Aisling Crowe of Clare poses for a portrait during a ZuCar All-Ireland U18 Finals captains day at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
FOLLOWERS of Clare ladies football are expected to travel in big numbers to the Connacht GAA Centee in Bekan this Saturday to cheer on the county’s minor footballers as they chase All-Ireland glory.
Their opponents are the defending champions from Sligo who beat Clare in the All-Ireland semi-final last year. Both sides have a good sprinkling of players from last year’s panels.
Barry Donnelly, a well-known and highly respected football coach is in his second season as Clare manager and he is eagerly looking forward to Saturday’s match.
“Winning the Munster title for the second year in a row was very satisfactory. Our All-Ireland semi-final game against Monaghan had everything and to come through that after extra time was a great achievement. We are eagerly looking forward to Saturday’s final”, he told The Clare Echo this week.
“The ultimate goal is to bring players through to play adult football for Clare and most of the girls involved in this squad will want to go on and play at senior level. We are facing a big challenge on Saturday, Sligo are the defending champions and they are a good side. We are facing a big challenge but it is one we are relishing and we are going there determined to do well”, the manager said.
Coach Graham Kelly from Miltown Malbay explained, “we had five games in the group stage in Munster”. After wins over Limerick and Tipperary, Clare lost out to Cork and Kerry before finishing off the group stage with victory over Waterford. This put them into the Munster final against Tipperary and they won this title for the second year in a row setting up their All-Ireland semi-final clash with Monaghan.
Clare are captained by Aisling Crowe from Kilrush and they draw their players from clubs across the county.
Other players expected to play key roles in the final include Aoibhinn Ryan from Doonbeg who sparkled in the semi-final scoring four goals, Aisling Kelly of Cooraclare, Kilmihil’s Aine McNamara, Miltown’s Abbi Kelly, Ria Meaney and Sophie Culleton both from Fergus Rovers and captain Aisling Crowe.
Both sides have about half of the teams that faced each other in last year’s semi-final but Clare’s management are hopeful that the experience gained last year will stand to them. In addition to Donnelly and Kelly, the management team includes, Patricia Meaney from Fergus Rovers, Alisha Talty from Kilmurry Ibrickane and Morgan Rowland from St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield.
