Cavan too strong for Clare

Cavan
6-14 Clare 0-08 By Ray Brady

On Sunday last Cavan ladies played Clare in the
4th round of the Suzuki Ladies national football
league in Mountnugent. Cavan were coming off a
most notable victory over Cork B the previous
week and needed to build on that win. When both
teams played each other last year it was Clare
that came out winners and Cavan manager Rapheal
Rodgers was out to make amends and continue his
teams winning form. However even the manager would
not be able to forecast the eventual result sixty
minutes later as the Breffni women packed too
much power for the visiting westerners.

Cavan started well when the in form Emma Clarke
scored two points in the first five minutes. It
was the same player again five minutes later that
accepted a brilliant pass from Elaine Costin to
blast the ball into the back of the Clare net.
Costin herself only had to wait two more minutes
before she registered her first score of the game
when she converted a lovely point almost forty
yards out from goal. She added another point minutes
later and further points from Ciara Farrell and
Aisling Doonan extended the Cavan ladies lead.
Then in the 20th minute Elaine Costin collected
the ball and with great pace out ran the Clare
defense to score Cavan’s second goal. Clare’s
only reply was three points from Lisa Fahy and
Niamh Keane as Cavan dominated the midfield area.
The Cavan full back line of the two Hanratty sisters
and Ciara Reilly were always on hand to close
down any Clare attacks and clear the ball to safety.
Then with three minutes to go before the interval
Aisling Doonan rounded the Clare backs to kick
a low hard ball to the corner of the Clare goal
for Cavan’s third goal and leaving the interval
score of Cavan 3-08 to Clare 0-04

If there were any rugby fans at the match they
could have left at half time to watch Ireland
win, safe in the knowledge that this Division
2A tie was already over. As the second half commenced
the young Lacken woman Eireann Galligan used all
her poise and height as she latched on to a high
ball to punch the ball past the Clare goalkeeper
and kill off any possibility of a miraculous Clare
come back. Bronagh Sheridan added another point
before Cavan manager took the chance to introduce
his full quota of substitutes and give fresh impetus
into the game. Further goals from Aisling Doonan
in the 45th minute and Emma Clarke in the 50th
minute left the remainder of the game looking
like a practice session for the home team. Clare
never had much to respond with and Cavan goalkeeper
Aideen Duff easily saw off any threats that came
her way. The Cavan management will be happy to
come away with a good win satisfied with the good
display of scoring from the team.

For Cavan the full back line the Hanratty sisters
of Ann and Laura were never troubled with Ciara
Reilly and centre half back Joanne McNally clearing
up any loose ball in defense. Sinead O’Keefe particularly
played well. The midfield partnership of Bronagh
Sheridan and Pamela Crowe were always in control
whilst up front the Knockbride duo of Emma Clarke
and Elaine Costin were too much for the Clare
Backs to handle. Aisling Doonan and Eireann Kiernan
were all in good form in this one sided affair.

Cavan: A Duff, A Hanratty, L Hanratty,
C Reilly, S O’Keefe, J McNally, M Crowe, B Sheridan,
P Crowe, E Galligan, A Doonan, R Crowe, E Clarke,
E Costin, C Farrell
Subs: M Smith, E Reilly, P Lynch, S Cassidy,
G Smith
Ref: Jim Shannon (Monaghan)