*Clare players hit the ground at the final whistle. Photograph: ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
CLARE’s Junior camogie side suffered a devastating All-Ireland semi-final defeat following extra-extra time.
Antrim 1-16
Clare 0-18
Venue: O’Connor Park, Tullamore
Two and a half hours of tension and drama were needed plus two periods of extra time to separate Clare and Antrim in the semi-final of the 2022 Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship.
Megan McGarry’s free proved to be the difference in sending Antrim through to the decider where they will meet Armagh.
Dearvla Cosgrove’s goal helped Antrim to a strong start where they held a four point advantage. Clare were heavily reliant on placed balls for scores and all seven of their first half tally were from placed balls, it was sufficient to see them tied at 1-04 0-07.
Sixmilebridge’s Rachel Kelly hit Clare’s first score from play on the restart but Antrim replied to go two clear with forty two minutes played. Efforts from Aoife Anderson and Shauna Canny nudged Clare in front for the first time, the clock reading fifty two minutes.
Antrim replied once again but Ruan’s Anderson appeared to have given Clare the win, a missed opportunity from Canny followed and the Ulster side worked the ball up field with Clair Kearney nailing the equaliser.
In extra time, Antrim looked to have the momentum but Clare refused to relent and Sarah Loughnane pointed to ensure a second spell of extra time.
An Aisling Cooney goal shout was refuted in the second period while McGarry nailed a long-range free at the other end.
Clare managed by Conor Dolan and John Carmody, managed a final attack into additional time, the sliotar fell to Róisín Powell, she drove at the opposing defence but her offload was blocked by Elis Kearns, an final intervention saw Antrim through to the All-Ireland final in a fortnight against Armagh.
SCORERS FOR ANTRIM: D Cosgrove 1-5 (3f, 1 45); Bríd Magill 0-3; E Laverty 0-2; E Laverty 0-2; C McNaughton 0-1 ;E Leech 0-1; C Kearney 0-1; O Laverty 0-1; F Kelly 0-1; M McGarry 0-1f.
SCORERS FOR CLARE: S Canny 0-11 (9f); A Anderson 0-3; K O’Gorman 0-1f; R Kelly 0-1; A Walsh 0-1; S Loughnane 0-1 45.
ANTRIM: Á Grahan; M McLarnon, E Kearns, E McShane; S Cosgrove, M McGarry, C Crawford; C Kearney, E Laverty; T O’Neill, Bríd Magill, C McNaughton; A McNeill, E Leech, D Cosgrove.
Subs: F Kelly for O’Neill (22); O Laverty for McNeill (41); N Devlin for Leech (41), E Trainor for Laverty (60); Bronagh Magill for S Cosgrove (60+2); A McNeill for Kearney (68); Lally for Trainor (h-t in e-t); O’Neill for Bríd Magill (74), C Hegarty for Crawford (75), Bríd Magill for Kelly (84); Crawford for Hegarty (87); Mulqueen for Casey (88).
CLARE: L Solon; R Crowe, M Powell, S Hogg; R Powell, K O’Gorman, S O’Keeffe; R Kelly, A Walsh; G Carmody, E Casey, A Anderson; S Canny, N Mulqueen, O Phelan.
Subs: A Hickey for Mulqueen (37); S Lenihan for Carmody (45); F O’Brien for Phelan (51); S Loughnane for O’Gorman (59); C Lally for Crowe (f-t); Carmody for Anderson (h-t in e-t); O’Gorman for O’Brien (75); A Cooney for Canny (AET); R Conway for Carmody (84), Canny for Hickey (90+2).
REFEREE: Brian Kearney (Kildare)
