Clare beat Tipperary in Munster U-14 Championship

Munster Ladies U-14 Football Championship First Round.

Date: Saturday, May 19th. Venue: Miltown Malbay

Clare 6 – 11 Tipperary 3 – 7

This was a comprehensive victory in the end for Clare
but when leading by just 4 – 6 to 2 – 4 at the interval
– having played with the assistance of a gale force breeze
– few would have predicted this outcome. Clare’s second
half performance was immeasurably better than their opening
half effort and they were worthy victors at the finish.
Clare got off to the dream start with full forward Megan
Hough finding the Tipperary net inside the first minute.
When Katie Cahill goaled a minute later a possible rout
appeared on the cards. Tipperary settled however and in
their first attack scored a good point and followed this
up moments later with a goal from corner forward Lydia
Hearne. Niamh O’Dea, Cahill and Hough added points to
settle Clare who led by 2 – 3 to 1 – 2 after the first
quarter.

Both teams swapped a pair of points over the next ten
minutes before Katie Cahill goaled from a twenty metre
free on twenty five minutes. Tipperary were quick to respond
however with an Aoife O’Brien goal two minutes later.
This score rocked Clare briefly but in first half injury
time substitute Lauren Dooley cracked home a super goal
for the home side and this was quickly followed by a pointed
Sharon Sexton free to send Clare to the dressing room
with a 4 – 6 to 2 – 4 advantage. Clare were worried at
this stage as Tipperary were dominant up the middle and
the Clare defensive unit looked vulnerable when the Premier
county girls moved forward. With a stiff wind to contend
with in the second half there were worried looks on the
Clare management faces at half time.

Of particular concern to Clare was the dominance of Tipperary’s
Eimear Myles who was playing a stormer at midfield. When
Myles pointed for Tipperary within a minute of the restart
things looked ominous for Clare. In fairness though they
raised their game significantly. Niamh O’Dea moved to
the centre of the park and played a major role in curbing
Tipp’s influence in this area. The previously subdued
O’Dea now harried, chased and made significant surges
forward to carry the game to Tipperary. Following another
Tipperary point from Myles on thirty eight minutes O’Dea
made one of her forward runs before laying off to Meagn
Hough who in turn put Lauren Dooley through for a really
well worked goal. This score arrested the Tipperary comeback
and when Megan Hough pointed again on forty five minutes
the game was definitely going Clare’s way. Tipperary did
rally briefly with another goal and a point from Myles
but Clare finished strongly with a late goal from Dooley
and points from Hough (3) and Leona Regan to leave the
final score Clare 6 – 11 to Tipperary’s 3 – 7.

Clare now face Kerry in Cooraclare next weekend and will
know that a further step up in performance levels will
be required if they are to seriously threaten the Kingdom
girls.

Clare: Sarah O’Keeffe (Doora-Barefield), Sarah Kirwan
(Wolfe Tones), Laurie Ryan (The Banner), Lauren McMahon
(West Clare Gaels), Rebecca Culligan (The Banner), Keri
Quinn (Wolfe Tones), Shauna Crowley (The Banner), Katie
Cahill (The Banner), Ashling Darcy (Éire Óg), Leona Regan
(Wolfe Tones), Niamh Pender (Miltown), Niamh O’Dea (The
Banner), Orlaith Duggan (Clooney-Quin), Megan Haugh (The
Banner), Aisling Torpey (Liscannor). Subs: Sinéad Sexton
(Miltown) for Aisling Torpey (17 minutes), Lauren Dooley
(The Banner) for Aisling Darcy (24 minutes), Ciara Burke
(Miltown) for Lauren McMahon (37 minutes), Ann Waters
(The Banner) for Keri Quinn (43 minutes), Roisín Howley
(Burren Gaels) for Niamh Pender (49 minutes)

Scorers: Megan Hough 1 – 7, Lauren Dooley 3 – 0, Katie
Cahill 2 – 1, Niamh O’Dea, Sinéad Sexton, Leona Regan
(0 – 1 each)

Tipperary: Amy Henigan, Stacey O’Brien, Ruth Cummins,
Katie O’Regan, Aisling Higgins, Shauna Maher, Niamh Foley,
Eimear Myles, Claire harris, Niamh Myles, Siobhán Condon,
Jessica Stokes, Lydia Hearne, Aisling O’Connor, Aoife
O’Reilly.

Dr. Paul McKenna, PRO Clare Ladies Football. 086 – 6036385