*Eva O’Dea feels the brunt of a Kilmihil challenge. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
The four semi-finalists in this year’s Clare ladies football senior championship have been confirmed after Sunday’s final round of games in the group stage.
Champions, Banner Ladies top the group and they will play fourth placed Kilmurry Ibrickane with second placed Kilmihil facing third placed St. Josephs Doora/Barefield.
Last Sunday’s meeting of Kilmurry Ibrickane and Cooraclare was abandoned with just over two minutes remaining. A meeting of the Clare executive on Monday night awarded the match to Kilmurry on the basis that Cooraclare would not have been able to close the deficit in the remaining time as Kilmurry led 6-7 to 1-8 when referee Pat Byrne O’Connell stopped the game.
Both semi-finals are scheduled for Sunday week, October 31 with the final set for Doonbeg on November 14. The winner will begin their Munster campaign on November 21. The beaten Clare semi-finalists will play the Clare senior B final
Champions go marching on
Banner 4-11
Kilmihil 0-6
Venue: St Michael’s Park, Kilmihil
Title holders Banner ladies are through to the semi-finals of this year’s competition after recording their fifth successive victory in this season’s campaign.
An outstanding display by centre back Laurie Ryan steered the Ennis based outfit to this latest victory.
Despite the loss, their first in this campaign, Kilmihil are also through to the last four having finished in second place.
Aoibheann Malone (2), Aoife Keane and Aoibheann Ryan were the goal scorers for the winners while Becky Mahon (0-4), Ellie O’Gorman and Natasha Murray scored for Kilmihil.
Banner: Emma O’Driscoll; Siobhan McMahon, Eva O’Dea, Leah Talty; Lisa Ryan, Laurie Ryan, Sinead Power; Louise Henchy, Sarah Ni Cheallaigh; Aoife Keane, Shona Enright, Emily Cahill; Louise Woods, Aoibheann Malone, Aoibhean Ryan;
Subs: Alannah McNamara for Cahill; Helen Hehir for A. Malone; Shannon Donovan for A. Keane.
Kilmihil; Micaela Glynn; Cathy Keating, Rosie Kirrane, Elaine O’Halloran; Zoe Ryan, Megan Downes-Rigney, Kate Coughlan; Laura Egan, Becky Mahon; Chloe Devitt, Caitriona O’Gorman, Ellie O’Gorman; Katie Mullen, Sarah Browne, Aoife McNamara.
Subs: Niamh Quinlivan for C. Keating; Katie O’Halloran for L. Egan(inj_ Emma O’Grady for S. Browne; Natasha Murray for A. McNamara;
St. Josephs seal semi-final spot
St. Josephs 3-12
West Clare Gaels 3-11
Venue: Gurteen
St. Josephs, Doora-Barefield qualified for the Clare ladies senior football championship semi-final with a slender one point win over West Clare Gaels.
As the scoreline suggests the game was tight throughout with the winning goal for the Doora-Barefield outfit coming from substitute Ciara Duggan.
Fidelma Harvey converted two penalties for the West Clare side while Grainne Harvey was their other goal scorer.
St. Josephs Doora/Barefield; Caoifhlinn Ni Chonnaill; Siofra Ni Chonaill, Megan O’Brien, Kate Dillon; Hannah Doyle, Eimear Casey, Roisin Cahill (0-1); Emer Hanrahan, Ciara Cahill (1-1); Shauna Moloney, Ashling Reidy (0-2), Ciara Guilfoyle; Ashling Hannan (1-1), Caoimhe Hoey, Amy Lenihan (0-7);
Subs: Lyndsey Clarke for Emer Hanrahan; Emily Barry for Shauna Moloney; Ciara Duggan (1-0) for Amy Lenihan; Hannah Meaney for Caoimhe Hoey; Alex Potter for Ciara Guilfoyle
West Clare Gaels; Emma McMahon; Sophie O’Callaghan, Sara Marrinan, Ciara McQuaid; Colette Keniry, Becky Madigan, Aine Moloney; Grainne Harvey, Ruth Ferguson;Siobhan Keane; Shauna Harvey, Caoimhe Harvey; Niamh Lardner, Fidelma Marrinan and Roisin Brew
Subs; Sorricha Griffin for Sophie O’Callaghan; Nell Walsh for R. Brew;
Game awarded to Kilmurry after game abandoned
Kilmurry-Ibrickane 6-7
Cooraclare 1-8
Venue: Cooraclare
(Game abandoned with over 2 minutes remaining)
Just under three minutes remained in this tie at Cooraclare on Sunday when referee Pat Byrne O’Connell called a halt to proceedings.
It’s alleged that the refusal of a Kilmurry official led to the decision of the match official. Earlier he had ordered a Kilmurry mentor from the enclosure and that decision was complied with.
A meeting of the Clare ladies board on Monday night awarded the game to Kilmurry on the basis that Cooraclare would not have been able to overturn the deficit in the time remaining.
Asked if disciplinary action is likely to follow because of the abandoning of the game, Clare board secretary Monica Callinan explained that “any disciplinary issues will be passed on to our CODA committee to deal with”.
Six players shared in Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s tally of 6-7. Caitlyn O’Connor scored two goals while Joanna Doohan, Chloe Moloney, Sophie Daly and Karen Galvin were the other goalscorers. Full forward Karen Galvin was the top scorer on the day with 1-4 to her credit.
Kilmurry-Ibrickane: Katie McMahon; Jessica Doohan, Rebecca Doohan, Rachel Tubridy; Roisin Montgomery, Maeve Foley, Emma Coughlan; Siofra O’Dea, Joanna Doohan; Chloe Moloney , Sophie Daly, Amy Sexton; Caitlyn O’Connor. Karen Galvin, Karen Coughlan
Subs: Ellie Hanrahan for E. Coughlan; Maire Garvey for R. Montgomery; Chloe O’Brien for Jessica Doohan.
Cooraclare: AnneMarie Callinan; Chloe Lillis, Laura Quinlivan, Saskia Morrissey; Sinead Lillis, Zoe Downes, Katie Lillis; Shauna O Gorman, Roisin Looney; Anna Mae Killeen, Nicola Keating, Megan Downes;Aimee Mc Namara, Katie Cronin, Aoibhe Hehir;
Sub: Orlaith Lillis for L. Quinlivan(inj)