*Niamh O’Dea in action with Megan Downes Rigney in last year’s county final. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
THIRTY two teams spring into gear as the Clare ladies football championships kick off this weekend.
In what is a record amount, it is the first time that a total of thirty two teams will be fielding teams across grades from Senior to Junior B.
100 years it all began in Clonreddan in Cooraclare when the first ladies football game in the county took place.
Sunday sees the start of the 2026 senior championship.
Kilmihil will put their title on the line and will look to build towards winning back to back championships for the first time. Timmy Ryan’s charges are full of experience with the Considine sisters, Eimear and Ailish central to their attack, Ellie O’Gorman, Laura Egan, Becky Mahon and Carol O’Leary will also be lynchpins of their side but they start out with Dervla Higgins this weekend due to her involvement with the Galway senior camogie side.
Éire Óg may be cursing their luck to be drawn in Group 1 alongside the reigning champions, their predecessors and the 2024 finalists. With that brings little expectation and Brian Fitzpatrick’s side will need to embrace the underdogs tag and maintain a strong resilience as they bid to cause an upset. It’s a second season in the top flight for the Townies for whom Orla Devitt and Roisin Martin will be leading the cause.
After winning their maiden title in 2024, Kilmurry Ibrickane will be determined to be back having a big say in determining where silverware is headed this season. Cooraclare’s David O’Brien is managing the Bricks this season for whom Chloe Moloney, Amy Sexton and Joanna Doohan bring plenty of ability to bolster their chances, they’ll be looking to lay down a marker in a repeat of the 2024 final against Doora/Barefield this Sunday.
Consistency is needed from Doora/Barefield if they are to be back in the mix for honours. League champions in 2024 and county finalists in the same season, the Parish failed to kick on last season and thus far in 2026 have struggled to put back to back displays together in the league. They will be expected to be in the knockout stages nonetheless as they remain without Aussie Rules duo Aisling Reidy and Siofra Ní Chonaill.
Fourteen-time champions Banner Ladies have been out of the winners enclosure since 2023. They have rallied the troops in a bid to recover from last year’s county final loss with Grainne Nolan and Naomi Carroll returning to bring additional firepower to their attack. The focus for JJ O’Dea’s side will be getting out of the group and come the knockout stages they will begin to show their true hand.
Undoubtedly a coming force, Fergus Rovers have been making their mark at underage but are now keen to try replicate this at senior level. Barry Keating’s side reached the penultimate stage but bowed out to the champions Kilmihil so they’ll be eager to at the very least be back in the semi-finals. Hamstring injuries have Louise Griffin and Abby Doyle as doubtful for round one.
Emigration has weakened the challenge of Burren Gaels but it hasn’t diluted their ambition. Ex Clare senior Lizzy Roche who has led their attack over recent seasons is based in Australia, Sally King and Alva McGann are both down under which does hinder their ability to make serious inroads. Managed by ex Clare U21 joint manager, Neil Hawes, they will be well organised and may yet cause an upset.
A first season in senior is the reward for Liscannor who produced tremendous fight to claim intermediate spoils at the expense of West Clare Gaels last season. The Considine sisters will be key figures as they aim to consolidate their status in the top tier. Little will be expected of Liscannor which creates the perfect mix to try defy the odds.
Group 1
Kilmihil
Management: Timmy Ryan (manager), Eamon Donnelly (selector), Conor Crowley (selector), Veronica Finucane (liaison officer)
Captain: Rosie Currane
Key Player: Becky Mahon
One to watch: Elke Downes
Fresh blood: N/A
Departures Gate: N/A.
Treatment table: Dervla Higgins (lining out with Galway in All-Ireland camogie final)
Titles won: Two (2019 & 2025)
Last season’s run: Won the county championship defeating Banner Ladies 1-15 1-8 in the final.
Schedule of games:
Round 1 vs Éire Óg on Sunday August 9th at 11:00 in St Michael’s Park, Kilmihil
Round 2 vs Doora/Barefield on Sunday August 16th in Gurteen
Round 3 vs Kilmurry Ibrickane on Sunday August 23rd in Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
Championship power ranking: 9
“We expect that teams will be targeting us and bring big performances against us because we are the champions so it is up to us to match that level of performances”.
“The league was good to us, we got to play all our players and they get a lot of game time. We were missing players too but we were stronger than most teams in it, we didn’t really get competitive games but the value in the league was getting game time for a lot of our players. The league was on very early in the year, it was wrapped up by the end of April so that is a long way from championship”.
“We’ve had great numbers all year regardless of if players were involved with Clare or not, we’ve had girls on county panels down through the years and they have always been great to show up and train with Kilmihil then so it hasn’t been much of a difference. We’ve had a lot of challenge games to get used to the new rules, we haven’t had any competitive games with the new rules whereas the county players would have had that experience”.
“It really jumps out how strong the group is, the standard of Clare ladies football is very strong. The only game we didn’t win last year was versus Doora/Barefield and we had a hard-earned draw with them and Kilmurry Ibrickane are the champions of two years ago. Our goal is to win the group and get straight to the semi-finals, our first game against Éire Óg is a must-win, we must win and get over the line because we have tough games away to Doora/Barefield and Kilmurry Ibrickane in our tough group from there”.
Timmy Ryan (manager)
Éire Óg
Management: Brian Fitzpatrick (manager), Ultan Shiels (coach), Billy Woods (selector), Auriol Considine (FLO)
Joint captains: Roisin Martin and Orla Devitt
Key Player: Orla Devitt
One to watch: Faye O’Malley
Fresh blood: Charlie Duggan, Faye O’Malley, Aoibhin Hahessy,
Departures Gate: N/A
Treatment table: Sabhb Vaughey (ACL)
Titles won: 0
Last season’s run: Consolidated senior status defeating St Joseph’s Miltown 9-14 2-6 in the relegation final
Schedule of games:
Round 1 vs Kilmihil on Sunday August 9th at 11:00 in St Michael’s Park, Kilmihil
Round 2 vs Kilmurry Ibrickane on Sunday August 16th in Ennis
Round 3 vs Doora/Barefield on Sunday August 23rd in Ennis
Championship power ranking: 4
“We’re looking at each game as it comes, there is a big step up from intermediate to senior and last year was tough enough for us but we got through the relegation final and we won it. We will be taking each game at a time and look to improve in every game”.
“We are in a tough group but at senior level it will always be a tough group. We’re lucky to have got two home games which is one good thing. We’re getting ready for the Kilmihil game and we’ll see where we are after that, we’ve to try get used to the new rules too which is another thing”.
“We can embrace the underdogs tog, we’re looking forward to getting out there and to try get some attacking football going and do our best to get scores”.
“Last year was the first time we were ever in senior for ladies football and it is the first time we have a lot of underage teams coming through the ranks, we’ve a lot of good players coming through whereas before if we got one or two over three years we’d have been lucky. Ladies football in general is going really well in Éire Óg so we want to try keep that going at senior level and put in a few good performances”.
Brian Fitzpatrick (manager)
Kilmurry Ibrickane
Management: David O’Brien (manager), Gary Sexton (coach), Teresa Morrissey (selector), Alisha Talty (selector)
Captain: Amy Sexton
Key Player: Chloe Moloney
One to watch: Kayla Darcy
Fresh blood: Michaela Sexton, Amy Martin, Leah Darcy, Sarah Keavey
Departures Gate: N/A
Treatment table: Siofra O’Dea (ankle).
Titles won:1 (2024)
Last season’s run: Won Senior B final beating Fergus Rovers 6-9 5-11. Eliminated in the semi-finals by Banner Ladies 1-13 0-10.
Schedule of games:
Round 1 vs Doora/Barefield on Sunday August 9th at 12:00 in Páirc Naomh Mhuire Quilty
Round 2 vs Éire Óg on Sunday August 16th in Ennis
Round 3 vs Kilmihil on Sunday August 23rd in Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
Championship power ranking: 8
“I was involved with Clare for the National League and my plan was to take a complete break once I left but I got talking to Martina Moloney and I said I’d give it a go with Kilmurry Ibrickane, that’s as organic as it was, there was a couple of calls, I said I’d give it a chance, that was in the middle of March and I’m here since”.
“Being involved with Clare teams does help, a good cohort of that minor team (2022 All-Ireland Minor C champions) are still playing away, you’d plenty of them from the club and county scene or at least you think you do”.
“There is a hunger there in Kilmurry Ibrickane and a fierce passion, that is in them always, they have great passion and hunger, they are a very passionate club, you can see it with the men’s team and they are very well supported”.
“We do have a tough start against Doora/Barefield, it is in Quilty which is the good thing about it. It will be a tough one, Doora/Barefield are like ourselves, they have good numbers, they have been building up the last couple of years and they have a good spread in age profile”.
“Everyone knows in a group of four it is critical to win the first game, every team is going to try to win the first game”.
David O’Brien (manager)
Doora/Barefield
Management: Mark Reidy (manager), Eugene Moynihan (selector), Seán Rouine (coach), Fiona Tuohy (FLO)
Captain: Hannah Doyle
Vice Captains: Shauna Moloney & Aoibhinn O’Loughlin
Key Player: Eabha O’Driscoll
One to watch:
Fresh blood: Amy Reynolds, Sophie Leahy, Sarah Barry, Matilda Barry
Departures Gate: Amy Lenihan (travelling).
Treatment table: N/A
Titles won: 0
Last season’s run: Knocked out in the quarter-finals by Fergus Rovers 0-13 2-6.
Schedule of games:
Round 1 vs Kilmurry Ibrickane on Sunday August 9th at 12:00 in Páirc Naomh Mhuire Quilty
Round 2 vs Kilmihil on Sunday August 16th in Gurteen
Round 3 vs Éire Óg on Sunday August 23rd in Ennis
Championship power ranking: 7
“The league was a mixed bag for us, we had aspirations to do better. For the championship, we’re in a very tough group, within that you have the last two county champions so we know we’ve a very tough task in front of us, we’d still be hoping at the very minimum to get into the play-offs”.
“When I spoke to you two years ago I had the same idea that there is a great bunch of players in Doora/Barefield. They are very committed to the team, we’ve fifty sessions done so far, it hasn’t been full numbers always but there has been a great commitment from the girls, they are a great bunch but even with the commitment given we have to take it one game at a time”.
“There’s no point in trying to avoid the best teams and hoping somebody else will beat the previous champions, if you’re good enough you will have to beat them”.
Mark Reidy (manager)
Group 2
Banner Ladies
Management: JJ O’Dea (manager), Orla Kilkenny (coach), Dorothy Meenaghan (selector)
Captain: Aoife Keane
Key Player: Niamh O’Dea
One to watch: Eimear Kelly
Fresh blood: Grainne Nolan, Eimear Kelly, Tara Moroney,
Departures Gate: N/A
Treatment table: Louise Woods (back), Caoimhe Cahill (collarbone), Grainne Burke (ACL)
Titles won: 14 (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Last season’s run: Beaten in the county final by Kilmihil
Schedule of games:
Round 1 vs Fergus Rovers on Sunday August 9th at 14:00 in Ennis
Round 2 vs Liscannor on Sunday August 16th in Liscannor
Round 3 vs Burren Gaels on Sunday August 23rd in Glenn Cíosóg, Carron
Championship power ranking: 8
“We knew the day was coming where the pack would catch up with us, we were ahead for a long time but our team has moved on and now we’re blending youth. We’ll always be there or thereabouts, we’re a bit like Kilrush or Doonbeg in the men’s now. We provide football for clubs and do our best to compete at the highest level”.
“Other teams have bridged the gap, the pitch has levelled out, we were doing things when others weren’t, we were pushing up on opposition kickouts and had fast movement. Cian (O’Dea) was our coach and he was a dinger, we rose to another standard when he was coaching us, when he was with the Clare footballers he brought that level to us. Orla Kilkenny came down then, she’s teaching in Kilrush and is a former camogie player with Galway, she brought another voice and we’ll continue to be there or thereabouts. We’ll go out and play football, we enjoy it and we love it, that is what it’s about”.
“The aim for any team is to get out of the group but the first round is the game to nail and to try get a good start, you start as you tend to go on, we’ll be down a few, the first round is coming a bit early with injuries and everything”.
“We’re a club of camogie players technically, we’re like the nomads, we’ve no fish to bode”.
JJ O’Dea (manager)
Fergus Rovers
Management: Barry Keating (manager), Jim Marrinan (selector), Paddy Griffin (selector), Patricia Meaney (selector), Joan Leahy (selector)
Captain: Shauna Melican
Key Player: Louise Griffin
One to watch: Aoibhin Keane
Fresh blood: Aoibhin Keane, Zoey Warren, Chloe Donnelly.
Departures Gate: Alanna Hanrahan (emigrated)
Treatment table: Abby Doyle (hamstring), Louise Griffin (hamstring)
Titles won: 9 (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000)
Last season’s run: Exited in semi-finals, losing 1-9 to 0-5 to eventual winners Kilmihil. Lost out in Senior B final to Kilmurry Ibrickane
Schedule of games:
Round 1 vs Banner Ladies on Sunday August 9th at 14:00 in Ennis
Round 2 vs Burren Gaels on Sunday August 16th in Páirc na Muintire, Lissycasey
Round 3 vs Liscannor on Sunday August 23rd in Páirc na Muinitre, Lissycasey
Championship power ranking: 7
“The objective like anyone else is progression, we made the semi-finals last year so we’re hoping to go one step further, like every team you don’t know where you are yet because the league was so far away and we were playing without our county players. Over the last few weeks we’ve had girls away and on holidays so we’re not sure of our full deck but we’re confident of going one step further”.
“We think we’re closing the gap with the perceived powerhouses but you don’t really know how close until the first round when we’re coming up against a seasoned team like the Banner, that will set the bar to see how far we’ve progressed, they have given us a lesson over the last two years so we’ll see how far we’ve improved”.
“There’s no doubt about the Banner’s experience but we have a couple of girls who have been there a while, our team is augmented with a lot of youth and we’re trying to mirror that at adult level, the young girls don’t see fear and they wouldn’t be star struck over playing the Banner, Kilmihil or Kilmurry Ibrickane. Fingers crossed we’ll give a good account of ourselves”.
Barry Keating (manager)
Burren Gaels
Management: Neil Hawes (manager), Seanie Healy (selector), Mairead Healy (FLO)
Captain: Shannon McCormack
Key Player: Teresa Collins
One to watch: Mairead O’Shea
Fresh blood: Mairead O’Shea, Aisling Nagle, Sarah Hawes, Grace Whelan, Annie Hynes
Departures Gate: Lizzie Roche, Sally King, Alva McGann all in Australia
Treatment table: Norah O’Dwyer (muscular),
Titles won: 0
Last season’s run: Eliminated in the quarter-finals by Banner Ladies 4-5 1-13
Schedule of games:
Round 1 vs Liscannor on Sunday August 9th at 14:00 in Glenn Cíosóg, Carron
Round 2 vs Fergus Rovers on Sunday August 16th in Páirc na Muintire, Lissycasey
Round 3 vs Banner Ladies on Sunday August 23rd in Glenn Cíosóg, Carron
Championship power ranking: 6
“At this stage all we’re looking at is the first game, like everyone else. We know the importance of getting a good start so it is all about round one. It’s been a long summer waiting for the championship to start, while you’d be playing challenge games, everyone is keen to get started and we’re looking for a big performance, the girls have trained very well”.
“We’re starting off with a North Clare derby. Liscannor were very impressive last year, winning the intermediate, it will be a fifty fifty game even though we’re at home, it will be a tough challenge, I hope it will be a great advertisement for North Clare football, we’re looking forward to a really good game, we’ll need a bit of luck”.
“Every day you go out you learn something, the key is to take it one step at a time, that is what we have focused on, we haven’t spoken too much on last year, it is a new year and we’re getting everyone working together”.
Neil Hawes (manager)
Liscannor
Management: Tony Roche (manager), Gearoid Curtin (coach), Alan Flaherty (selector), Lourda Healy (FLO), Laura Foley (physio)
Captain: Roisin Considine
Key Player: Roisin Considine
One to watch: Ella Healy
Fresh blood: Aisling Nagle,
Departures Gate: Áine Marrinan (J1)
Treatment table: Eimear Considine (knee)
Titles won: 0
Last season’s run: Promoted from intermediate, beat West Clare Gaels 0-10 2-2 in the final.
Schedule of games:
Round 1 vs Burren Gaels on Sunday August 9th at 14:00 in Glenn Cíosóg, Carron
Round 2 vs Banner Ladies on Sunday August 16th in Liscannor
Round 3 vs Fergus Rovers on Sunday August 23rd in Páirc na Muintire, Lissycasey
Championship power ranking: 4
“It’s going to be a huge step-up for us but that is what we’ve been looking for, we want to be at the top table and our task is to try stay at it”.
“It was a huge lift to win the intermediate championship last year in the middle of the summer with the deaths we had in North Clare in tragic circumstances. We are hopeful we can build on that run for this year”.
“We want to stay in the fight, our target setting out is always to try reach the final but we have to be realistic and say staying in the senior championship is going to be our biggest goal”.
“It’s a North Clare derby to start for us, I wonder who did the fixtures, I’d liked to have been in the room when that was done because we’re kicking off with a mouth-watering tie, they have had some battles down through the years and this will be no different”.
“The new rules are a different factor for the club championship this year, we got no chance to try them out in the league. There is an added incentive this year to perform to your best”.
Tony Roche (manager)
