Clare Senior Club Championship Round 3

Banner Ladies 4-10 Liscannor 2-8

Comfortable winners in the end, the outcome did not look too good for most of the opening half for the Banner who trailed at one stage by six points and played half the match with fourteen players in this Round 3 of the Senior Championship at Kilfenora on Friday evening.

When the match finally got underway full forward Aine Burke was first of the mark for the north Clare side with a nice point from play. Local girl Niamh O’Dea who’s younger sister Eva also lined out had two points for Banner Ladies. Further points from Burke (2) as well as Aisling Torpey and the lively Marie Considine had Liscannor three ahead and then midfielder Carmel Considine soloed through the Banner defence and banged home a fine goal to put her side 1-5 to 0-2 in front. It took the Ennis side a while to get in to their stride but when they did they were not long whittling down the lead. A goal and a point from full forward Niamh O’Dea reduced the gap to two before Marie Considine and Mary Tierney traded points. As half time approached Banner Ladies were awarded a penalty when Eva O’Dea was fouled in the small square. Intercounty star and All Star nominee for the past two years Louise Henchy made no mistake from the placed ball and so at the interval her team retired two points to the good, 2-4 to 1-5.

Banner Ladies resumed the second half with a full contingent. The fifteenth player Katie Cahill made an immediate impact and went on to play an excellent thirty minutes. Marie Considine cut the deficit to a single score when she pointed quickly after the restart but then came a crucial score for the winners when Susan McNamara goaled. There seemed to be a mix up between the Liscannor goalkeeper and some of her defenders and McNamara had the simple task of kicking the ball to an empty net. When the lively Mary Tierney tacked on a point last year’s championship runners up went three points clear. The excellent Naomi Carroll pointed and her colleague Niamh O’Dea had her second goal when she finished following a flick on from Sonya Maher.

Laurie Ryan, Clare Walsh and Emma O’Driscoll all played intelligently in the Banners defence. Mary Tierney, Susan McNamara and Niamh O’Dea were very prominent in attack. Naomi Carroll gave a player of the match display at midfield while Louise Henchy also performed well. Best for Liscannor were Aine Burke, Aisling Torpey, Aine Greene and as usual the Considine sisters Carmel and Marie.

Banner Ladies: Louise Woods, Laurie Ryan (capt.), Clare Walsh, Helen Hehir, Rebecca Culligan, Emma O’Driscoll, Sinead O’Keeffe, Louise Henchy 1-2 (1-0, 0-1f) , Naomi Carroll 0-1, Mary Tierney 0-2, Sonya Maher, Eva O’Dea, Niamh O’Dea 2-5 (0-2f), Susan McNamara 1-0. Katie Cahill was introduced at half time.

Liscannor: Emma Slattery, Roisin Considine, Yvonne Flaherty (capt.), Roisin Rouine, Cliona Falvey, Sinead Considine, Fiona Considine, Carmel Considine 1-0, Aine Greene, Marie Considine 0-3, Olivia Lucas 0-1, Marian Considine, Clionadh Considine, Aine Burke 0-2 (0-1f), Aisling Torpey 1-2 (0-1f, 1-0 pen.). Subs: Emer Hillery for Marion Considine (half time), Theresa Shannon for Y. Flaherty (inj), Catherine Hayes for C. Falvey

Referee: Ml. Talty (Kilmurry Ibrickane)

Kilmihil 6-14 Cooraclare 3-9

Three points from play inside the opening five minutes for Kilmihil from Eimear Considine twice and Orla Keane set the tone in this high scoring senior championship Round 3 encounter at Labasheeda on Saturday evening. In a match that produced nine goals Kilmihil were deserving winners over the hour.

Credit to Cooraclare once Roisin O’Looney equalised with a fine goal in the 7th minute they really impressed in the opening half against their more expierenced opponents. At half time Cooraclare who were forced to line out without the injured Monica Lillis and Anne Marie Callinan trailed 3-6 to 2-4 while Kilmihils third goal from the impressive Ailish Considine came late in the half.

Senior Championship debutant Laura Egan was Kilmihils first goal scorer and by the quarter stage her side led by four points, 1-5 to 1-1. Cooraclare then hit a purple patch with points from Patricia Callinan, Niamh Chambers and Aoife O’Gorman before corner forward Ciara Golden put the blues ahead when she rattled the net. Their lead was short lived when Kilmihil through Ellie O’Gorman responded with a goal.

Early second half goals from Becky Mahon who lined out at wing back but was moved to attack and Eimear Considine stretched Kilmihils lead to eleven points and while Niamh Chambers added a goal and three points for Cooraclare as well as a points from team captain Noreen McGuane and substitute Lourda Lillis it wasn’t to be their day. Another Kilmihil goal from Ellie O’Gorman as well as points from Ailish Considine, O’Gorman and Orla Keane sealed a fine win.

In addition to the scorers Rosie Currane, Una Downes and Dympna Walsh were very impressive for the winners while Bernie Kelly, Roisin O’Looney, Noreen McGuane, Patricia Callinan, Niamh Chambers and Aoife O’Gorman performed well for Cooraclare. A feature of this game was a number of long range points, two from Kilmihils Ailish Considine and the score of the match from Patricia Callinan from all of 45 metres.

Kilmihil: Sharon O’Gorman, Elaine O’Halloran, Edel McMahon, Niamh Keane, Becky Mahon 1-1, Rosie Currane (capt), Una Downes, Dympna Walsh, Maria Keane 0-1, Laura Egan 1-0, Ellie O’Gorman 2-2, Orla Keane 0-3, Ailish Considine 1-5, Eimear Considine 1-2, Denise O’Halloran. Sub: Moriah Lineen for M. Keane

Cooraclare: Mairead Griffin, Fiona McMahon, Louise Murrihy, Orla Reidy, Danielle Dillon, Bernie Kelly, Sherena Clarke, Dympna O’Dwyer, Roisin O’Looney 1-0, Noreen McGuane (capt) 0-2, Patricia Callinan 0-1, Rachel Garry, Ciara Golden 1-0, Niamh Chambers 1-4, Aoife O’Gorman 0-1. Sub: Lourda Lillis 0-1 for D. Dillon

Referee: Ml. Bohannon (Shannon Gaels)