*Alannah Ryan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

CLARE’S wait to get their first win of this year’s Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship continues after they suffered a one point defeat to Wexford on Saturday afternoon.

Wexford 1-09
Clare 0-11
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge

With this being the sixth weekend on the trot for Clare’s senior side, the toll of the games is beginning to show, the fact certainly not helped by the huge cross-over with the Junior panel which is certainly limiting the amount of players available to be introduced off the bench.

Wexford playing for the third weekend in succession, showed the greater composure to put themselves back in the mix having needed a win to keep their aspirations of making the knockout stages alive.

A very bright start in which Clare went 0-04 0-01 inside the first quarter was made count for nothing. The concession of a goal, netted by Joanne Dillon would put Wexford on level terms at the sounding of the half-time whistle.

Kevin Tattan’s Wexford scored four points without reply in a seven minute period on the resumption to put themselves in the driving seat, Clare attempted to get themselves back into proceedings and were back to within a point with the tie entering the climax.

This year’s beaten provincial finalists had late chances to win, Clare Hehir who had to leave the field with a blood injury returned and was free in space but was not found, instead Chloe Morey lofted the ball into the danger area and a foul committed by substitute Gretta Hickey allowed the visitors to clear their lines. Prior to this, chief attacking threat Lorna McNamara missed the target.

Referee Liz Dempsey was busy awarding frees at the other end, first an indirect one and directly after a scoreable effort which resulted in Ciara O’Connor registering the winning score of the game, the Model County spurned a subsequent chance to secure a two point victory.

For Wexford, this is their first win of the championship following losses to Cork and Waterford. The result pits Clare at the bottom of the table in Group 1 and at risk of entering into a relegation play-off, their season rests in their own hands, should they win against Dublin and Waterford, John Carmody and Conor Dolan’s charges can make the All-Ireland quarter-finals
Clare:
1: Doireann Murphy (Clarecastle)

2: Ciara Grogan (Clooney/Quin)
3: Clare Hehir (Inagh/Kilnamona)
4: Susan Daly (Scariff/Ogonnelloe)

5: Aoife Keane (Inagh/Kilnamona)
6: Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge)
7: Alannah Ryan (Kilkishen)

8: Niamh O’Dea (Kilmaley)
9: Caoimhe Kelly (Kilkishen)

10: Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley)
11: Eimear Kelly (Truagh/Clonlara)
12: Lynda Daly (Scariff/Ogonnelloe)

13: Orlaith Duggan (Clooney/Quin)
14: Lorna McNamara (Feakle/Killanena)
15: Zi Yan Spillane (Feakle/Killanena)

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Wexford)