Barefield relegated from senior camogie championship

*Hannah Mai Neylon of Clarecastle/Ballyea takes on Clooney/Quin’s Mary Kate McCarthy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.

RELEGATION fate was the crucial aspect in of the final round of group games in the Clare Credit Unions Senior Camogie Championship, with Clarecastle/Ballyea and St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield both dropping down to intermediate for next year.

The drama came at the bottom of both tables with Clooney/Quin and Clarecastle/Ballyea facing off in what was a relegation play-off in Group One and St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Tulla under threat in Group Two.

2025 intermediate champions Clooney-Quin ensured that they would play senior camogie in 2027 with a victory by the narrowest of margins, while Tulla secured their senior status with an unexpected win over Feakle/Killanena.

Semi-final spots had been secured with a game to spare with the final-four clashes taking place in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge this Saturday. Reigning champions Inagh/Kilnamona take on Truagh/Clonlara, while last year’s beaten finalists Truagh/Clonlara take on Kilmaley.

Inagh/Kilnamona secure top spot in Group 1

Inagh/Kilnamona 2-13
Kilmaley 2-07
Venue: Éire Óg, Ennis

These two sides had already sealed their places in the semi-finals of the competition but it was still all to play for in terms of who would take top spot between them.

Caoimhe Carmody commenced the scoring early on with a tremendous score just inches off the sideline. Aoibhín Ryan quickly responded for Inagh/Kilnamona before directly assisting Clare Hehir to put them into the lead for the first time.

The next score failed to come for almost ten minutes, with Inagh/Kilnamona rattling off three points in quick succession from Danielle Griffin, Aoibhín Ryan before Laura Rynne superbly turned over a Kilmaley puckout and teed up Aoife Keane.

Andrea O’Keeffe then got in on the scoring act, taking off on a lung-bursting solo run before laying it off for a one-two and neatly tapping the sliotar over the bar. Clare Hehir notched over a free and Keane got her second of the afternoon shortly after and with twenty minutes on the clock, they held a 0-8 to 0-1 lead.

Five minutes later, Kilmaley grabbed the first green flag of the game with an attempt from Kate Hayes finding the Inagh/Kilnamona net for their first score in over twenty minutes.

At half-time, the title holders were ahead on a scoreline of 0-10 to 1-3 after an extremely clinical opening half display.

Clare Hehir hit the net five minutes into the second half and very nearly grabbed a second moments later when she took off on a sensational solo run and saw her effort skim the post.

Kilmaley responded with their second goal shortly after when Inamona goalkeeper Cara McInerney was caught in possession by Claire McMahon who dispatched the ball to an empty net to reduce the deficit to six points.

Kate Dowling responded with another major for Inagh/Kilnamona just over a minute later before Moira Maher responded with an excellent individual point for Kilmaley.

Inagh/Kilnamona struck three of the final four points of the tie, the pick of those was an intricate team move which included Aoibhín Ryan and Andrea O’Keeffe before being finished by Clare Hehir.

The trio of O’Keeffe, Hehir and Ryan impressed up front for the winners, while Laoise Ryan and Sinéad Power also caught the eye.

Among the standouts for Kilmaley were Sinéad O’Keeffe, Moira Maher and Shauna Melican.

Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.

Scorers Inagh-Kilnamona: A Ryan (0-6, 3f), C Hehir (1-2, 0-1f), K Dowling (1-1), A Keane (0-2), A O’Keeffe (0-1), D Griffin (0-1)

Scorers Kilmaley: C McMahon (1-1, 1f), K Hayes (1-0), R Conway (0-2, 2f), M Maher (0-1), C Carmody (0-1) G Carmody (0-1)

Inagh/Kilnamona: Cara McInerney; Cathy Cullinan, Shauna Queally, Sinéad Power; Jane Fitzgerald, Laoise Ryan, Terese O’Keeffe; Aoife Keane, Danielle Griffin; Laura Rynne, Andrea O’Keeffe, Clare Hehir; Aoibhín Ryan, Kate Dowling, Elisha Rynne

Subs: Clíodhna Queally for Griffin, Hannah Shannon for L Rynne, Mary McInerney for Hehir

Kilmaley: Maria Burke; Helen McMahon, Sinéad O’Keeffe, Jodie Cahill; Moira Maher, Shauna Melican, Chloe Neylon; Emily Carmody, Martina Keane; Grace Carmody, Regan Conway, Keela Markham; Kate Hayes, Claire McMahon, Caoimhe Carmody

Subs: Eimear Considine for E Carmody, Shonagh Enright for Markham, Maeve Clancy for Keane

Referee: Andy McMahon (Cratloe)

Clooney/Quin maintain senior status & relegate Clarecastle/Ballyea

Clooney/Quin 2-09
Clarecastle/Ballyea 0-14
Venue: Fr McNamara Park, Doora

In what was a relegation battle, there was a lot on the line for both Clooney/Quin and Clarecastle/Ballyea. A win for Clarecastle/Ballyea would have left both sides tied on points alongside Newmarket-on-Fergus meaning scoring difference would dictate who dropped down.

Emma O’Loughlin opened the scoring with a point for Clarecastle/Ballyea which was followed by a free from Evie Scanlon. Ciara Grogan responded with her first placed ball of the evening shortly after.

Clarecastle/Ballyea got the next four points of the tie through Emma O’Donoghue, Hannah Mai Neylon and two more Scanlon frees, and midway through the first half they were ahead on a scoreline of 0-6 to 0-1.

Emily Costello then opened Clooney/Quin’s account from open play, before Neylon responded with her second point.

Sheena Beirne found the net for Clooney/Quin on the brink of the interval to reduce the deficit, and at half-time Clarecastle/Ballyea led by the minimum, 0-8 to 1-4.

Scanlon opened the scoring after the break with her fifth placed ball before the goalscorer Beirne pointed for Clooney/Quin to bring the gap back to the minimum once more.

It was midway through the second half when the crucial blow came as Nicole O’Riordan netted Clooney/Quin’s second goal to put them ahead for the very first time.

Scanlon responded with yet another free before Emer Moynihan pushed the gap out to two points once more. Scanlon then levelled things up with a further brace of placed balls.

Emily Costello answered back with a point of her own, which was followed by a converted free from both sides, before Clarecastle/Ballyea levelled things up once again with Leah Kelly scoring the equaliser.

Ciara Grogan landed what ended up being the decisive score for Clooney-Quin late on. Clarecastle/Ballyea did have a dead ball opportunity of their own which went to the wrong side of the posts, although a share of the spoils wouldn’t have been enough to keep them in the top tier.

Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.

Scorers Clooney/Quin: C Grogan (0-5, 5f), S Beirne (1-1), N O’Riordan (1-0), E Moynihan (0-1), E Costello (0-1), S Costello (0-1)

Scorers Clarecastle/Ballyea: E Scanlon (0-9, 9f), H M Neylon (0-2), E O’Donoghue (0-1), E O’Loughlin (0-1), L Kelly (0-1)

Clooney/Quin: Deirdre Murphy, Moya Dunne, Bebhinn Gallagher, Aoibheann Duggan; Sinead McGee, Ciara Grogan, Mary Kate McCarthy; Emer Moynihan, Emily Costello; Sarah Costello, Órna Moynihan, Emma Deegan; Nicole O’Riordan, Sheena Beirne, Ciara Halpin

Subs: Caoimhe McDonnell for E Moynihan, Emma O’Driscoll for Halpin, Clodagh Quinn for O’Riordan

Clarecastle/Ballyea: Doireann Murphy; Róisín Coughlan, Lily McMahon, Zoe Ellingstand; Molly Potter; Ivanna Costello, Leah Kelly; Emma Hogan, Evie Scanlon; Emma O’Loughlin, Aoife Murphy, Emma O’Donoghue; Hannah Mai Neylon, Ria Flanagan, Lauren Cusack

Subs: Farah Ammara for Potter

Referee: Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)

Sinéad Conlon stars as Tulla stun Feakle/Killanena

Tulla 3-11
Feakle 1-11
Venue: Dr Stuart Park, Ogonnelloe

Already missing Lorna McNamara due to an ACL injury, Feakle/Killanena were dealt another blow with the absence of fellow county player Zi Yan Spillane due to suspected broken fingers.

Tulla got off to the ideal start with Orla Mulconroy finding the net inside the opening three minutes of the all East Clare encounter. Brídin Dinan then pushed the gap out to four with her first free of the tie.

Feakle/Killanena responded with points from Eileen Daly and a brace of points from Shauna Canny before they grabbed a goal of their own through Canny following a high ball into the Tulla square.

Tulla answered back with points from Sinéad Conlon and another Dinan free and at the break there was nothing to separate the sides having scored 1-5 each.

Tulla came bursting out of the traps after the interval with Conlon grabbing their second goal to give them a three-point lead.

Shauna Canny kept Feakle/Killanena in the fight from placed balls before Conlon grabbed her second major after Lisa Nicholas caught a ball out of the clouds and laid it off to the onrushing Conlon who rifled to the net.

Tulla’s Amy Mcnamara. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.

Aoife Dooley pointed the insurance score late on and with that, Tulla had guaranteed they’d remain in the senior ranks for 2027.

Most impressive for Johnny Brigdale’s side were midfielder Sinéad Conlon, who scored an astounding 2-6 from play, Gillian Ryan, Orla O’Brien and Brídín Dinan.

Scorers Tulla: S Conlon (2-6), B Dinan (0-4, 4f), O Mulconroy (1-0), A Dooley (0-1)

Scorers Feakle-Killanena: Shauna Canny (1-9, 6f), R Conway (0-1), E Daly (0-1)

Tulla: Amy McNamara; Amy Burns, Gillian Ryan, Éabha McInerney; Aoife Leyden, Jennifer Nicholas, Sorcha Corry; Aoife Dooley, Sinéad Conlon; Molly Moroney, Brídín Dinan, Naomi Hogan; Orla O’Brien, Orna Mulconroy, Niamh O’Brien

Subs: Lisa Nicholas for Hogan, Aoife Boyce for Moroney

Feakle-Killanena: Róisín Quilligan; Áine Daly, Claire McNamara, Rachel McNamara; Meave Brady, Ella McNamara, Aoibheann Daly; Róisín McMahon, Sinéad Canny; Sophie Conway, Bronagh Brady, Shauna Canny; Robyn Conway, Maria Moloney, Eileen Daly

Referee: Joseph Mullins (Clonlara)

Truagh/Clonlara cruise to victory as Doora/Barefield face the drop

Truagh/Clonlara 3-21
St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 1-08
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla

St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield got off to a bright start with Éabha O’Driscoll scoring a superb free from distance before Ciara Duggan grabbed a goal in the eighth minute to send them into a 1-2 to 0-3 lead.

Truagh/Clonlara soon found their rhythm with Róisín Begley, who scored 1-5 of their total in the opening half, finding the net during a spell where they scored an unanswered 1-3.

Doora/Barefield responded with an Amy Reynolds point from play which was followed by pair of Siobhán Flynn frees and as the sides headed for the dressing rooms, Truagh-Clonlara held a slender 1-7 to 1-6 lead.

The girls in sky-blue got off to a flyer when they re-emerged, with Niamh Ryan finding the net on two occasions inside the opening three minutes of the half.

Sophie Torpey. Photograph: Ruthie Griffin.

Those two majors were followed by a burst of six points to put them firmly in control. During this spell, Doora/Barefield managed to score just a single point which came from Sophie Torpey.

Truagh/Clonlara now take on Inagh/Kilnamona in the semi-final, the side who stopped their bid for three in a row at this stage last year.

Scorers Truagh-Clonlara: R Begley (1-14, 6f), N Ryan (2-1), J Egan (0-2), E Begley (0-1), L Hawes (0-1), E Kelly (0-1), H Horgan (0-1)

Scorers St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield: S Flynn (0-5, 2f, 1 ‘45), C Duggan (1-0), S Torpey (0-1), A Reynolds (0-1), É O’Driscoll (0-1, 1f)

Truagh/Clonlara: Sophie Cullen; Taylor Morris, Michelle Powell, Sinéad Ryan; Niamh Powell, Laura Foley, Ellen Horgan; Eimear Begley, Aoibhín Marren; Hannah Horgan, Eimear Kelly, Joanne Egan; Niamh Ryan, Róisín Begley, Lauren Slater

Subs: Leah Hawes for Slater, Michelle Caulfield for Egan, Sinéad Hogg for M Powell, Lauren Slater for Foley

St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Karen McMahon; Fiona Tuohy, Orla Moloney, Sinéad O’Connor; Eimear Clune, Maedbh O’Connor, Éabha O’Driscoll; Hannah Doyle, Shauna Moloney; Amy Reynolds, Sophie Torpey, Eimear Casey; Siobhán Flynn, Aisling Hannan, Ciara Duggan

Subs: Orla Hoey for O’Driscoll, Kate Moran for Doyle, Orla O’Connor for Reynolds, Aoibheann Creaven for Duggan

Referee: Ian Daly (Newmarket-on-Fergus)