Clara 3-5
St Annes/Emeralds 1-8
Clara are back in the Intermediate County Final hoping for third time lucky after defeating a very determined and dogged St Annes/Emeralds side in sun drenched MW Hire Training Centre, Dunmore last Sunday
St Annes/Emeralds started the brighter, with points from Caitriona Brennan and Mikeala Ryan in the 3rd & 5th minute. Clara got off the mark in the 8th minute through a Mary O’Connell free
In the 11th minute, St Annes/Emeralds player Davina Tobin reacted quickest to the sliotar rebounding off the post to slot it over the bar
Niamh Byrne tagged one back for Clara with a fine point. Over the next 10 minutes, the match ebbed and flowed with both defences staying strong
Emma Dunphy scored a lovely point for St Annes/Emeralds in the 23rd minute
A minute later, Clara took the lead, when Aisling Curtis drove a free from defence towards her sister Siobhan, who caught the sliotar, turned her marker and soloed towards goal, with the goalie coming off her line, Siobhan hand passed into the net, to put Clara 1-2 to 0-4 ahead
This lead was short lived though, as the experienced Davina Tobin slipped in behind the Clara defence and slotted the sliotar passed the goalie
This left the half time score Clara 1-2 St Annes/Emeralds 1-4
On the resumption, Clara burst out of the blocks, scoring 2-1 to turn the game on its head
The goals coming from half time substitute Margaret O’Connell and the impressive Keara Ryan. The latter also found the target with the point
Caitriona Brennan stopped the rot momentarily in the 39th minute, scoring a point to leave the score Clara 3-3 St Annes/Emeralds 1-5
In the 44th & 47th minutes Aisling Nolan and Keara Ryan extended Clara’s lead to six points. These were Clara’s last scores of the match
St Annes/Emeralds scored the last three points through Mikeala Ryan (2 frees) and Orla Hughes
During the last six minutes, Clara’s defence were resolute against a determined St Annes/Emeralds side who were trying desperately to save the game, but the Referee blew the full time whistle and Clara were on their way to the County Final
Clara – Keara Ryan 1-2, Margaret O’Connell, Siobhan Curtis 1-0 each, Mary O’Connell 0-1 (1f), Aisling Nolan, Niamh Byrne 0-1 each
St Annes/Emeralds – Davina Tobin 1-1, Mikeala Ryan 0-3 (1f, 1 45), Caitriona Brennan 0-2, Emma Dunphy, Orla Hughes 0-1 each
Clara – Lisa Kehoe, Margaret Kehoe, Aine McDonald, Lucy Cody, Tamsin English, Aisling Curtis (Capt), Claire Nolan, Rebecca Nolan, Aisling Nolan, Mary O’Connell, Niamh Byrne, Lucy Power, Keara Ryan, Siobhan Curtis, Grainne Glynn
Subs – Margaret O’Connell for Lucy Power (ht), Katie Ryan, Roisin Kealy, Grainne Byrne, Niamh Treacy, Aoife Treacy, Ciara Treacy, Blaithin Breen, Orla Farrell, Aoife Glynn, Leah Phelan, Siobhan Treacy, Anna Walpole
St Annes/Emeralds – Siobhan Corcoran, Shona Power, Mollie Kavanagh, Jessie Newman, Chloe Purcell, Niamh Sweeney, Orla Curran (Capt), Eimear Leahy, Caitriona Brennan, Emma Dunphy, Davina Tobin, Orla Hughes, Emily Kavanagh, Niamh Leahy, Mikeala Ryan
Subs – Roisin Ahern, Shonagh Ahern, Kiara Marton, Niamh Glendon, Mary Ellen Phelan, Orla Leahy, Laura Power, Aoibheann Duggan, Aine Duggan, Sarah Dermody, Danielle Martin
By kristinagunn Thu 10th Oct
