Awesome performance by Clare U-14s

24/04/2006

U – 14 Munster Championship Clare 11 – 13 Waterford 1 – 1 

If you think this score is a misprint you could be forgiven for
your error such has been the frequency that Clare have been on
the wrong end of big scorelines. This was indeed a massacre but
for once it was Waterford’s massacre at the hands of the Banner
county. You reap what you sew and so it was for team manager James
Lafferty and his backroom team as they saw the fruits of their
efforts pay dividend in Tipperary Town on Saturday last. A competitive
team selection tournament and stiff challenge games against Mayo,
Dublin and Galway have all assisted in shaping this Clare U –
14 team into a really competitive outfit. They will not give up
their Munster B crown lightly and may indeed prove a significant
threat to the Kerry and Cork dominance of the A competition.

Amazingly Waterford were first to score in this mismatch with
a point in the second minute. This was as good as it got however
for the Déise girls as the Clare team launched wave after
wave of attacks on the Waterford goal. Eimear O’Connor opened
the scoring for Clare with a point on four minutes and this was
quickly followed by a similar score from Niamh O’Dea. When Megan
Hough goaled for Clare in the sixth minute it was the signal for
Clare to cut loose. This they did and with some style and aplomb.
Further goals came from Ailish Considine, Eimear O’Connor and
Megan Hough and added to by points from Hough & O’Dea (0 –
2), Sally Glynn (0 – 1) and a final first half point from captain
and player of the match Eimear O’Connor left Clare with a commanding
4 – 7 to 0 – 1 interval lead. Clare continued the onslaught right
from the restart and within a minute had a goal and a point from
The Banner Ladies Club dynamo Megan Hough. Rapid fire goals from
Leona Regan, Hough, Niamh O’Dea and Rachel Ryan in the sixth,
seventh, eight and ninth minutes of the half really nailed poor
Waterford’s coffin.

The Clare avalanche continued unabated however with Sinéad
Sexton, Katie Curtin, Aoife Davoren, Shauna Coughlin and Laurie
Ryan all getting their names on the scoresheet before game’s end.
Interestingly Waterford finished the match just as they started,
with a score- a consolation goal in the final minute. Final score
Clare 11 – 13, Waterford 1 – 1. That this was a mismatch of epic
proportions will not bother Clare. The ladies football camp were
due a win such as this. Admittedly James Lafferty and his selectors
won’t have learned too much from the game but they can take confidence
that on their day this Clare team could be a match for anybody.
Naturally on such a rout the defence had very little to do but
when asked any questions in this department they responded admirably
with Louise Woods, Sara Bohannon and Catherine Danagher having
particularly fine games. The next outing for Clare will be against
Limerick on Saturday at a venue still to be decided. This will
be a home game for Clare so a large turnout of support would be
appreciated by all concerned with the team.

Clare: Siobhán Talty (Miltown), Laura Brennan (The Banner),
Aoife Murphy (Doora-Barefield), Laurie Ryan (The Banner), Louise
Woods (The Banner), Catherine Danagher (Wolfe Tones), Sarah Bohannon
(Shannon Gaels), Sally Glynn (Cooraclare), Eimear O’Connor, Capt.
(The Banner), Katie Curtin (Miltown), Lisa Loughnane (Clooney-Quin),
Niamh O’Dea (The Banner), Aoife Davoren (The Banner), Megan Hough
(The Banner), Ailish Considine (Kilmihil). Subs Introduced: Rachel
Ryan (Doonbeg), Leona Regan (Wolfe Tones), Miriam Frawley (Kilmihil),
Shauna Coughlin (Cooraclare), Sinéad Sexton (Miltown).
Scorers: Megan Hough 4 – 2, Niamh O’Dea 1 – 3, Eimear O’Connor
1 – 2, Rachel Ryan 1 – 1, Katie Curtin 1 – 1, Ailish Considine
1 – 0, Aoife Davoren 1 – 0, Leona Regan 1 – 0, Sinéad Sexton
0 – 2, Shauna Coughlin and Laurie Ryan O – 1 each.