*Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Clare were crowned All Ireland Minor B champions for the first time since 2017 as they kicked the final four points of the contest to come through a thrilling All Ireland final.
Clare 1-8
Sligo 0-7
Venue: Connacht GAA Centre, Bekan,
By Ivan Smyth
After an Ellen Giblin free had helped Sligo regain parity at 0-7 to 1-4, the reigning All Ireland champions enjoyed all the momentum. However, Clare found the answers once more in this memorable campaign as Sophie Culleton, Hazel Keating, Abi Kelly and Clodagh Mescal kicked the final four scores of the game to help Clare avenge last year’s All Ireland semi-final defeat to Sligo.
This victory was built off Clare’s superb tenacity in defence as they kept Sligo scoreless for the final 17 minutes of the game while Barry Donnelly’s charges only shipped three points from play throughout the contest. Full back Aisling Kelly was exceptional at full back while centre back Hazel Keating played the quarterback role to great effect while she also kicked two points.
Captain Aisling Crowe led from the front in midfield while centre forward Ria Meaney ran herself into the ground as she earned the Player of the Match award. After many of this group experienced the heartbreak of losing an All Ireland final when Clare came up just short in 2the U16C final in 2023, this victory will live long in the memory.
In what was a tense start to the contest, Sligo were able to keep the contest in the Clare half during the opening stages. In an opening half where turnover ball was precious, Laura McGuire earned one for Sligo which led to Ellen Giblin being hauled back for a free which she converted.
Sligo showed their pace up front with Caoimhe Crawley forcing Aisling Kelly to make a smart block to deny the Connacht side a crack at goal.
Although Sligo’s defensive structure proved tough to penetrate, Aoibheann Ryan slotted a long range effort to tie the contest. From there the sides were level twice more as Maeve Clancy and Keating cracked over super scores while a pair of Giblin frees kept Sligo keen.
Clare were left frustrated after 25 minutes when Aoibheann Ryan went down close to goal but after a lengthy consultation with his umpires, referee Kevin Phelan pinged the Doonbeg clubwoman for barging. Not to be deterred, Ryan responded in style as she combined with Aine McNamara before firing a sensational effort to the roof of the net as Clare led 1-3 to 0-4 at half time.
All photographs by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
In Giblin, Sligo possessed a player who could engineer space in a flash. The corner forward showed that quality when she burrowed past three challenges to fire over but a crucial Sophie Culleton free saw the Banner answer right back. Sligo thought they had found the net when Kate Smith palmed home after Rachel McGoldrick’s shot dropped short but the former was pinged for a square ball as Clare survived.
Katie McDonagh and a Giblin free tied the game but when Clare were asked challenging questions, they found the answers in style. Culleton and Keating both scored super left footed efforts following runs from deep while Abi Kelly slotted over before succumbing to cramp. Eimear Burke produced two huge turnovers deep in injury time as Meaney teed up Mescal to kick the game clinching score and ensure the huge Clare crowd got to celebrate All Ireland glory.
Scorers Clare: Aoibheann Ryan 1-1, Sophie Culleton (1f), Hazel Keating 0-2 each, Abi Kelly, Maeve Clancy and Clodagh Mescal 0-1 each.
Scorers Sligo: Ellen Giblin 0-5 (4f), Gemma O’Callaghan and Katie McDonagh 0-1 each
Clare
1. Nicole Clark (Cúil Gaels)
4. Eimear Burke (Fergus Rovers)
3. Aisling Kelly (Cooraclare)
2. Abbie Cahill (Fergus Rovers)
7. Leah Daly (Kilrush)
6. Hazel Keating
5. Abi Kelly (St. Josephs’ Miltown Malbay)
8. Abi Talty (Fergus Rovers)
9. Aisling Crowe (Kilrush)
12. Sophie Culleton (Fergus Rovers)
11. Ria Meaney (Fergus Rovers)
10. Kayla Darcy (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
15. Maeve Clancy (Fergus Rovers)
14. Aine McNamara (Kilmihil)
13. Aoibheann Ryan (Doonbeg)
Subs: Shannon Cagney (Liscannor) for Talty (44 mins)
Serena Clancy (West Clare Gaels) for Clancy (44 mins)
Clodagh Mescal (Cooraclare) for Abi Kelly (60 mins).
Sligo
1. Catherine Gallagher (St. Nathy’s)
2. Kathryn Feeney (Eoghan Rua)
3. Leanne Galvin (Shamrock Gaels)
4. Caoimhe Morgan (St. Mary’s)
5. Aoibheann Durcan (Curry)
6. Tara Hastings (Eoghan Rua)
7. Ruth Killoran (Geevagh)
8. Lucy Henry (Curry)
9. Laura McGuire (Eoghan Rua)
12. Gemma O’Callaghan (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point)
13. Kate Smith (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point)
10. Anna Breheny (St. Mary’s)
17. Gráinne Smith (Geevagh)
18. Caoimhe Crawley (Tourlestrane)
15. Ellen Giblin (Curry)
Subs: Rachel McGoldrick (St. John’s) for Breheny (38 mins), Katie McDonagh (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point) for G. Smith (38 mins), Ciara Gilligan (Shamrock Gaels) for McGuire (38 mins), Sarah McDaniel (Coolera/Strandhill) for K. Smith (47 mins), Ava Canning (St. Mary’s) for Killoran (60 mins).
Referee: K. Phelan (Laois).
