*Éabha O’Driscoll of St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield shoots under pressure from Tulla defender Éabha McInerney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
FEAKLE/KILLANENA took a giant step towards the knockout stages of the Clare Credit Unions senior camogie championship while St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield eased their relegation worries.
In the third round of games both Truagh/Clonlara and Inagh/Kilnamona had a week off with byes in their respective groups.
Scariff/Ogonnelloe ran out five point winners over Newmarket-on-Fergus with Aoife Power hitting nine points for the East Clare side.
Aisling Hannan scored 2-2 for Doora/Barefield as they picked up an invaluable win at the expense of Tulla. Two goals in the first five minutes were decisive for The Parish as Hannan and Ciara Duggan raised green flags.
Indeed all four of the Doora/Barefield goals arrived in the first quarter of the game when they led 4-2 0-3. Orla O’Brien hit 1-1 in two minutes to rally Tulla in the second quarter and by the half-time break they were 4-3 1-7 behind.
Three points in the second half from Eabha O’Driscoll helped settle John O’Connor’s St Joseph’s side with Hannan and Duggan also raising white flags.
(Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill)
Kilmaley were thirteen point winners over Kilkishen but the scoreline was slightly flattering considering they scored two goals in the final six minutes of the tie. Regan Conway had their first goal with Sarah Ní Cheallaigh hitting the net in additional time as Kilmaley recorded their first win of the championship.
Considering the sides were level six times in the opening half, such a winning margin was not on the horizon. Kate O’Gorman struck for Kilkishen’s goal on twenty seven minutes which had them leading only for three Grace Carmody points on the trot put Kilmaley 0-12 1-8 ahead at the interval.
Matters remained even in the third quarter until Kilmaley tacked on with 1-6 without reply in the final quarter to kill off the challenge of the East Clare side.
(Gallery of photographs by Ruth Griffin)
There was more at stake in O’Callaghans Mills when Feakle/Killanena and Clarecastle/Ballyea clashed. Both sides already had a win under their belts and it was arguably an encounter to see who would join Inagh/Kilnamona in qualifying from the group.
Again it was a tight opening half with the East Clare side ahead by the minimum at the break when they led 2-5 1-7 but they really kicked on in the second half to limit their opponents to four points while adding 1-15 to emerge deserving winners.
Group 1:
Scariff/Ogonnelloe 1-17 Newmarket-on-Fergus 1-12
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 4-9 Tulla 1-12
Group 2:
Kilmaley 2-25 Kilkishen 1-15
Feakle/Killanena 3-20 Clarecastle/Ballyea 1-11
