Eimear O’Loughlin, Roisin Cahill
West Clare Gaels: Roisin Brew; Sarah Marrinan, Grainne Harvey, Ailish Marrinan; Aine Moloney, Caoimhe Harvey, Niamh Morrissey; Collette Keniry, Siobhan Keane; Clodagh Keane, Shauna Harvey, Grace Marrinan, Ella Nagle, Sorcha Griffin, Kate Roche
Subs: Emma McMahon for S Marrinan, Aoife Keane for A Marrinan, Amy Hogan for C Keane, Clara Keogh for G Marrinan, Susan McGrath for Griffin
Referee: John O’Connell (Cooraclare)
Back to back wins for Kilmihil
Kilmihil 1-7
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-7
Venue: Pairc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
Kilmihil recorded successive victories to ensure they took spot in Group 1 of the Clare LGFA senior championship.
Ironically the only game they have lost to date has been their one home tie with Timmy Ryan’s side prevailing in away clashes against St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and now Kilmurry Ibrickane.
Chloe Moloney was a huge loss for the hosts, they were deprived of their chief scorer while Kilmihil received a massive boost with the return of US based Caitriona Callinan who kicked the opening score of the game on six minutes.
They doubled their advantage with Aine McNamara pointing on the tenth minute.
Five points in a row had Kilmurry Ibrickane in front by the half time whistle with scores from Sophie Daly, Karen Galvin, Amy Sexton, Ciara McCarthy and Eilis Hanrahan.
On thirty four minutes, Dervla Higgins struck for the all-important goal which turned the game on its head, fuelling the belief for Kilmihil and leaving Kilmurry Ibrickane shell shocked. Ailish Considine pushed them back in front but an equaliser from Galvin had them level again.
Becky Mahon kicked three points in the final eleven minutes to put Kilmihil in a commanding position and help them recorded an all-important three point win.
Scorers Kilmihil: D Higgins (1-1), B Mahon (0-3), C Callinan (0-1), A Considine (0-1), A McNamara (0-1).
Scorers Kilmurry Ibrickane: A Sexton (0-2), K Galvin (0-2), E Hanrahan (0-1), S Daly (0-1), C McCarthy (0-1).
Kilmihil: Emily Anglim; Megan Downes Rigney, Ellie O’Gorman, Rosie Currane; Megan Downes Rigney, Aoife McNamara, Caitriona Callinan; Dervla Higgins, Una Downes; Katie Mullen, Becky Mahon, Edel McNamara; Aine McNamara, Ailish Considine, Katie O’Halloran.
Subs: Laura Egan for O’Halloran, Siobhan Carr for Downes.
Kilmurry Ibrickane: Katie McMahon; Niamh Miller, Rebecca Doohan, Aoife Martin; Rachel Tubridy , Joanna Doohan, Dymphna O’Dwyer; Sophie Daly, Ciara McCarthy, Kayla Darcy, Amy Sexton, Siofra O’Dea; Ciara Hickey, Ellie Hanrahan, Karen Galvin.
Sub: Emma Coughlan for S O’Dea
Referee: Paul Howard (Ruan)
Banner breeze through to semi-finals
Banner Ladies 5-10
Fergus Rovers 0-6
Venue: Lissycasey
Banner Ladies remain on course to win a fourteenth senior championship since 2008 after powering through Group 2 with a nineteen point win over Fergus Rovers.
Niamh O’Dea’s first half goal had the Ennis side leading 1-7 0-3 but they had two green flags inside the first five minutes of the restart through Anne Marie Meenaghan and Grainne Burke.
Fergus Rovers were at full strength but unable to match a very strong Banner outfit with Naomi Carroll lively at the edge of the square, Emer Burke solid again at centre back with Niamh O’Dea delivering an exceptional display in the middle of the park.
Focus switches to attempting to consolidate senior status for Fergus Rovers and they face a difficult task against a seasoned West Clare Gaels.
Scorers Banner Ladies: N O’Dea (1-6), N Carroll (1-1), G Burke (1-1), A Meenaghan (1-0), E Burke (1-0), A Ryan (0-2)
Scorers Fergus Rovers: Hazel Keating (0-2), Hannah Mai Neylon (0-1), Sophie Culleton (0-1), Louise Griffin (0-1), Lauren Griffin (0-1).
Banner Ladies: Emma O’Driscoll; Niamh Beirne, Clare Hehir, Sinead O’Keeffe; Laoise Ryan, Eimear Burke, Siobhan McMahon; Louise Woods, Niamh O’Dea; Ann Marie Meeneghan, Aoibhin Ryan, Caoimhe Ryan; Louise Henchy, Naomi Carroll, Grainne Burke.
Subs: Holly Wynne for Woods, Elana Sands for Henchy.
Fergus Rovers: Aoife Griffin; Abbie Cahill, Ava Cotter, Fiona Breen; Eimear Burke, Orla Hogan, Hazel Keating; Shauna Melican, Hannah Mai Neylon; Louise Griffin, Aine Slattery, Lauren Griffin; Clara Meaney, Aisling Costelloe, Sophie Culleton.
Subs: Ria Meaney for C Meaney, Abbi Doyle for Culleton, Emma Keating for A Cahill, Sadbh Griffin for Slattery, Maeve Clancy for S Griffin, Nessa Meaney for Doyle.
Referee: Barry Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown)
Burren bypass Miltown in Group 2
Burren Gaels 0-9
St Joseph’s Miltown 0-7
Venue: Pairc Ciosog, Carron
Level on five occasions throughout the hour, Burren Gaels edged out Miltown by two points to seal second place in the group and more importantly a home quarter-final.
A resilient Burren Gaels have bounced back well from their surprise first round loss to Fergus Rovers to ensure they are in the knockout stages.
Ellie O’Dwyer pushed them in front late on but with Lizzy Roche kicked five points over the hour for the winners.
Such an outcome may not have seem likely for spectators during the opening half when Miltown led 0-6 0-4 with Abi Kelly on top.
Scorers Burren Gaels: L Roche (0-5), S King (0-2), T Collins (0-1), E O’Dwyer (0-1).
Scorers Miltown: A Kelly (0-4), R Healy (0-1), A Keane (0-1), C Carmody (0-1)
Burren Gaels: Niamh O’Loughlin; Sarah Leigh, Aoife Forde, Aine Hegarty; Shannon McCormack, Ailbhe McGann, Fiona Loughman; Norah O’Dwyer, Teresa Collins; Ellie O’Dwyer, Lizzy Roche, Caoimhe Byrne O’Connell; Ashling O’Brien, Sally King, Laura Griffey.
Subs: Ciara Mai O’Dwyer for Leigh
St Joseph’s Miltown: Siobhan Talty; Ciara Hayes, Éabha O’Malley, Hannah Shannon; Cliodhna Queally, Aine Keane, Emma Hickey, Caitriona Byrne, Caoimhe Carmody, Grace Carmody, Eimear Keane, Elisha Twomey, Abi Kelly, Rachael Healy, Sarah Looney.
Subs Abby Downes, Grainne Lynch, Lucy Flanagan, Aine Shannon, Leah Darcy.
Referee: Michael Fitzgerald (Clondegad)
