Big Weekend for Clare Ladies Football

This coming weekend will be one of the busiest and
most important occasions for ladies football in Clare. On Saturday
both the Junior and U – 14 teams are in championship action.

First on the field of play will be the U – 14 squad when they take
on Limerick in the Munster B final in Ballylanders. This game has
a 5.00pm throw in. Despite their recent loss to Cork in the Munster
A semi-final the Clare girls will be favourites to retain their
Munster B crown and thus progress to the All Ireland B series. Limerick
cannot be taken for granted however and will be anxious to avenge
their defeat to Clare earlier in this competition. Clare will expect
big performances from their Banner club players (Niamh O’Dea, Megan
Hough, Eimear O’Connor, Laurie Ryan, Aoife Davoren, Laura Brennan
and Marion Conway) who will be part of their club team in contesting
the A Division finals in Féile Peil na nÓg in Wicklow
next weekend. Others to look out for on Saturday will be Cooraclare’s
Sally Glynn, Miltown’s Katie Curtin, Shannon’s Catherine Danagher
and Aoife Murphy of Doora-Barefield.

Later on Saturday evening, in Bansha, the county junior team open
their Munster campaign with a game against home team Tipperary.
This game will have a 7.00pm throw in and is a match eagerly awaited
for in ladies footballing circles in Clare. Team manager Deirdre
Murphy and coach Helen Murphy have worked very hard all year with
this opening Munster championship match in mind. A terrific win
in the Suzuki national league division three decider has added further
ambition and confidence to the squad and team morale and attendance
at training has been excellent. However the championship is a different
ball game to the league and a big step up in performance will be
required to overcome Tipperary on Saturday evening. The Premier
county ladies are many people’s favourites to lift the Munster junior
title this year so Clare will be well aware of the task before them.