*Joint captains Abby Walsh and Clare Hehir. Photograph: Dave Ribeiro / Inpho
CLARE have won Division 1B of the Centra National Camogie League for the very first time.
Clare 3-11
Dublin 0-17
Venue: UPMC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny.
Clare attained invaluable redemption when firing three second half goals to edge their first ever National Camogie League Division 1B crown over a relentless Dublin.
Having suffered a disappointing final reverse to Antrim twelve months earlier, the Banner were clearly determined not to let another decider slip from their grasp as they went toe-to-toe with a physical Dublin and demonstrated that they had the superior belly for battle when needed most.
Second half goals through the outstanding Lorna McNamara (2) and substitute Aine O’Loughlin inevitably grabbed the headlines but it was Clare’s first half defiance against a strong wind that was just as pivotal in the final analysis.
The returning Lorna McNamara was a beacon of light throughout, as she fired four first half points to stem the Dublin tide that threaten to put clear daylight between the sides.
Roisin Begley had opened the scoring in the second minute after being supplied by McNamara but Dublin settled with the next three points through Sinead Wylde, Sarah Power and Grace O’Shea while the Banner also suffered the hammerblow of a shoulder injury for Caoimhe Cahill that forced her early retirement.
Her replacement Maeve Millea along with Lorna McNamara won frees for the latter to arrow over and level matters for the second time by the end of the opening quarter. However, Dublin’s greater need to make the most of the conditions spurred them on as chief threats Aisling Maher (3) and Grace O’Shea stretched the gap three before McNamara’s late score lessened the half-time damage to two at 0-7 to 0-5.
While Dublin resumed with the first point of the new half, a gale-assisted Clare would quickly make up the grounds with three points in as many minutes through McNamara (2) and Andrea O’Keeffe to regain full parity at 0-8 to 0-8 by the 35th minute.
Dublin’s answer was emphatic as Gaby Couch offloaded to the raiding Grace O’Shea to bear down on goal, only for Clare joint-captain Amy Walsh to implement a perfect hook just as she was about to pull the trigger while her rebound pull was deflected for a ’45 by Sinead O’Keeffe.
Aisling Maher converted the resulting placed ball and again replied to a Maeve Millea score to keep Dublin in front at 0-10 to 0-09. However, Clare’s persistence would pay off royally at the two-thirds mark when Ziyan Spillane’s shot for a point dropped short, only for goalkeeper Ciara Jones to spill the ball and present Lorna McNamara a chance to nip in and deceive her marker and Jones with a cheeky back-heeled flick to the net at 1-09 to 0-10.
Undeterred, Dublin would dust themselves down and admirably regain control as they grabbed four of the next five points through Aisling Gannon (2), Aisling O’Neill and Sinead Wylde to nudge themselves 0-14 to 1-10 in front by the 50th minute.
Having put so much into that arduous first half resistance, Clare appeared to be flagging but they would receive a timely shot-in-the-arm only two minutes later when Lorna McNamara scored a crucial opportunist goal.
It stemmed from a Dublin defensive lineball to pick out goalkeeper Jones in space in the left corner. However, her central delivery aimed at Eve O’Brien was intuitively intercepted by McNamara to solo through and fire past Claire Gannon for a much-needed jolt at 2-10 to 0-14. Again Dublin came roaring back as even a brilliant Clare Hehir point from distance was sandwiched by a brace of Aisling Maher frees to leave just the minimum between the sides entering the final minutes at 2-11 to 0-16.
A replay seemed most likely but Clare weren’t about to settle for another day out as a foul on Hehir at halfway saw Lorna McNamara’s free land around the square where super subs Ellen Casey and Aine O’Loughlin combined for the Truagh Clonlara star to fire ti the net from close range and seal victory.
It was not only first ever senior silverware for this group but this final was truly winner-takes-all as promotion to the top tier for 2027 was also an integral part of Clare’s prize.
The celebrations can’t be overdone either as Eugene Foudy’s side have Waterford coming to Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg next Saturday for the opening round of the Munster Senior Championship.
However, Clare will enter that tie with an extra spring in their step as they joined their hurling counterparts with National League Division 1B success.
All photographs by David Ribeiro / Inpho
Scorers for Clare: Lorna McNamara 2-6 (3f); Aine O’Loughlin 1-1; Roisin Begley 0-1, Andrea O’Keeffe 0-1, Maeve Millea 0-1, Clare Hehir 0-1
Scorers for Dublin: Aisling Maher 0-8 (3f, 2’45); Grace O’Shea 0-3; Aisling Gannon 0-2, Sinead Wylde 0-2; Sarah Power 0-1, Aisling O’Neill 0-1
Clare
1: Doireann Murphy (Clarecastle)
3: Sinead O’Keeffe (Kilmaley)
4: Niamh Mulqueen (Broadford)
2: Susan Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe)
7: Clare Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona) (Joint-Captain)
6: Abby Walsh (Scariff-Ogonnelloe) (Joint-Captain)
5: Lynda Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe)
8: Roisin McMahon (Feakle-Killanena)
9: Danielle Griffin (Inagh-Kilnamona)
12: Caoimhe Cahill (Kilmaley)
11: Andrea O’Keeffe (Inagh-Kilnamona)
10: Jennifer Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe)
13: Ziyan Spillane (Feakle-Killanena)
14: Lorna McNamara (Feakle-Killanena)
15: Roisin Begley (Truagh Clonlara)
Subs
17: Maeve Millea (Parteen-Meelick) for Cahill (8, inj)
27: Ellen Casey (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for McMahon (41)
21: Aine O’Loughlin (Truagh Clonlara) for Millea (43)
18: Muireann Scanlon (Broadford) for L. Daly (47)
20: Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley) for Begley (59)
22: Aisling Cooney (Parteen-Meelick) for J. Daly (61, inj)
Dublin
1: Ciara Jones (Kilmacud Crokes)
4: Emma O’Byrne (St. Vincent’s)
18: Abby Ryan (Crumlin)
2: Emily Adderly (Ballinteer St. John’s)
5: Sarah Power (Fingallians)
7: Claire Gannon (St. Jude’s)
3: Eve O’Brien (Na Fianna)
8: Sinead Wylde (Cuala)
9: Gaby Couch (St. Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh)
12: Grace O’Shea (Ballinteer St. John’s)
11: Kerrie Finnegan (Laughs Celtic)
10: Jody Couch (St. Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh)
13: Aisling O’Neill (Castleknock)
14: Aisling Gannon (St. Jude’s)
15: Aisling Maher (St/ Vincent’s)
Subs
26: Emma Moran (Ballyboden St. Enda’s) for Finnegan (51)
24: Niamh Comerford (Kilmacud Crokes) for Power (54)
23: Eimear Kehoe (St. Jude’s) for O’Byrne (59)
Referee: Cathal McAllister (Cork)
