All-Ireland Final U14 C Championship 2012

June 30th 2012 Kilkerrin Clonberne. Referee Paul Fahy (Roscommon).

Clare 3-10     1-05 Sligo

All-Ireland Semi-Final U14 C Championship

June 9th 2012 Birr. Referee Michael Duffy (Tipperary).

Clare 6-6 Wicklow 4-3

U14 C Munster Final

May 5th Feenagh. Referee Ian O'Brien (Cork).

Clare 2-09 Limerick 2-03

Munster U14B Championship Round 3

April 7th Coolmeen. Referee Daniel Moloney (Tipperary).

Clare 2-06 Waterford 4-13

Munster U14B Championship Round 2

March 24th Quilty. Referee Gene Buckley (Cork)

Clare 2-14 Limerick 3-3

Munster U14B Championship Round 1

March 10th Lattin. Referee Gene Buckley (Cork).

Clare 2-06 Limerick 2-11

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U14C Championship All-Ireland Final 

Clare 3-10         Sligo 1-5

Clare’s ladies footballers have brought home their second U14 All-Ireland title since 2009 by securing a convincing win over Sligo at Kilkerrin- Clonbern GAA Grounds in Co Galway last Saturday. The panel who have been on the go since last September is notable by the fact that there is a strong contingent of U13s who have contributed in both the championship and the All-Ireland U14 blitz during the year. Once Clare shrugged off a second quarter Sligo resurgence they were to control the game for the duration.

The Saffron and Blue got off to a dream start when thanks to midfield domination in the first ten minutes by co-captain Katie Considine and Jennifer Markham, they had three points on the board inside the fifth minute courtesy of Cliodhna Blake (2) and Alex Potter. A strong Sligo centre field that included Katie McDermott, Caron Griffin, Ciara Redmond and Leah Gannon put some lovely passages of play together and eventually levelled with a fine goal after ten minutes. Clare’s Considine led the next attack with a point of her own from midfield and started another great passage of play that saw player of the match Cliodhna Blake rocket in a goal for her third score in fifteen minutes. Co-captain Chloe Moloney reinforced a determined Clare attack with a goal of her own at the start of the third quarter and working well with co-captain Considine and Caoimhe Harvey pointed again to open a nine point gap at the start of the second quarter 2-6 to 1-0. Inevitably, Sligo were to respond to the Clare barrage and did so by mounting a four point offensive that had Clare reeling for a five minute spell as Griffin, Redmond and captain Hannah Walsh controlled the middle ground. A strong Sligo forward section which included Caitriona Cawley, Megan McCormack, Leah Gannon, Aimee Cawley Fox, Katie Gallagher and Denise Reagan kicked into action. The Banner County’s Aine Murphy, Brid Foran, Ronya Bauman, Rebecca Doohan and Teresa O’Keeffe were under severe pressure from possibly the best opposition they have met this year and despite an immense work rate in the first half had no answer during this turbulent spell. Some character defining performances from the aforementioned eventually broke the siege but it was Melican’s move to midfield that injected the forward momentum that saw the ball go through Considine and Harvey to sharpshooter Aisling Meaney. Meaney’s important top drawer goal before the break restored an eight point cushion and delivered the killer punch from which Sligo would not recover. Aoibhe King was also very industrious having a goal shot blocked down by the Sligo goalie Emma Healey and a goal disallowed for a perceived high boot. When Paul Fahy (Roscommon) called for the ball it was Clare 3-6 to Sligo’s 1-4 at half time.

An assured Clare team returned to the field with a great sense of urgency to kill off the game and this they duly did. Caoimhe Harvey’s long range shot was deflected over the bar in the first minute by Sligo’s custodian Healy. Some sterling work in midfield by Melican and Considine and backed up by half backs Rebecca Doohan, Brid Foran and Jennifer Markham, saw Clare pen in Sligo behind their own 45 yard line for a fifteen minute spell. Chloe Moloney dominated the proceedings in this period and added three strong points (1f) to the Clare cause forcing a twelve point gap between the finalists. Second half substitutions, Ciara Grogan in defence and forwards Chlodagh Larkin, Sharon Egan and Aishling Rouine brought fresh legs to the fight and continued forward pressure kept Sligo out of the Clare danger zone with several narrow misses by Rouine and Egan. A defiant Sligo pointed in the last score of the game just before Paul Fahy called proceedings to a halt with Clare taking the inaugural U14C cup for Clare and Munster on a score-line of 3-10 to 1-5     

Despite leaking scores in the first twenty minutes, Clare’s attitude to attacking football imposed thirteen scores to Sligo’s six. Ciara Coughlan in the Clare goals had a relatively quiet days’ outing but Coughlan and the Clare defence has been instrumental in safeguarding the Banner County throughout the campaign. An initially shy forward section has been improving continually but all forwards have delivered in the lead-up games to the All-Ireland Final. Co-captains Chloe Moloney and Katie Considine lifted the cup for Clare and Cliodhna Blake received her second Player of The Game Award this year, including the Munster Final.

Clare Panel : Aine Murphy, Brid Foran, Shauna Melican,  Caoimhe Harvey,  Patricia Foran (West Clare Gaels);  Ronya Baumann (Shannon Gaels); Katie Considine (Co-Capt), Aislinn Rouine (Liscannor); Chlodagh Larkin (Kilrush), Rebecca Doohan, Chloe Moloney (Co-Capt), Aoibhe King, AineCunningham (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Ciara Coughlan, Sharon Egan, Catriona O'Gorman         (Kilmihil), Aine McSweeney (Fergus Rovers), Aislinn Meaney, Alex          Potter, Mia Hanrahan (Doora/Barefield), Cliona Blake (Doonbeg), Alice O'Donnell, Ciara Grogan (Clooney/Quin), Teresa O'Keeffe, Jennifer Markham, Nicole Talty, Andrea O'Keeffe, Sinead Power (Banner Ladies).

Management Alan Copley, Johnny Hayes, Steve McMinn), Patsy Grogan.

Sligo Panel: Emma Healy, Aimee Oates, Lisa Mc Loughlin, Emily Mc Cormack, Denise Regan, Michelle Mc Namara (Drumcliff/Rosses Pt), Matea Leahy, CaronGriffin (Calry), Katie Mc Dermott, Shona Gorman (St Michael’s), Hannah Walsh, Laoise Mc Donagh, Belinda Mitchell, Mary Anne o Kennedy (St Nathy’s), GrainneEgan (St Mary’s), Caitriona Cawley, Leah Kelly (St Farnan’s), Leah Gannon (TC Gaels), Lauren Gallagher, Katie Gallagher, Megan mc Cormack (Eastern Harps), Aimee Cawley Fox (Eoghan Rua), Derbhla Jones, Sinead Mooney, Maeve Normanley (Tourlestrane), Ciara Redmond (Collera/Strandhill)

Management Edel Healy, Annette Kearns, Cammie Kennedy

          All-Ireland Semi-Final U14C Championship

Clare 6-6 Wicklow 4-3

Clare’s ladies footballers have qualified for the Under 14 C All-Ireland Final by defeating the Leinster champions Wicklow in Birr last Saturday. Strong opening and closing performances from the Clare girls clinched the victory and now they have a June 30th appointment with Sligo for the ultimate prize.

A tenacious Banner county performance in the opening ten minutes started with Aoibhe King netting to open the account. King who has been steadily recovering from an injury which kept her out of the earlier stages, made up for lost time when she netted again soon after, assisted by a hungry Clare attack which included Caoimhe Harvey, Cliona Blake, Aisling Meaney, Alex Potter and Chloe Moloney. Early points from Blake and Moloney seemed put Clare in control after ten minutes but a couple of unlucky bounces let Wicklow into the game and with twenty minutes gone they had clocked up 4-2, an amazing turn-a-round. Ciara Coughlan palmed over a certain rocket to the top of the net from Wicklows Niamh O’Brien. It’s a great characteristic of this novice team that they have performed  well under pressure and some strong cover by Jennifer Markham and co-captain Katie Considine in the centre kept the Saffron & Blue on the move. Points from co-captain Chloe Moloney and Caoimhe Harvey kept the deficit during this turbulent period to four points.  The last ten minutes of the first half saw a massive improvement from the defenders with Brid Foran, Rebecca Doohan and Shauna Melican (who would go on to dominate the centre field) putting up a fierce struggle to deny the Garden County time and again. It was Moloney’s goal that renewed the Clare offensive and the dogged Alex Potter was to follow suit minutes later. When Michael Duffy from Tipperary blew for the break, Clare had weathered some fierce opposition and with five attackers on the board were coming to terms with the game.  4-4 to 4-2 for Clare.

It took both sides the best part of twenty minutes in the second half to breach each other’s defences despite a lot of end to end football. Shauna Melican was outstanding as she bridged half back and half forwards repeatedly. Clare custodian Ciara Coughlan was under severe pressure and was called upon several times to pull off some very brave saves to deny the girls from the east. Wicklow did have several scoring chances from frees but their efforts were fruitless. Ronya Baumann, Theresa O’Keeffe and Aine Murphy were also operating at full pelt pushing attackers wide of the goals. At the other end co-skipper Considine was leading from the front as she came off the bar and Aislinn Rouine was denied a certain goal after getting into a scoring position. When the west finally came awake it was Cliona Blake who infiltrated the Wicklow defences pointing with assistance from the indefatigable Caoimhe Harvey. A storming second goal from co-captain Chloe Moloney on the twenty second minute was the result of a rejuvenated Clare team who flowed from Coughlan at one end to Alex Potter at the other end. Potter, always a handful for the Wicklow defence had the best game of her campaign, rocketed her second goal of the game in the dying minutes. Wicklow did pull a point back in defiance but Moloney pointed the last score in extra time to close out 6-6 to 4-3. Clare now go through to an All-Ireland Final meeting with Sligo on June 30th. 

This performance was notable by the scoring contributions of Aoibhe King and Alex Potter which gives a fuller look to the Clare attack. Shauna Melican was relentless on the day but regular steady contributions from Considine, Moloney, Markham, Harvey, O’Keeffe, Baumann, Blake, Murphy and Foran all added to the effort. A shakey ten minutes in the Clare defence doesn’t do justice to their massive workrate for the rest of the game but it’s their characteristic no surrender attitude that will be their secret ingredient for the all-Ireland final meeting with Sligo.

Munster U14 C Championship Title

Clare's underage ladies footballers sponsored by Ennis Electrical, brought home their second Munster title of the week by defeating Limerick in the Munster U14 C Championship final in Feenagh, Co. Limerick. The Clare girls pulled away early in the second half finish with a strong team performance to take the game 2-9 to 2-3.

Limerick was first on the board with a point but Caoimhe Harvey wasn't long responding for the Saffron & Blue with a similar score. Limerick were back for a goal soon after but co-captain Katie Considine sprung from midfield to rocket in one of her own. A strong Clare attack led by Aisling Meaney, Harvey, Aoibhe King, Alex Potter, co-captain Chloe Moloney and player of the match Cliona Blake were to live in the Limerick half but were slow to reap the rewards. Limerick were downfield again to split a Clare defence who were to deliver an outstanding performance in the second half.
The resultant goal pushed Limerick into three point lead. Even so goalkeeper Ciara Coughlan was superb under the high ball and in her kickouts to a very industrious Brid Foran, Rebecca Doohan and Shauna Melican who played exciting attacking play from the half back line. The last ten minutes before the break were the Banner County's as Cliona Blake was to register her first impressive point of the game and Chloe Moloney's steady free taking reduced the deficit to the minimum when Ian O'Brien of Cork blew for the ball at 2-1 to 1-3 in favour of the hosts.

The first score of the second half went to Limerick but an inspirational performance from Ronya Baumann at full back brought great displays from colleagues Theresa O'Keeffe and Aine Murphy and that would be Limericks only score till the last minute of the game. The impressive Jennifer Markham in midfield, always involved, released Chloe Moloney for a great point from play and her midfield partner Katie Considine, on great attacking form when it was needed, pushed through a tenacious Limerick defence to point and level. Brid Foran and Shauna Melican in the half back flanks
rose their game to match the attack and when Foran released Aisling Meaney, whose distribution was impeccable all day, she bore down on the Limericks Aoife Barry to net with confidence to go three points clear. This was the injection Clare needed and they laid siege on the Limerick defence of Nash, Dignam, Fitzgerald, Kennedy, Corbett and Barry. Moloney pointed a free and Alex Potter contributed a point also. Aine Cunningham and Sharon Egan came on to freshen up the Clare attack in the last quarter and Egan pointed within minutes. Meaney and Potter drove hard for the
remainder of the game and the Egan / Blake combinations in the last ten minutes yielded two Blake points (and a player of the match award) in a confident closing sequence to the Munster Final. Limerick pointed for the last score of the game which finished 2-9 to 2-3 .

Ronya Bauman and Rebecca Doohan brought their characteristic solid performances in defence but Theresa O'Keeffe also played an excellent game in defence as did Murphy, Foran, Melican and Moloney for the closing stages. Caoimhe Harvey has been outstanding throughout the campaign while Sharon Egan and Ciara Grogan have also made great contributions to the team and all three will be avail to the U14 squad next year. The panel includes several other players who will feature next year in the U14s.

Clare now feature in an All-Ireland semi-final with the Leinster champions on Sat 9 th June. The U14s next outing will be in the U14 All-Ireland Blitz on May 19th at a Westmeath venue.

Clare Panel: West Clare Gaels: Aine Murphy, Brid Foran, Shauna Melican , Caoimhe Harvey, Patricia Foran. Shannon Gaels: Ronya Baumann; Miltown: Roisin Flynn; Liscannor: Aislinn Rouine, Katie Considine (Co-Capt); Kilrush: Clodagh Larkin; Kilmurry Ibrickane: Aine Cunningham, Chloe Moloney (Co-Capt), Rebecca Doohan, Aoibhe King; Kilmihil: Ciara Coughlan, Catriona O'Gorman, Sharon Egan: Fergus Rovers: Aine McSweeney: Doonbeg: Clionadh Blake; Doorabarefield: Alex Potter, Mia Hanrahan, Hanna Meaney, Aislinn Meaney; Clooney-Quin: Alice O'Donnell, Eimear McGrath, Ciara Grogan; Clarecastle: Doireann Murphy; Banner: Andrea O'Keeffe, Teresa O'Keeffe, Jennifer Markham, Nicole Talty, Teresa O'Keeffe, Sinead Power;

Clare V Limerick U14B Championship Round 2

Clare met Limerick in the Ladies Football Munster U14 B Championship last Saturday and recorded an emphatic win. Clare had the advantage of a strong wind to start and clocked up 2-9 to Limericks solitary goal at the break. A formidable Clare defence limited the Limerick response in the second half to 2-3 including a last minute goal while picking off five points of their own against a strong headwind.

The Banner County piled on the pressure from the outset and despite an unconverted penalty on ten minutes, four of the forwards, (Chloe Moloney, Cliona Blake, Alex Potter and Aine Cunningham) were on the board at 1-5 before Limerick retorted with their only score of the half with a goal on twenty minutes. Massive effort from Shauna Melican, Jennifer Markham and Katie Considine kept the Limerick girls in their own half while Co-Captain Moloney led the attack all day taking her second goal and three of the five remaining Clare points of the half with Blake and Cunningham pointing again aided by Aisling Meaney and Caoimhe Harvey who were also outstanding on the day.

With the Clare backs relatively untested in the first thirty minutes, they gave a massive second half performance under great pressure to keep the top half supplied, outscoring their Limerick opponents during the half except for a last gasp goal by the Green and White on twenty nine minutes, by-passing Ciara Coughlan who put in many fine blocks and saves during the game. Co-Captain Katie Considine inspired fellow backs Ronya Baumann, Rebecca Doohan, Aine Murphy, Brid Foran and Ciara Grogan who turned in great performances. It was retaliatory play till the end as Clare interspersed three Limericks point with points of their own from Cunningham, Blake and Meaney, all coming from play deep in the Clare defences.

This was a good win over Limerick by a Clare side who should have taken the win over Tipperary two weeks ago. Their next game is a must-win affair against Waterford if they are to contest the Munster U14 B Championship.

Clare Team: Aine Murphy, Brid Foran, Patricia Foran, Shauna Melican, Caoimhe Harvey: West Clare Gaels; Ronya Baumann: Shannon Gaels; Roisin Flynn: Miltown; Katie Considine, Aislinn Rouine; Liscannor; Ciara Coughlan, Catriona O'Gorman, Sharon Egan, Catriona O'Gorman: Kilmihil; Chlodagh Larkin, Chantel Burke: Kilrush; Aine Cunningham, Rebecca Doohan, Chloe Moloney, Aoibhe King: Kilmurry Ibrickane; Aine McSweeney, Ava O'Malley: Fergus Rovers; Alex Potter, Aislinn Meaney, Hannah Meaney, Mia Hanrahan; DBarefield; Clionadh Blake: Doonbeg; Doireann Murphy: Clarecastle; Aoibhinn O'Sullivan: Cooraclare; Ciara Grogan, Alice O'Donnell, Aoibheann Duggan, Eimear McGrath; Cloooney-Quin; Jennifer Markham, Clare Hehir, Michaela Roughan, Andrea O'Keeffe, Teresa O'Keeffe, Sinead Power Nicole Talty: Banner Ladies;

U14s Clare V Tipperary

The Clare U14 Ladies footballers travelled to Lattin-Cullen for their first match of the Munster B Championship to play 2011 All-Ireland B Champions Tipperary last Saturday, their originally planned game against Waterford being postponed due to an All-Ireland schools clash.

The Clare girls applied good pressure from the throw-in but were denied by the goalie and missed a valuable free in. When Tipperary broke out, they clocked up three points in quick succession before Clionadh Blake opened up Clare's account with a well taken point and this was followed up by Chloe Moloney's point a minute later. In tit-for tat football Tipperary were back for a point and a goal. As the Clare backs got the measure of their opponents there was some great defensive play from Ronya Baumann, Rebecca Doohan and Teresa O'Keeffe. Midfielders Shauna Melican and Katie Considine worked hard to carry the ball to the opposition aided by the tenacious Caoimhe Harvey. The last ten minutes of football was played in the Tipp half and Moloney and Blake were again to register points for the Banner County. When Gene Buckley blew for half time Clare were trailing by two points, 1-3 to 1-5.

After the break, Brid Foran and Aine Murphy stemmed a lot of play and pushed co-captain Katie Considine forward. Blake was to take her third point of the game within minutes of the resumption and co-captain Chloe Moloney was to do likewise to draw for the first time in the game. Tipp came back with three points of their own and a Clare point was cancelled out shortly after. Heavy pressure in the Tipp square yielded a goal from the resulting mayhem and Clare were back on level terms for the second time, 2-6 to Tipperary's 1-9 with eight minutes to go. The frenzied final few minutes saw the ball travel to both ends of the pitch alternately but where Clare failed to close out the movements with scores, Tipperary converted 1-2 to win by that amount despite some very brave goalkeeping by Ciara Coughlan.

Tipperary looked the sharper team, having played a game previous to Clare's opening clash. Clare will meet Limerick on March 24th at 2pm at a Clare venue.

Clare Panel: Ciara Coughlan, Aine Murphy, Teresa O'Keeffe, Ronya Baumann, Brid Foran, Rebecca Doohan, Chloe Moloney, Katie Considine, Clionadh Blake, Shauna Melican, Aislinn Rouine, Caoimhe Harvey, Aine Cunningham, Alex Potter, Aine McSweeney Subs: Alice O'Donnell for Rebecca Doohan (injured), Roisin Flynn for Aislinn Rouine, Chlodagh Larkin for Aine McSweeney, Clare Hehir, Doireann Murphy, Hannah Meaney, Nicole Talty, Aoibhe King, Michaela Roughan, Ava O'Malley, Ciara Grogan, Mia
Hanrahan, Catriona O'Gorman, Aoibheann Duggan, Sinead Power, Sharon Egan, Eimear McGrath, Patricia Foran.

U14 All-Ireland Blitz 2012

The Clare U14s participated in the annual All-Ireland U14 blitz in Kinnegad last Saturday and had a great day's outing. Led on the day by co-captains Ronya Baumann (Shannon Gaels) and Jennifer Markham (Banner Ladies), Clare played in Division 2 Group B and started slowly with an initial loss to Munster B Champions Waterford 4-4 to 0-3 with scores for Cliona Blake and Chloe Moloney.
A second game against Galway saw the valliant Clare side battle back from a six point half time deficit to take the game by the minimum 2-8 to 3-4, all Chloe Moloney scores. Next up was Cavan and again against the wind to start, the Clare girls changed over with a five point deficit. Clare held Cavan (eventual winners of the Division) scoreless in the second half with scores from Caoimhe Harvey, Aisling Rouine and Chloe Moloney with a last minute penalty for the Banner county. The referee recorded a questionable one point deficit for Clare on the final whistle. The fourth game against a strong Laois side who accounted for Clare in a March challenge came down on the Saffron & Blue side's favour this time. Clare playing with the wind was level with the Blues at half time but a staunch defence held them scoreless in the second half while reaping two valuable points at the other end.

This year's competition had no semi final which the Clare girls would have qualified for. Cavan levelled with Waterford on points and the resulting penalty shootout knocked out Waterford. Cavan accounted for Westmeath to take the All-Ireland title. The one day competition was a good precursor to Clare's All-Ireland C semi-final meeting with Wicklow on June 9 th.

Clare Panel: Aislinn Rouine (Liscannor), Aine Cunningham (Kilmurry Ibrickane) , Andrea O'Keeffe (Banner Ladies), Aine Murphy (West Clare Gaels), Chlodagh Larkin (Kilrush), Shauna Melican (West Clare Gaels), Chloe Moloney (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Cliona Blake (Doonbeg), Sharon Egan (Kilmihil), Teresa O'Keeffe (Banner Ladies), Brid Foran (West Clare Gaels), Katie Considine (Liscannor), Nicole Talty (Banner Ladies), Caoimhe Harvey (West Clare Gaels) , Catriona O'Gorman (Kilmihil), Ronya Baumann Co-Capt (Shannon Gaels), Patricia Foran (West Clare Gaels), Ciara Coughlan (Kilmihil), Alex Potter (Doorabarefield), Alice O'Donnell (Clooney Quin), Jennifer Markham Co-Capt (Banner Ladies), Mia Hanrahan, Rebecca Doohan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) and Sinead Power (Banner Ladies). Mentors Sharon Power, Johnny Hayes and Alan Copley.