Clare’s senior camogie side began their All-Ireland championship bid with a draw away to Tipperary.
Clare 0-10
Tipperary 0-10
Venue: The Ragg
By Derek Dormer
The third meeting of this two teams in four weeks and the second draw. In a windswept Ragg, Clare trailed by two points with two minutes to go but late points by Muireann Scanlon and a Chloe Morey free earned what could be a valuable point.
Tipperary won the toss and chose to play with the elements pinning Clare back from the outset. With seventeen minutes played Tipperary led four points to one but should have been further ahead but for some poor shooting.
Two late Lorna McNamara scores either side of a Cait Devane free and Clare headed to the dressing room in a very strong position trailing by only two, five points to three with the massive wind to come.
On the resumption, a long Chloe Morey delivery found Zi Yan Spillane who was unceremoniously brought down for a Clare penalty. Up stepped sharpshooter Lorna McNamara but her low shot was superbly saved by Aine Slattery deflecting it out for a 45 which to her credit McNamara converted.
The sides traded scores but each time Clare levelled Tipperary responded. In fact Clare never led throughout the sixty minutes and a brace of Cait Devane points put Tipperary in a strong position with time almost up.
With three home games to come after last weekend’s trip to Cork, today’s point could prove vital in the quest to get to Croke Park.
Best for Clare were Clare Hehir, Chloe Morey and Lorna McNamara while Cait Devane was Tipperary’s chief threat.
Scorers Clare: Lorna McNamara 0-6 (2f 2 45s), Chloe Morey 0-1 (f), Eimear kelly Muireann Scanlon Zi Yan Spillane 0-1 each
Scorers Tipperary: Cait Devane 0-5 (4f),Eimear McGrath Ereena Fryday Grace O Brien Caoimhe Maher Roisin Howard 0-1 each
CLARE
1: Doireann Murphy
2: Ciara Grogan
3: Clare Hehir
4: Caoimhe Kelly
5: Aoife Keane
6: Chloe Morey
7: Susan Daly
8: Niamh O’Dea
9: Caoimhe Carmody
10: Lynda Daly
11: Lorna McNamara
17: Alannah Ryan
13: Eimear Kelly
14: Aine O’Loughlin
15: Zi Yan Spillane
Subs:
Muireann Scanlon for Daly (22) Orlaith Duggan for O’Loughlin (50)
Aoife Power for Carmody (58)
TIPPERARY
1: Aine Slattery
2: Julieanne Bourke
3: Mary Ryan
4: Eimear Loughnanne
5: Ciardha Maher
6: Aoife McGrath
7: Caoimhe McCarthy
8: Grace O’Brien
9: Caoimhe Maher
10: Nicole Walsh
11: Roisin Howard
12: Casey Hennessey
13: Claire Hogan
14: Cait Devane
15: Clodagh McIntyre
Subs:
Mairead Eviston for McCarthy (14) (inj)
Eimear McGrath for Howard (36)
Ereena Fryday for Hennessey (43)
Referee: Justin Heffernan (Wexford)
