Clare Ladies Junior B County Final Report

A faster and more skilful Banner Junior team accounted
for Kilmurry-Ibrekane in this well contested final played in Kilmihil
on Sunday last. The final scoreline does scant justice to the efforts
of the Quilty ladies who gave their all in an attempt to match the
Ennis team.

The Banner were just that little bit too strong in vital areas
of the pitch to allow the girls from the west any chance of victory.
Eimear O’Connor lorded affairs for the Ennis team at centrefield
and she was instrumental in setting the Banner on the road to victory
with a cracking goal on three minutes. Quilty battled hard in these
early stages but even when they broke through the Banner stranglehold
in midfield they faced an uncompromising Ennis defence where Niamh
Martin, Rachel McGann and Lorna Higgins were particularly effective.
Further points on nine and fifteen minutes from Megan Hough and
Niamh O’Dea saw the Banner extend their lead before O’Dea shattered
any Kilmurry-Ibrekane hopes with two well taken goals on nineteen
and twenty three minutes. The Quilty girls finally got on the scoresheet
with a well taken point from the hard-working Karen Galvin just
before half-time. Thus having been wind assisted the Banner led
at the interval on a 3 – 2 to 0 – 1 scoreline.

Kilmurry needed early scores in the second half if they were to
make a comeback but unfortunately for them the Ennis ladies were
fast out of the blocks again on the resumption of play. Two goals
from Megan Hough on thirty three and thirty five minutes and a Naiomi
Carroll point on thirty eight minutes put paid to any thoughts of
a Quilty fightback. To be fair to Kilmurray they never stopped chasing
the game and were rewarded with a Maria Murphy goal on fifty three
minutes and were unlucky to have two late goals rather harshly ruled
out for square infringements. Further points from Eimear O’Connor,
Megan Hough and Niamh O’Dea plus a goal apiece to Aisling Daly and
team captain Rebecca Coughlin saw the Banner run out comprehensive
winners to claim the Clare Junior B title for the first time since
2001.

Following the game Clare Ladies’ Board Chairman James Lafferty
presented the trophy to the winning captain, Rebeca Coughlin.

Best for the Banner were Eimear O’Connor, Niamh Martin, Rachel
McGann, Niamh O’Dea, Naiomi Carroll, Megan Hough and Lorna Higgins.
Kilmurry Ibrekane were well served by Karen Galvin, Dympna O’Dwyer,
Melissa McCarthy, Maria Murphy and Bernie McGuire.

The Banner: Ciara McCarthy, Rebecca McNamara, Niamh Martin, Lorna
Higgins, Naomi Carroll (0 – 1), Rachel McGann, Louise Woods, Eimear
O’Connor (1 – 1), Aoife Griffin, Niamh O’Dea (2 – 2), Meave McCarthy,
Lauren Dooley, Amanda Carmody, Megan Hough (2 – 3), Rebecca Coughlin
(1 – 0).

Subs: Laurie Ryan, Aisling Daly (1 – 0), Caoimhe O’Dea, Deirdre
Kelleher, Laura Brennan, Aidín Shannon.

Kilmurry Ibrekane: Mary Meaney, Melissa McCarthy, Sarah Glenny,
Margaret O’Dwyer, Fiona Sexton, Aisling Donnellan, Sarah Lynch,
Bernie McGuire, Dympna O’Dwyer, Lorraine O’Halloran, Lily Moloney,
Edel Lynch, Karen Galvin (0 – 1), Anita O’Dwyer, Rebecca Glenny,
Maria Murphy (1 – 0)