DESPITE a nineteen point drubbing to Tipperary, Clare’s senior camogie side still have an All-Ireland quarter-final to look forward to next weekend.
Tipperary 4-17
Clare 0-10
Venue: FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles
Waterford are the opponents for Clare on Saturday next in Croke Park, a tie that takes place prior to the meeting of Cork and Dublin in the All-Ireland senior hurling championship. Tipperary’s win sees them meet Kilkenny on Sunday week prior to the counties doing battle in the hurling semi-final.
John Carmody’s Clare were completely outclassed in Thurles in what was the curtain raiser to the All-Ireland minor hurling final. The chance to win over some casual camogie supporters from the Banner County was certainly not grabbed by Clare who instead produced a poor display which was a tough watch.
Put simply Clare didn’t land a glove on their Premier counterparts who operated at a level above in terms of their movement and decision making. Slack marking and poor tracking allowed Tipperary an abundance of scoring opportunities which they gladly took advantage of.
When they last met in the All-Ireland series, the sides finished on level terms in The Ragg back in 2022 but three years on Tipperary ran riot with four goals put in Doireann Murphy’s net and an absence of a strong attacking threat prohibited the likelihood of Clare raising the green flag.
Roisin Begley pointed on fifty seven seconds to put Clare ahead but by the fourth minute Tipperary nudged in front with points from Eimear Heffernan and Casey Hennessy and the hosts never fell behind for the remainder of the tie.
Mary Burke struck for their first goal on eleven minutes, a fall; from Niamh Mulqueen was punished by Tipp, the Broadford woman was forced off with injury shortly after. Burke’s goal was followed by successive points from Grace O’Brien and Casey Hennessy to build a margin of seven points.
Hennessy raided for their second goal on twenty three minutes with the third arriving on the twenty sixth minute from corner forward O’Brien. By half time, the game was effectively over with Tipp leading by thirteen points.
Changes were finally made by the Clare management at half time but the damage was well and truly done, the focus was merely on damage limitation, more so in avoiding injuries ahead of the quarter-finals as opposed to the scoreline.
Tipp scored their fourth goal which was Hennessy’s second on forty two minutes.
Clare did get three of the last five scores of the game but they will know a massive improvement is needed if they’re to upset Waterford in Croke Park next weekend.
For the winners, Casey Hennessy, Karen Kennedy, Mary Burke and Karen Blair impressed while Clare Hehir and Abby Walsh stood out for Clare.
Scorers Tipperary: G O’Brien (1-9 4f 1’45), C Hennessy (2-1), K Kennedy (0-2), J Kelly (0-2), E Hennessy (0-1), K Blair (0-1), C McIntyre (0-1),
Scorers Clare: Z Spillane (0-3 3f), R Begley (0-2), C Hehir (0-2 1f), C Cahill (0-1), A Cooney (0-1 1f), A O’Keeffe (0-1).
Tipperary:
1: Laura Leenane (Shannon Rovers)
2: Niamh Costigan (Cahir)
4: Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty Rossmore)
6: Mairead Eviston (Drom & Inch)
5: Caoimhe McCarthy (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)
3: Karin Blair (Cashel King Cormacs)
7: Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey-Borris)
13: Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha-Dorrha)
9: Caoimhe Maher (Burgess-Duharra)
10: Roisin Howard (Cahir)
8: Karen Kennedy (Thurles Sarsfields)
12: Eimear Heffernan (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)
14: Casey Hennessy (Clonoulty Rossmore)
15: Grace O’Brien (Nenagh Éire Óg).
Subs:
30: Julie-Ann Bourke for McCarthy (HT)
23: Emma Carey (Thurles Sarsfields) for Costigan (44)
24: Jean Kelly (Éire Óg Annacarthy) for C Hennessy (44)
17: Amy Quinlisk (Kilruane McDonaghs) for Howard (47)
26: Niamh Cunneen (Silvermines) for McIntyre (47)
19: Aoife McGrath (Drom & Inch) for Blair (49)
Clare:
1: Doireann Murphy (Clarecastle)
2: Susan Daly (Scariff/Ogonnelloe)
3: Clare Hehir (Inagh/Kilnamona
4: Sinead O’Keeffe (Kilmaley)
8: Niamh Mulqueen (Broadford)
5: Lynda Daly (Scariff/Ogonnelloe)
6: Abby Walsh (Scariff/Ogonnelloe)
7: Danielle Griffin (Inagh/Kilnamona)
9: Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley)
11: Grace Carmody (Kilmaley)
14: Áine O’Loughlin (Truagh/Clonlara)
10: Caoimhe Cahill (Kilmaley)
12: Jennifer Daly (Scariff/Ogonnelloe)
15: Zi Yan Spillane (Feakle/Killanena)
13: Roisin Begley (Truagh/Clonlara)
Subs:
17: Cliodhna Queally (Inagh/Kilnamona) for Mulqueen (inj) (19)
22: Aoife Anderson (Ruan) for G Carmody (HT)
20: Andrea O’Keeffe (Inagh/Kilnamona) for O’Keeffe (HT)
18: Ellen Casey (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for Spillane (41)
21: Ciara Grogan (Clooney/Quin) for C Carmody (43)
19: Aisling Cooney (Parteen/Meelick) for O’Loughlin (50)
Referee: Barry Nea (Westmeath)
