*Ailish Considine. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
CLARE ARE top of Division 3 in the Lidl ladies football league after they extended their unbeaten run with victory over Offaly at Cusack Park this afternoon.
Clare 1-9
Offaly 0-8
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
This victory sees Clare remain unbeaten after four outings and well on course for a place in the knockout stage of the competition.
This game marked the return to the side after a number of seasons of Kilmihil’s Ailish Considine and she played a key role in this victory contributing 1-2.
The goal, which came in the third minute of additional time at the end of the first half, proved to be a crucial score and it helped Clare to lead by four points at the break when the score was 1-4 to 0-3.
The foundations for this win were laid in defence where full back Siofra Ní Chonaill excelled.
While Clare can be happy with the result, there will be some concern that their winning margin wasn’t greater. They had eight wides while six efforts dropped short into the Offaly goalkeeper’s hands over the course of the seventy minutes played.
The visitors opened the scoring after four minutes when Ciara Walsh was on target and a further ten minutes elapsed before Ailish Considine opened Clare’s account with an excellent effort from 40 metres. The game had entered the second quarter before the next score arrived, a point from Fidelma Marrinan and this was followed by a Laura Griffey point to put Clare two clear with ten minutes remaining in the half.
With five minutes still to play in the half, Offaly had drawn level with scores from Elle McEvoy and Ciara Walsh but Clare finished the half strongly.
As the tie went into injury time Chloe Moloney pointed for the home side and two minutes later she turned provider when delivering to Ailish Considine who drilled the ball to the net.
The only scores in the third quarter fell to the visitors who had points from Amy Gavin Mangan and Ciara Walsh.
The game was two minutes into the final quarter when the home side struck for their opening score of the second moiety, a point from impressive substitute Teresa Collins.
Aisling Reidy quickly followed with another to restore Clare’s four point advantage.The game’s first score from a free came from Offaly’s Roisin Cockram in the twenty first minute of the half to be followed a minute later by Clare’s first score from a free which was kicked by Ailish Considine who had taken over the freetaking duties from Chloe Moloney and Fidelma Marrinan both of whom had failed to find the target from a number of frees.
Five minutes from the end Offaly were reduced to fourteen players when Roisin Cockram was shown a straight red card.
Clare finished strongly with points from Chloe Moloney and Teresa Collins, sealing a merited win.
Siofra Ni Chonaill, the Harvey sisters, Grainne and team captain Caoimhe, Laurie Ryan, Aisling Reidy, Ailish Considine, Chloe Moloney and substitute Teresa Collins were prominent for Clare.
Scorers Clare; Ailish Considine (1-2, 0-1 free); Chloe Moloney, Teresa Collins (0-2) each; Fidelma Marrinan, Aisling Reidy, Laura Griffey (0-1) each;
Scorers Offaly; Ciara Walsh (0-3); Elle McEvoy (1 free) Amy Gavin Mangan (0-2) each; Roisin Cockram (0-1, free)
Clare;
1-Amy Lenihan (Doora-Barefield)
2-Rebecca Doohan (Kilmurry-Ibrickane)
3-Siofra Ni Chonaill, (Doora-Barefield)
4-Grainne Harvey (West Clare Gaels);
5-Louise Griffin (Fergus Rovers)
6-Joanna Doohan (Kilmurry-Ibrickane)
7-Aine Keane, Miltown)
8-Caoimhe Harvey (West Clare Gaels)
10-Aisling Reidy (Doora-Barefield)
12-Roisin Considine (Tir Chonaill Gaels)
9-Laurie Ryan (Banner)
11-Ailish Considine (Kilmihil);
13-Laura Griffey (Burren Gaels)
14-Chloe Moloney (Kilmurry-Ibrickane)
15-Fidelma Marrinan (West Clare Gaels;
Subs:
17-Ciara Hickey (Kilmurry-Ibrickane) for R. Doohan (40);
23-Teresa Collins (Burren Gaels) for L Griffin (46);
21-Sinead Considine (Liscannor) for L.Griffey (55);
Offaly:
1-Kelley Cunningham (Tullamore)
2-Anna Grehan (Naomh Ciaran)
3-Michelle Mann (Naomh Molaoise)
4-Kiah Farrelly (Edenderry)
5-Nicole Buckley (Naomh Ciaran)
6-Emma Hand (Ballinamere/Durrow)
7-Nicole Farrelly (Edenderry);
8-Amh Gavin Mangan (Naomh Ciaran)
9-Elle McEvoy (Naomh Ciaran) Captain
10-Fiona Dempsey (Naomh Molaoise)
11-Chloe Sheridan (Erin’s Own)
12-Ciara Walsh (Naomh Molaoise)
13-Eimear Hackett (Tullamore)
14-Marie Byrne (St Conleths)
15-Roisin Cockram(Naomh Ciaran)
Subs:
19-Abbi Stafford (Rhode) for R. Cockram (20)
15-R. Cockram for Stafford (half time)
19-A. Stafford for C. Sheridan (40)
25-Sara Doyle for E. Hackett (55)
18 Saoirse McGuinness (St. Manchans) for F. Dempsey (56)
20-Eva Kelly (Clara) for E. Hand (63)
Referee; Eoghan O’Neill, Kildare
