Lisacannor overcome Cooraclare in first round of Clare Senior Championship

Liscannor 3 – 12                  Cooraclare         2 – 7

 

Liscannor ran out comfortable winners in the end of this competitive 1^st round tie played in ideal conditions in Quilty on Tuesday evening.  The winners did not have it all their own way however despite having a comfortable twelve point lead at the interval as Cooraclare rallied early in the second period to reduce the gap to four points with fifteen minutes left on the clock.  Liscannor upped their game again for the final quarter to outscore Cooraclare by five points to one in this period and were worthy winners at the finish.

 

Although it’s early days yet in this year’s championship this first round display by both these sides will pose little concern for reigning champions The Banner Ladies as it was a low skilled affair even if it was both a competitive and an entertaining match.

 

Cooraclare started brightly and were the dominant team in the opening ten minutes or so with county star Roisín Looney dominant around the middle.  Unfortunately for the Sky Blues they failed to turn this dominance into scores on the board and missed two gilt edged goal chances during this period with Liscannor goalkeeper Emma Slattery bringing off two fine saves to deny the Cooraclare girls. Liscannor opened the scoring with an Aisling Torpey free on eleven minutes which was cancelled out by a Helen Quinn point from play a minute later.  Frees from Olivia Lucas & Torpey put Liscannor ahead again and a wonderful Minnie Considine goal further extended their lead after eighteen minutes. Roisín Looney and Quinn replied with points for the losers before Liscannor hit a purple patch hitting 2 – 3 without reply before the interval with their goals coming from Emer Hillary and Moira O’Donoghue. Lucas and Torpey added their points to leave the half-time score at Liscannor 3 – 6 to Cooraclare 0 – 3.

 

Cooraclare came out fighting in the second half and with the wind at their backs outscored Liscannor by 2 – 3 to 0 – 1 in the first fifteen minutes of the half.  The diminutive but lightening fast Helen Quinn was outstanding during this period and she helped herself to two goals and two points as she tormented the Liscannor defence. Ciara Golden added Cooraclare’s other point to a solitary reply from Hillary for Liscannor.  Thus on 45 minutes the scoreboard read 3 – 7 to 2 – 6 and an exciting finish looked very much on the cards.

 

The match took a dramatic swing however when Torpey scored a great point for the winners on 55 minutes  –  there had been several prolonged stoppages for injuries prior to this score – and whether these stoppages stalled Cooraclare’s momentum or they just ran out of steam Liscannor dominated affairs from this point on. Points came thick and fast for the winners with scores from Áine Greene, Torpey, Minnie Considine and Carmel Considine to seal the game. Golden had a late consolation point for Cooraclare and the final play of the game saw keeper Slattery make a fine penalty save from Quinn.

 

Liscannor were deserved winners and had fine displays from Minnie Considine, Roisín Considine, Emma Slattery, Olivia Lucas, Aisling Torpey and Emer Hillary. Best for Cooraclare were Roisín Looney, Helen Quinn and Aoife O’Gorman.

 

Liscannor:      Emma Slattery, Sinéad Considine, Laura Harney, Roisín Considine, Minnie Considine (1 – 1), Suzanne Cagney,Carmel Considine (0 – 1), Olivia Lucas (0 – 2), Áine Greene (0 – 1), Katie Considine, Aisling Torpey (0 – 6), Sharon Roche, Moira O’Donoghue (1 – 0), Emer Hillary (1 – 1), Catherine Hayes.

 

Cooraclare:    Aoife O’Malley, Aoibhinn O’Sullivan, Aifric O’Neill, Lisa O’Dea, Áine Looney, Orla Reidy, Elaine Kelly, Roisín Looney (0 – 1), Mary Considine, Ciara Golden (0 – 2), Ellie O’Gorman, Síle Callinan, Aoife O’Gorman, Sinéad Burke, Helen Quinn (2 – 4).

 

 

Paul McKenna,

Clare Ladies Football.