*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
THERE were no major surprises as the race for the Clare senior camogie championship continued with the conclusion of the second round.
Title holders Truagh/Clonlara had another big win when they proved too strong for Sixmilebridge while Inagh/Kilnamona and Scariff/Ogonnelloe, two sides considered to be the biggest threat to the champions, both won.
Inagh/Kilnamona had to battle all the way for victory over Feakle/Killanena while Scariff/Ogonnelloe were easy winners over St Josephs.
In the remaining game the spoils were shared between Newmarket-on-Fergus and Clarecastle/Ballyea.
A winning start for Inagh/Kilnamona
Inagh/Kilnamona 0-16
Feakle/Killanena 1-10
Venue: Clareabbey
Inagh/Kilnamona made a winning start to their Clare senior camogie championship campaign when they overcame Feakle/Killanena in a hard fought contest on Friday evening at Clareabbey.
The greater experience of the mid Clare outfit proved decisive on the evening as they edged a nip and tuc contest which produced some great play and well worked scores.
Feakle/Killanena struck for the game’s only goal through Bronagh Brady in the first half but the winners fought back and led by the minimum margin at the interval.
The sides continued to be evenly matched in the second half but former champions Inagh/Kilnamona held on for a narrow but merited win on a day when Aoibhin Ryan top scored with 0-8, all from frees while Clare Hehir landed 0-5, four coming from play.
Inagh/Kilnamona; Cara McInerney; Aine Long, Cliona Queally, Hannah Shannon; Jane Fitzgerald, Laoise Ryan, Cathy Cullinan; Sinead Power (0-1), Laura Rynne; Kate Dowling, Aoibhin Ryan (0-8, frees), Clare Hehir (0-5, 1 free); Clare Commane (0-1), Fiona Lafferty, Danielle Griffin (0-1)
Subs: Elaoise Rynne for C. Commane; Teresa O’Keeffe for H. Shannon;
Feakle/Killanena: Roisin Quilligan; Maeve Brady, Ella McNamara, Rachel McNamara; Sophie Conway,, Regan Conway, Aine Daly; Roisin McMahon, Clare McNamara (0-2); Vera Loughnane (0-1).. ZiYan Spillane (0-3), Bronagh Brady (1-0); Louise O’Callaghan, Robyn Conway (0-1), Shauna Canny (0-2)
Subs: Lorna McNamara (0-1) for L O’Callaghan. Sinead McMahon for A. Daly
Scariff/Ogonnelloe in control
Scariff-Ogonnelloe 2-16
St. Josephs 0-3
Venue: Clooney
Scariff/Ogonnelloe recorded their first victory in this season’s Clare senior camogie championship when they proved too strong for St Josephs in a tie played at Clooney on Friday evening.
Having been held to a draw by their East Clare neighbours Feakle/Killanena in the opening round, Scariff/Ogonnelloe showed their determination to win back the McMahon cup with this comfortable win over St. Josephs.
Helped by a goal from Joanna Grady the winners had 1-6 on the scoreboard at half time and they continued to dominate the second half on a day when Tara Murnane and Joanna Grady made their senior debuts. First half goalscorer Joanna only turned 16 earlier this year.
The East Clare side continued to dominate the second half exchanges and emerged as deserving winners.
Scariff/Ogonnelloe: Rachel Daly; Ali Collins, Bonnie Wiley-Murphy, Aine Rodgers; Tara Murnane, Rachel Minogue, Susan Daly; Abby Walsh, Labhaoise O’Donnell; Jennifer Daly Lynda Daly, Danielle Beston; Alva Rodgers, Joanna Grady, Caoimhe McNulty;
Sub: Cliona McNamara for J. Grady;
St. Josephs: Karen McMahon, Fiona Tuohy, Sinead O’Connor, Hannah Doyle; Siofra Ni Chonaill, Aisling McMahon, Eabha O’Driscoll; Maedhbh O’Connor, Orla Moloney; Shauna Moloney, Eimear Clune, Sophie Torpey; Ciara Duggan, Aisling Hannan Siobhan Flynn (0-3);
Subs: Alannah Meaney for O. Moloney; Amy Lenihan for E. Clune; Katie Callophan for M O’Connor
Neighbours share the spoils
Newmarket-on-Fergus 1-12
Clarecastle-Ballyea 1-12
Venue: Fr McNamara Park, Doora
Newmarket-on-Fergus and Clarecastle/Ballyea played out an exciting draw in this senior championship game at Fr. McNamara Park on Friday evening
The sides were evenly matched throughout with the lead changing hands a few times.
Newmarket-on-Fergus started with eleven minors who had played in their championship two days earlier when they were victorious. Incidentally, in the final of the minor competition they will play Clarecastle/Ballyea which means that many of the payers who faced each other on Friday will be in opposition again.
A hamstring injury ended the involvement of full-back Katie O’Flanagan in the tie but sixteen year old Kate Kennedy impressed for the Blues.
Newmarket-on-Fergus: Laura McMahon; Aoife Crimmins, Katie O’Flanagan, Maeve Begley; Kate Kennedy, Jessie Hogan Grainne McMahon; Ellen Casey, Katie Twomey; Izzy Coffey, Carol O’Leary, Emma Crowe (1-0); Jenny Kelly, Ann Marie Hayes, Michelle McMahon;
Subs: Brid Enright for I. Coffey; Mary Enright for K. O’Flanagan (inj);
Clarecastle/Ballyea; Suzy O’Shea; Orla Hogan, Fiona Breen, Lily McMahon; Chloe Devitt, Doireann Murphy, Aoife Murphy; Stella Quillivan, Louise Griffin; Evie Scanlan, Emma O’Donoghue, Lauren Tuohy; Gillian Scanlan, Hannah Mai Neylon, Emma O’Loughin
Subs: Leah Kelly for Stella Quillivan; Amie Wiley for E. O’Loughllin
Champions go marching on
Truagh-Clonlara 4-21
Sixmilebridge 0-3
Venue: Glenomra Park, Broadford
Champions Truagh/Clonlara continued their winning ways when recording a big win over Sixmilebridge at Broadford on Friday evening.
The winners, who beat Newmarket-on-Fergus comprehensively in the opening round, were on top throughout and had the points secured at the half way point when they led 3-11 to 0-1, two of the goals having come from Leah Hawes.
Aine O’Loughlin and Joanne Egan were the winner’s other goalscorers on the evening.
Truagh/Clonlara’s greater experience proved too much for what is a young and inexperienced, at this level, Sixmilebridge side.
The title holders remaining group games are against Clarecastle-Ballyea and Kilmaley.
Truagh/Clonlara: Sophie Cullen; Taylor Morris, Michelle Powell, Sinead Hogg; Laura Foley, Louise Egan, Ellen Horgan; Aine O’Loughlin, Eimear Begley; Leah Hawes, Joanne Egan, Hannah Horgan; Niamh Powell, Roisin Begley, Becky Foley;
Subs: Sinead Ryan for A.O’Loughlin (inj)
Sixmilebridge; Sinead Hogan; Grace Stafford, Eloise O’Brien, Aoife Hurley; Niamh Lyons, Rachel Kelly, Orla Cahill; Roisin O’Grady, Charlotte Chaplin; Donna O’Sullivan, Aoibhín McNamara, Emma Stanley; Molly Purcell, Olivia Phelan, Sinead Pearz.
