*Jennifer Daly in possession for Clare. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE RIPPED up any list of qualification permutations when keeping their fate firmly in their own hands to return to a second successive All-Ireland senior camogie championship quarter-final.
Clare 0-16
Offaly 1-08
Venue: St Brendan’s Park, Birr
With the home side needing to win by at least six points to leapfrog the Banner into the last six, Clare simply needed to keep the scoreboard ticking over, a feat that they accomplished with aplomb. Weathering the first half storm despite the concession of a Grace Teehan sucker-punch goal in the 20th minute, Eugene Foudy’s side kept their wind-assisted hosts within striking distance by the break at 1-6 to 0-7 before excelling with the conditions at their backs for the new half.
Clare outscored the Faithful by 0-9 to 0-2 in the second half but that statistic doesn’t really do their opponents justice as a physically imposing Offaly have made huge strides in their first year back at senior level and on this upward trajectory, it won’t be long before they’re realistically competing for the business end of the All-Ireland senior championship.
Talisman Mairead Teehan was well marshalled by Roisin McMahon but Clodagh Leahy, Aisling Brennan, Ellen Reagan and substitute Katie O’Connell were all hugely effective.
However, Clare, despite being without key protagonists Lorna McNamara, Caoimhe Cahill and Danielle Griffin, were still be better balanced side, with Roisin Begley continuing to lead the attacking line superbly aided by Zi Yan Spillane and Andrea O’Keeffe while the entire back-line and goalkeeper Doireann Murphy were rock solid throughout, especially that perennially impressive half-back unit of Lynda Daly, Abby Walsh and Clare Hehir.
Being the underdogs, Offaly craved a good start with the wind in the opening period buy Roisin Begley twice nudged the visitors in front by the ninth minute to sandwich a Ziyan Spillane single at 0-3 to 0-2.
A Clare Hehir free from her own half picked out Spillane on the left wing to cut inside and move the ball through Aoife Anderson for Roisin Begley to unleash an angled shot that was expertly stopped by home goalkeeper Emer Reynolds.
From the puck-out, the ball broke to Grace Teehan but her shot was excellently blocked by the brilliant Niamh Mulqueen before Clodagh Leahy eventually levelled up the tie for a third time at the midway mark.
Ellen Casey and Rachel Brennan traded points before Offaly struck for their breakthrough goal, an opportunist strike really after Leahy blocked down Mulqueen’s clearance and passed inside for Teehan to round Doireann Murphy and fire to an empty net at 1-4 to 0-4.
Clare looked to have regained full parity five minutes later when Aoife Anderson and Jennifer Daly played in Andrea O’Keeffe to bear down and goal and strike towards the left corner, only for Reynolds to produce an outstanding full length stop.
Ellen Casey would also be subsequently denied by the defiant goalkeeper albeit that Roisin Begely and Clare Hehir did pick off two of the last three points to lessen the half-time damage to two at 1-6 to 0-7.
Clare capitalised fully on the resumption as Roisin Begley (2) and half-time replacement Maeve Millea reeled in Offaly by the two-thirds mark and could have even been in the ascendency had Begley billowed the net after being teed up by Zi Yan Spillane rather than the side-netting.
Abby Walsh intercepted the restart and was duly held for a 50 metre free that Roisin Begley dispatched to put Clare in the lead for the first time in 25 minutes at 0-11 to 1-07.
Offaly did feel a little aggrieved as substitute Katie O’Connell was blown for over carrying just as she was about to pull the trigger but the same played did level the tie for a sixth occasion entering the final quarter.
That would be the home side’s final scoring contribution though as while Clare put daylight between the sides, Offaly incrementally needed goals if they were to extend their championship season. Goalkeeper Doireann Murphy made three excellent stops, twice from Mairead Teehan 20 metre frees while she also caught a Sarah Harding flicked rebound in injury-time.
Such miserly defending was complimented as the other end by Clare scoring the last five points as Roisin Begley (3), Ellen Casey and substitute Aine O’Loughlin garnered a return to Croke Park next weekend for an All-Ireland quarter-final.
Their opponents will be known on Monday morning (8.35am) on RTE Radio 1’s Morning Ireland show when the draw will take place following tomorrow’s Group 1 final round.
However, unless Clare draw Galway in their last six tie, there will be a double header with the Banner’s flagship hurlers who play Limerick in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling championship semi-final on Sunday week (July 5th).
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Scorers for Clare: Roisin Begley 0-10 (9f), Ellen Casey 0-2, Ziyan Spillane 0-1, Clare Hehir 0-1, Maeve Millea 0-1, Aine O’Loughlin 0-1
Scorers for Offaly: Clodagh Leahy 0-3 (3f), Grace Teehan 1-0, Faye Mulrooney 0-1, Ellen Regan 0-1, Rachel Brennan 0-1, Mairead Teehan 0-1, Katie O’Connell 0-1
Clare
1: Doireann Murphy (Clarecastle)
4: Niamh Mulqueen (Broadford)
3: Sinead O’Keeffe (Kilmaley)
2: Muireann Scanlon (Broadford)
5: Lynda Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe)
6: Abby Walsh (Scariff-Ogonnelloe)
7: Clare Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona)
8: Roisin McMahon (Feakle-Killanena)
9: Aoife Anderson (Ruan)
12: Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley)
11: Andrea O’Keeffe (Inagh-Kilnamona)
14: Ellen Casey (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
10: Jennifer Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe)
13: Ziyan Spillane (Feakle-Killanena)
15: Roisin Begley (Truagh Clonlara)
Subs
23: Maeve Millea (Parteen-Meelick) for Carmody (HT)
20: Claire McNamara (Feakle-Killenana) for Anderson (39)
17: Aine O’Loughlin (Truagh Clonlara) for Casey (54)
Offaly
1: Emer Reynolds (Shinrone)
3: Amy Byrne (Shinrone)
5: Una Kilmartin (Kilcormac Killoughey)
4: Megan King (St. Cillian’s)
2: Aine O’Connor (Naomh Brid)
6: Aisling Brennan (St. Cillian’s)
7: Ellen Regan (Birr)
8: Mairead Teehan (Moneygall)
17: Allie Butler (St. Rynagh’s)
12: Fianait Dooley (Drumcullen)
11: Rachel Brennan (St. Cillian’s)
10: Grace Teehan (Naomh Brid)
15: Faye Mulrooney (Birr)
14: Sarah Harding (Birr)
13: Clodagh Leahy (Drumcullen)
Subs
9: Katie O’Connell (St. Rynagh’s) for Dooley (29)
22: Becky Bryant (Tullamore) for R. Brennan (47-48, BS)
20: Ciara Maher (Moneygall) for Butler (50)
Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny
