Munster Quarter-Final Win For Clare Minor Camogie

Munster Minor A Camogie Championship – Wednesday, 3rd July 2019

Clare 3-13 Waterford 2-15 (Fr. McNamara Park)

Clare qualified for the Munster Minor A Championship semi final with a point to spare over Waterford after a frantic finish to the game. The Déise outfit who are the reigning Munster Minor A Champions, had a tally of nine points on the board up to mid way through the second half, and added 2-6 in the closing ten minutes.

CONTINUE READING BELOW

The visitors could have sent the game to extra time with the their last puck as Annie Fitzgerald sent her free to the square which the Clare backs defended expertly and cleared from danger as Cathal Egan sounded the final whistle much to the relief of a strong Clare support.
Clare were on the attack from the throw in, moving the ball to the corner from where Finia O’Brien gathered only to be dispossessed as she bore down on the Waterford goal area. The visitors moved play to the other end with Annie Fitzgerald opening the scoring with a point from play. Clare had the next scoring opportunity only for the ball to be carried wide.

Again the visitors moved to the other end with a likewise return. Trisha Coote sent her puckout long down the wing where Robyn Conway gathered and sent a pass to Ailise Roche, with the Sixmilebridge player striking to the net. Keeley Corbett Barry won the puckout and following a short run struck long over the bar.

The Deise girls had possession from the restart and Annie Fitzgeralds shot had the distance but for Coote to go high and deflect out for a ’45, with Aoife Fitzgerald converting to level the sides. The nimble Lorna McNamara added a brace of points for the home side, through a free and from play.

An Aoibhinn Ryan sideline cut was crossed to Conway who gathered and sent back to Roche who again struck for goal when she batted the ball to the back of the net. Annie Fitzgerald pulled a point back for the visitors which Caoimhe Kelly matched at the otherv end to leave Clare ahead by five points at the break, Clare 2-5 Waterford 0-6.

Clare attacked play from the restart in a blistering fashion, adding 1-4 in the opening three minutes, the third green flag coming from Robyn Conway after Amy Russell won the puckout and laid off a pass to Conway on the wing who ran right through and struck to the back of the Deise net.

Half time sub Mairead O’Brien got Waterford’s first score of the second half but Clare were still in attacking mode and points from Lorna McNamara and Sarah Coote gave Clare a thirteen point advantage with ten minutes played. The sides exchanged points through Aoife Fitzgerald and Greta Hickey, with to maintain the difference of thirteen points.

Mairead O’Brien went on the run in search of a green flag only for Coote to get in a superb block with O’Brien gathering the rebound and sending the ball over the bar. With ten minutes remaining Waterford sprung to life, Aoife Fitzgerald pointing from play.

The two Fitzgeralds doubled up to grab Waterfords first green flag, Annie with the run in and strike which Coote blocked with Aoife sending the rebound to the back of the net. From the puckout, Waterford came straight back at Clare with Annie Fitzgerald pointing.

Again the visitors won the puckout, running through the Clare defence with Sarah Lacey finishing to the net to reduce the deficit to four points. A brace of points from Annie Fitzgerald and Lacey had the deficit back to two points with just a minute of normal time remaining.

With Clare winning their own puckout, Great Hickey ran through and struck high to extend Clares lead back to three. Waterford laid siege on the Clare danger area as the game entered injury time, with Lacey pointing to narrow the difference to two points.

From the puckout Waterford won possession and Annie Fitzgeralds strike split the posts to leave just a point between the sides.

From the puckout Waterford went on the attack, winning a free, Annie Quinn took the option to send her shot into the square but an alert Clare defence were quick to react and bat the ball out the wing away from danger, as Cathal Egan sounded the final whistle, leaving Clare winners by a point, Clare 3-13 Waterford 2-15.

Clare: Trisha Coote (Inagh/Kilnamona); Hannah Shannon (Inagh/Kilnamona), Michelle Mescall (Inagh/Kilnamona), Zi Yan Spillane (Killanena); Amy Russell (Eire Og), Sinead McGee (Clooney/Quin), Sarah Ni Cheallaigh (Kilmaley); Aoibhinn Ryan (Inagh/Kilnamona), Caoimhe Kelly (Kilkishen); Greta Hickey (Whitegate), Chloe Neylon (Kilmaley), Lorna McNamara (Killanena); Finia O’Brien (Sixmilebridge), Ailise Roche (Sixmilebridge), Robyn Conway (Feakle).

Subs: Sarah Coote (Inagh/Kilnamona) for O’Brien, Sinead Ryan (Truagh/Clonlara) for Shannon.

Referee: Cathal Egan (Cork)