All Ireland U16A Championship

by Brid MacNamara

Photo Credit : Caroline O'Keeffe ( Ciara Halpin breaks through the Cork defence ) 

Clare 3-10 Cork 1-9

Clare took the points in their opening game of the All Ireland U16A Championship with a comprehensive win over Cork on Sunday afternoon in Cratloe. Clare raced into an early lead hitting five points on the bounce, Becky Foley with the first in the third minute, with Lorna McNamara and Lynda Daly both striking over a brace each to have the home side ahead by 5 points with eight minutes played. The next passage of play saw the games first goal, having won their own puckout Clare sent play back down the wing where Gretta Hickey gathered and sent a pass to Lorna McNamara who struck to the back of the next. Corks Sally McCarthy opened the visitors tally in the tenth minute when she converted a free, which Lorna McNamara replied in kind at the other end to maintain Clares lead. Fiona Keating had the Rebelettes first score from play in the twenty third minute, following good build up work from Molly Barrett. Again Clare responded in kind with Lynda Daly slotting home while on the run. With four minutes of time remaining in the opening half, a Foley free travelled the distance to the danger area, Lorna McNamara shot was deflected out by Cork goalie Lisa O’Riordan, and the young Cork goalie got to the rebound from Aoibhin Ryan to parry the shot to the other side. Again O’Riordan came up trumps for the visitors when she blocked again from Hickey. Lorna McNamara slotted home from placed ball leaving the final score of the half to the visitors, Keating pointing from play to leave the half time score Clare 1-8 Cork 0-3.

Cork went on the attack from the throw in, and Rachel Daly in the Clare goals had two quick saves in succession, having deflected Sheehans original shot, she got the block in on Keating to deny the visitors. Clare moved play to the other end, and with ball going out over the line, were awarded a ’45. With the shot dropping into the square, Cork again tipped the ball out over the line, and this time Foley slotted the ’45 between the posts. Cork hit their purple patch over the next five minutes as they ran at the Clare outfit, hitting the next three points, Cremin with a free, followed by points from Sarah Sheehan and a McCarthy free. Lorna Mcnamara sent over her fifth point of the day when she converted from placed ball. Clare sub Aoife Corey introduced five minutes into the second half and having been moved inside to the full forward position, grabbed Clares second goal, when Lorna McNamara passed having gathered a Foley free. McCarthy responded for the vsistors with a converted free and this was followed up by a Cliona Dooley point. However Clare were not letting up and referee John McDonagh awarded the home side a penalty when Corey was brought down in the square. Caoimhe Kelly struck low to the back of the Cork net to effectively put this tie beyond the reach of the Munster U16A Champions. A free in the fifty fifth minute for Cork gave the visitors a boost and the young Rebelettes fought hard in the closing minutes, and were rewarded with a green flag with two minutes remaining when Keating struck for goal.  With the final whistle coming just two minutes later, Clare were comfortably ahead and took the win Clare 3-10 Cork 1-9.

Clare: Rachel Daly Scariff Ogonnelloe; Ciara Hehir Inagh Kilnamona, Roisin Minogue Bodyke, Susan Daly Scariff Ogonnelloe; Ella McNamara Capt Killanena, Caoimhe Kelly Kilkishen (1-0 pen), Sinead Ryan Truagh Clonlara; Ciara Halpin Clooney Quin, Becky Foley Truagh Clonlara 0-2; Finia O’Brien Sixmilebridge, Lynda Daly Scariff Ogonnelloe 0-3, Aoibhin Ryan Inagh Kilnamona; Lorna McNamara 1-5, Gretta Hickey Whitegate, Siobhan Lenihan Kilkishen

Subs: Aisling Hannon St Josephs for Hickey, Aoife Corey Ruan 1-0 for A Ryan, Siofra Ní Chonaill St Josephs for S Ryan, Emer Cotter Inagh Kilnamona for L McNamara

Cork: Lisa O’Riordan Glen Rovers; Ciara Murphy Carrigaline, Miriam Cotter Aghabullogue, Ciara Ring Inniscarra; Cliona O’Leary Ballygarvan, Laura Doyle Charleville, Ali Smith Aghada; Isobel Sheehan Eire Og, Sarah Sheehan Milford 0-1; Orla Cremin Blarney 0-1, Molly Barrett Carrigaline, Saly McCarthy Kildorrey 0-3; Emma Murphy Glen Rovers 0-1, Fiona Keating 1-2, Clodagh Finn Fr O’Neills

Subs: Cliona Dooley Ballinora 0-1 for Finn, Casey Coleman Na Piarsaigh for Cremin, Aine Keating Kildorrey for McCarthy, Hannah Sexton Kilbritten for Sheehan

Referee: John McDonagh, Galway

Player of the Game: Susan Daly, Clare