Clare romp to easy win over Leitrim

Press Release Clare Ladies Football Board 01/03/2007

Referee: Mel Kenny (Mayo) Clare 2 – 17 Leitrim 1 – 5

The final scoreline says it all – Clare romped to an easy victory
over an under strength and disappointingly poor Leitrim team on
Sunday. Clare had expected a tough test from last year’s beaten
junior championship finalists but on the day it was just all too
easy for the Banner county outfit. Even before a ball was kicked
Clare had an advantage in winning the toss and electing to play
with a very strong wind. Lining out without Grace Lynch and Fiona
Lafferty Clare settled early and had four points on the board
by the eight minute. Banner ladies’ club team mates Niamh Keane
and Louise Henchy scored two good points from play before captain
and player of the match Majella Griffin opened her account with
two well taken frees. Following the kickout from her second free
Majella gained possession and quickly spotting that the Leitrim
goalie Catherine Byrne was still off her line, the West Clare
Gaels star lobbed a beautiful shot from forty metres over the
keeper’s head and into the net. This sublime score really energised
Clare and from here to the interval the saffron and blue ladies
added a further ten points (all but one from play) to Leitrim’s
paltry reply of a single point on twenty five minutes from a Michelle
Reynolds free.

Thus the half time score read Clare 1 – 14 Leitrim 0 – 1.

As well as the already mentioned scorers Myra Daly, Helen Quinn,
Marie Kelly and Áine Kelly also registered first half scores for
Clare. Although facing a stiff breeze in the second half Clare
continued to dominate affairs after the interval with Majella
Griffin extending their lead with a thirty second minute free.
Clare then produced the move of the match with an intricate passing
movement from their own half that ended with Marie Kelly rifling
the ball to the roof of the Leitrim net on thirty six minutes.
There was no way back now for the Connaught team and although
they attempted to pressurise Clare and use their wind advantage,
the Clare defence for whom Ciara Cleary had a fine game, remained
solid.

Leitrim did add a few late points and were fortuitous when a harmless
lob towards the Clare goal was accidentally deflected into her
own goal by the unfortunate Orla Griffin. The score at full time
thus read Clare 2 – 14, Leitrim 1 – 5. Clare manager Deirdre Murphy
was happy that her team’s unbeaten run of late has continued and
with four points from two matches Clare now top the table and
their Division Two status for next year is already assured irrespective
of future results. While acknowledging that Leitrim were surprisingly
understrength and poor on the day Deirdre was satisfied with the
Clare teams performance over the sixty minutes.

Even when seven replacements were introduced during the second
half the Banner county team continued to dominate affairs. The
focus of attention will now turn to the visit of Dublin to Clare
in two weeks time. A venue for this game has not yet been agreed
but it would be something special if the ladies could welcome
their Dublin counterparts to Cusack Park for what is the metropolitan’s
first trip to Clare for a good number of years.

Clare: Emma O’Driscoll (The Banner), Orla Griffin (Fergus Rovers),
Carmel Considine (Liscannor), Ciara Cleary (Coolmeen), Sinéad
Kelly (West Clare Gaels), Ciara Cleary (Coolmeen), Lorraine Kelly
(Fergus Rovers), Úna Downes (Kilmihil), Louise Henchy 0-3 (The
Banner), Majella Griffin 1-6 (West Clare Gaels), Niamh Keane 0-3
(The Banner) Marie Kelly 1-1 (West Clare Gaels), Helen Quinn 0-1
(Cooraclare), Olivia Lucas (Liscannor), Myra Daly 0-1 (Fergus
Rovers), Áine Kelly 0-2 (Fergus Rovers).

Subs Used: Michelle McCaw, Cliodhna Cleary, Denise Sexton, Leona
Murphy, Karen Egan, Eimear Johnson, Michelle Madigan.