*Aisling Reidy. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
Clare’s marquee ladies football final will not feature Banner Ladies for the first time in 17 years after being dramatically dethroned at the penultimate stage by determined neighbours St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield on away soil on Sunday.
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 2-13
Banner Ladies 0-14
Venue: Banner GAA Grounds, Ennis
Having held a vice-like grip on the senior championship with 14 titles in just 16 seasons, JJ O’Dea’s were currently bidding for a five-in-a-row but could never quite reel in a ravenous Parish side that led from start to finish to advance to their first ever final.
Timely goals were pivotal guiding lights in that major feat as Aisling Reidy’s 20th minute powered Doora/Barefield five clear as did Aoibhin O’Loughlin’s clinching strike in the 58th minute.
Indeed, the tireless Reidy, the inspirational Ni Chonaill along with Lyndsay Clarke, Hannah Doyle, Aisling Hannan, Roisin Fowley and brilliant 17 year old Eabha O’Driscoll excelled for St Joseph’s in a resilient test of character.
Banner Ladies were far from their ruthless best but still carved out more than enough chances to turn the tables on the visitors as they kicked five wides in each half but more significantly were luckless in front of the posts as four goal chances went abegging.
The Ryan sisters Laoise and Aoibhin, Sinead O’Keeffe, Emer Burke, Clare Hehir, the talismanic Niamh O’Dea and the remarkable Laurie Ryan who just the previous evening had captained Athlone Town to a first ever National Premier Division soccer crown all provided the most resistance but increasingly found it difficult to stem a relentless Doora/Barefield.
The visitors certainly started well as despite facing into the conditions, they kicked the opening four points through Eimear Clune, Eabha O’Driscoll, Aisling Hannan and Aisling Reidy inside five minutes of the throw-in.
Banner’s start was disrupted by an early leg injury for the experienced Louise Woods that forced her off the field after only three minutes before finally getting off the mark with an Aoibhin Ryan free and an inspirational run from the back through Clare Hehir.
That said, the home side were fortunate to survive a goal chance at the other end near the end of the opening quarter as Roisin Fowley played a one-two with Hannan, only to see her shot repelled by Emma O’Driscoll.
However, only five minutes later a persistent Doora/Barefield did make the breakthrough as this time Aisling Reidy’s quick interchange with Hannan saw the county midfielder slip the ball under O’Driscoll to power the Parish 1-5 to 0-3 clear by the third mark.
Their buoyancy was curtailed two minutes later though when a high challenge by Fowley on Niamh O’Dea resulted in a sinbinning for the Leitrim native and also a six minute recuperation for Banner’s top scorer.
Initially Banner did capitalise upon their numerical advantage as O’Dea’s temporary replacement Anne Marie Meenaghan and the overlapping Emer Burke lowered the arrears to three. However, a defiant Parish bounced back superbly as Amy Lenihan kept out a Caoimhe Ryan shot while Aoibhin Ryan’s seemingly certain goal was somehow cleared off the line in injury-time.
Instead, St Joseph’s chief threats Eabha O’Driscoll and Aisling Reidy countered with points at the other end to ensure a 1-7 to 0-6 interval advantage with the wind to come.
It wouldn’t be as simple as that though as despite a bright start once more for the wind-assisted Parish that saw Reidy point while Lyndsay Clarke would be denied by Emma O’Driscoll, it was the champions that seized full control for the remainder of the third quarter.
Their luckless form continued though as Aoibhin Ryan’s effort cannoned off the crossbar and over, Niamh O’Dea agonisingly kicked three narrow wides while Caoimhe Cahill looked to be harshly yellow carded at the two-thirds mark.
Still, they did incrementally chip away at the deficit with Aoibhin Ryan and Niamh O’Dea both kicking braces to tee up a grandstand finish at 1-08 to 0-10 by the 47th minute.
The holders simply failed to get level at any stage as if Banner had been able to get their noses in front, it may have put some nagging doubts in Doora/Barefield’s heads.
However, a resolute Parish finally showed their teeth once more to dig crater deep and keep the scoreboard ticking over just to top up their confidence levels in an anxious finish.
Eabha O’Driscoll cooly slotted over a free while a second Emer Burke point were matched by great scores from teenagers Sophie Torpey and O’Driscoll to carve out a 1-11 to 0-11 edge by the 56th minute.
With the Banner inevitably refusing to yield, it had to take a 58th minute goal to provide enough of a cushion to withstand any late backlash as a superb flowing move involving Aisling Reidy, Sophie Torpey and Eabha O’Driscoll ended at the foot of Aoibhin O’Loughlin to finish to the net from close range at 2-11 to 0-12.
Game over? not quite yet as Niamh O’Dea just shaved the crossbar with a bullet while a foul on Clare Hehir coughed up a last gasp penalty for Louise Henchy that also flew over a relieved Amy Lenihan’s goal.
It summed up Banner Ladies’ frustrating afternoon but also opened a new chapter as not only will be be a change at the top but a novel final meeting of St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Kilmurry Ibrickane will also guarantee that a new name will be etched onto the senior cup in three weeks time.
Scorers for St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Eabha O’Driscoll 0-6 (4f); Aisling Reidy 1-3; Aoibhin O’Loughlin 1-0; Eimear Clune, Aisling Hannan, Sophie Torpey, Roisin Fowley 0-1 each
Scorers for Banner Ladies: Aoibhin Ryan 0-5 (4f); Niamh O’Dea 0-3; Emer Burke, Anne Marie Meenaghan 0-2 each; Clare Hehir, Louise Henchy (Pen) 0-1 each
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield
1: Amy Lenihan
4: Aisling McMahon
3: Siofra Ní Chonaill
20: Shauna Moloney
7: Lyndsay Clarke
6: Hannah Doyle
5: Anna Courtney
8: Aisling Reidy
9: Eimear Clune
10: Sophie Torpey
11: Roisin Fowley
12: Aoibhin O’Loughlin
14: Eabha O’Driscoll
15: Aisling Hannan
2: Lucy Power
Sub
28: Fiona Tuohy for Hannan (63)
Banner Ladies
1: Emma O’Driscoll
3: Clare Hehir
2: Niamh Beirne
4: Sinead O’Keeffe
5: Laoise Ryan
6: Emer Burke
18: Siobhan McMahon
15: Niamh O’Dea
17: Louise Henchy
10: Louise Woods
23: Naomi Carroll
11: Caoimhe Cahill
14: Helen Hehir
8: Laurie Ryan
13: Aoibhin Ryan
Subs
12: Caoimhe Ryan for Woods (3, inj)
9: Anne Marie Meenaghan for O’Dea (24-30, Inj)
Meenaghan for H. Hehir (HT)
7: Aine Longe for McMahon (37)
28: Holly Wynne for C. Ryan (51)
Referee: John McDonagh (Liscannor)
