*Rosie Currane receives the trophy from Clare LGFA President James Lafferty. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
KILMIHIL were crowned Clare ladies senior football champions for the second time.
Kilmihil 1-15
Banner Ladies 1-8
Venue: Shanahan McNamara Park, Doonbeg
Before a very big attendance in Doonbeg on Sunday afternoon, Kilmihil were deservingly crowned Clare ladies senior football champions, bridging a six year gap to the club’s only previous success in this championship.
The all-round better balanced West Clare side led from the twelfth minute with Becky Mahon’s goal ten minutes into the second half proving to be a very important score as it pushed them eight points clear and left their opponents with a lot to do.
The Banner didn’t throw in the towel and in the next twelve minutes they reduced Kilmihil’s lead to four helped by Aoibxhin Ryan’s goal eight minutes from the full time whistle.
Ryan opened the scoring two minutes into the tie but following a great run by Dervla Higgins two minutes later Ailish Considine levelled the tie.
Higgins proved a problem for the Banner side throughout, her tenacious play and her great runs causing huge problems for the beaten finalists.
She was named as a worthy winner of the player of the match award on a day when her team mate Aine McNamara who scored 0-5 from play must have been very much in the running for the accolade.
It was McNamara who levelled the game for the second time when she responded to Caoimhe Cahill’s score and she then gave her side a lead they would hold to the finish when hitting the target just twelve minutes into the contest.
Dervla Higgins and Becky Mahon then added points to push Kilmihil 0-5 to 0-2 clear early in the second quarter. Two pointed frees by Aoibhinn Ryan followed for the Banner and in between those scores the Ennis based side came close to finding the net not once but twice with Kilmihil goalie Micaela Glynn coming to her side’s rescue while the woodwork denied the Banner on another occasion.
At the other end the woodwork also denied Kilmihil, with Edel McNamara’s rasper rebounding into play.
The winners finished the half strongly with three unanswered points to lead 0-8 to 0-4 at the break.
Both sides made changes for the second half with Kilmihil getting the opening two points before Banner responded with a brace.
As mentioned the winners pushed eight clear with Becky Mahon’s goal but Aoibhinn Ryan’s major left just four between the sides with just under ten minutes to play.
Despite their best efforts the Banner didn’t score again as the Kilmihil defence closed down all avenues to goal.
The winners landed the last three points through Ailish Considine and Aine McNamara (2) to spark off great celebrations.
Banner finished with fourteen after Caoimhe Cahill was sin binned a minute from the end of normal time.
This was an excellent team performance from the winners with Rosie Currane, Ellie O’Gorman, Aine McNamara, Becky Mahon, Ailish Considine and Dervlla Higgins to the fore throughout.
For the Banner, Clare Hehir, Niamh O’Dea, Aoibhinn Ryan, Emer Burke and Laoise Ryan led the charge but on the day they had to give way to a more evenly balanced side.
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Scorers; Kilmihil; Becky Mahon 1-2; Ailish Considine (3 frees) and Aine McNamara (0-5) each; Dervla Higgins, Laura Evan and Edel McNamara (0-1) each
Scorers Banner; Aoibhinn Ryan (1-6, 0-5 frees); Caoimhe Cahilll and Niamh O’Dea (0-1) each
Kilmihil;
1; Micaela Glynn
2; Rosie Currane, Captain
27; Aisling Downes
4; Niamh Quinlivan;
7; Megan Downes Rigney,
6; Elie O’Gorman
5; Aoife McNamara;
26; Carol O’Leary
9; Laura Egan
3; Dervla Higgins
11; Edel McNamara
12; Aine McNamara;
13; Ailish Considine
14; Becky Mahon
15; Sarah Browne
Subs:
8; Jenny Kelly for S. Browne (half time)
19; Katie Mullen for N. Quinlivan (half time)
38; Catriona Callinan for R. Currane (45)
10; Catriona O’Gorman for Ailish Considine (50)
20; Una Downes for C. Callinan (inj. 55)
Banner;
1; Katie Dowling
2; Siobhan McMahon
3; Sinead O’Keeffe
4; Niamh Beirne
5; Laoise Ryan, captain
6; Clare Hehir
7; Aine Longe
8; Emer Burke
14; Caoimhe Cahill
18; Caoimhe Ryan
11 Niamh O’Dea
12; Laurie Ryan
13; Louise Henchy
9; Holly Wynne
15; Aoibhinn Ryan
Subs:
10; Anne Marie Meeneghan for Caoimhe Ryan (half ime);
20 Louise Woods for A. Longe (half ime);
18; Caoimhe Ryan for L Woods (inj. 61)
Referee: Barry Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown)
