*Lorna McNamara scores a goal. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE’s senior camogie side have started their All-Ireland bid on a winning note, defeating Dublin in their home turf.
Clare 2-16
Dublin 3-10
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis
Ultimately saved by their strong second quarter, Clare certainly made hard work of proceedings on Saturday afternoon.
It was a final winning margin of three points but it should have been much greater than this. Holding a nine point lead entering the final quarter, Clare conceded three goals in this spell to result in a nervy finish with goalkeeper Doireann Murphy to make vital saves in this period, including one in the last attack to deny Eimear Kehoe.
This was the third meeting of the counties so far this year and similar to their showdown in the league final, it was a margin of three points that separated them for a finish.
Lorna McNamara led the way on the scoring front for Clare, finishing with 2-7 and maintaining her strong run of recent form. Her first goal stemmed from a superb team move that began with Doireann Murphy’s short puckout that was smartly played through the lines with Jennifer Daly, Zi Yan Spillane, Abby Walsh and Roisin Begley all having a part to play.
During this wave, Clare scored 1-5 without reply to gain a real foothold on proceedings. Dublin had led 0-3 0-1 prior to this but were limited to a single score for the entirety of the second quarter.
With four points on the trot following the restart, Clare moved into a 1-10 0-4 advantage, McNamara with two and one each from Roisin Begley and Spillane.
McNamara’s second goal arrived on fifty two minutes to make it 2-14 1-7 but then Dublin substitute Kerrie Finnegan pounced for a brace of green flags to produce a somewhat nervy finish.
Wexford await in round two for Clare and they are on track to qualify for successive quarter-finals, movement of the ball and the potency of the likes of McNamara is a big plus but there will definitely be concern with the manner in which they lagged for a finish. Lorna McNamara and Roisin McMahon were prominent for the winners.
Scorers Clare: L McNamara (2-7 3f), R Begley (0-4), Z Spillane (0-2), A Anderson (0-1), D Griffin (0-1), A O’Keeffe (0-1)
Scorers Dublin: K Finnegan (2-0), E Kehoe (1-3), A Maher (0-5 3f), G O’Shea (0-1), A O’Neill (0-1)
Clare:
1: Doireann Murphy (Clarecastle)
3: Sinead O’Keeffe (Kilmaley)
4: Niamh Mulqueen (Broadford)
2: Muireann Scanlon (Broadford)
7: Clare Hehir (Inagh/Kilnamona)
6: Abby Walsh (Scariff/Ogonnelloe)
5: Lynda Daly (Scariff/Ogonnelloe)
8: Roisin McMahon (Feakle/Killanena)
9: Danielle Griffin (Inagh/Kilnamona)
10: Jennifer Daly (Scariff/Ogonnelloe)
11: Andrea O’Keeffe (Inagh/Kilnamona)
12: Aoife Anderson (Ruan)
14: Lorna McNamara (Feakle/Killanena)
13: Zi Yan Spillane (Feakle/Killanena)
15: Roisin Begley (Truagh/Clonlara)
Subs:
18: Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley) for Anderson (39)
20: Ellen Casey (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for Griffin (43)
24: Claire McNamara (Feakle/Killanena) for Scanlon (45)
17: Áine O’Loughlin (Truagh/Clonlara) for J Daly (49)
23: Maeve Milliea (Parteen/Meelick) for Spillane (59)
Dublin:
1: Ciara Jones (Kilmacud Crokes)
4: Emma O’Byrne (St Vincent’s)
2: Emily Adderly (Ballinteer St John’s)
3: Eve O’Brien (Na Fianna)
7: Claire Gannon (St Jude’s)
25: Niamh Gannon (St Jude’s)
5: Sarah Power (Fingallians)
6: Aoife Higgins (St Vincent’s)
8: Sinead Wylde (Cuala)
9: Gaby Couch (St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh)
13: Aisling O’Neill (Castleknock)
15: Aisling Maher (St Vincent’s)
12: Grace O’Shea (Ballinteer St John’s)
14: Aisling Gannon (St Jude’s)
21: Eimear Kehoe (St Judes)
Subs:
11: Kerrie Finnegan (Faughs Celtic) for A Gannon (HT)
10: Leah Butler (St Jude’s) for Higgins (HT)
17: Abby Ryan (Crumlin) for Power (34)
24: Emma Moran (Ballyboden St Enda’s) for O’Byrne (39)
23: Jody Couch (St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh) for N Gannon (41)
Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan (Limerick)
