As the flagship day of the Clare Credit Unions Senior Camogie fixtures calendar fast approaches, let's take a look back at last weekends semi-finals.

Match Reports:

Derek Dormer

The Clare Champion 26/10/2023

SENIOR CAMOGIE CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI FINAL

EXTRA TIME VICTORY SENDS TRUAGH-CLONLARA TO THIRD COUNTY FINAL 


INAGH-KILNAMONA 1-17
TRUAGH-CLONLARA 3-14 (AET)


This definitely wasn't written in the script. Inagh-Kilnamona came into this semi final unbeaten, wracking up huge scores along the way they won three group games and drew with the County Champions in a classic back in August. Truagh-Clonlara ravaged by injuries had already suffered defeat in their group to Feakle-Killanena and despite being in the last two County finals came into this semi final as underdogs. However the East Clare girls tore up the script and by doing so they will now face powerhouses Scariff-Ogonolloe for the third successive year.
Played in the home of Clare Camogie the first half was a tight affair with the soft underfoot conditions making it at times difficult for both teams to play free flowing camogie. In Aine O'Loughlin Truagh-Clonlara possess a forward who has only one thing on her mind and that's green flags. The County player always seems to find the net and it was no surprise when she rifled home in the 9th minute to put her side 1-1 to 0-1 up. Eugene Foudy's charges didn't let this concession unsettle them and they roared back into the contest with some fine points. For the remainder of the opening period they were the better side with the experienced Fiona Lafferty orchestrating proceedings and the clinical Aoibhinn Ryan raising white flags both from play and placed balls. At the interval it was Foudy's girls who led by two points on a 0-7 to 1-2 scoreline.
The second half was the proverbial dogfight with both teams tearing into each other in what was now a high octane entertaining encounter. Scores were at a premium and twenty minutes into the second period we had only five second half points scored. Inagh-Kilnamona were still the dominant force but substitute Sinead Ryan who had been sidelined for a year with a cruciate injury was having a massive impact upon her introduction. The impressive Ryan put in a huge shift when her side were under the cosh and her defensive qualities meant the lead was never insurmountable. The game did turn when in a blow to Inagh-Kilnamona centre forward Fiona Lafferty had to go off for treatment and when she returned she was deployed deeper back the field probably to help defend their three point lead. Róisín Begley had other ideas and the corner forward levelled the contest once more in the 53rd minute with a superbly finished goal. The teams were now deadlocked at 0-10 to 2-4 and this County semi final was firmly in the melting pot. The teams then traded points and one couldn't call a winner with referee Ger Hoey blowing his full time whistle sending this match into extra time.
Usually the team that comes from behind to force the draw have the momentum and this was certainly no different as Bob Caulfield's charges raced out of the starting blocks in the first extra time period. Four rapid fire points gave them a healthy cushion and they now looked on course for the final. Five minutes into the second period they could begin planning for Clare Camogie's biggest day when they were awarded a penalty. Up stepped goal machine Aíne O'Loughlin and she made no mistake, coolly dispatching a rocket. Inagh-Kilnamona to their credit kept battling and a late scrambled goal gave them hope but it wasn't to be as Caulfield's girls head to County Final day for the third year in a row.
In a gripping encounter Aíne O'Loughlin, the two Begley's and Sinead Ryan were outstanding for the winners while Clare Hehir, Aoibhinn Ryan and Fiona Lafferty performed best for Inagh-Kilnamona.


Truagh-Clonlara: Sophie Cullen, Aoife Dillon, Róisín Powell, Sinead Hogg, Ellen Horgan, Niamh Powell, Louise Egan, Michelle Caulfield, Laura Foley, Joanne Egan, Eimear Begley, Hannah Horgan, Róisín Begley, Niamh Ryan, Áine O'Loughlin 

Subs: Sinead Ryan for A Dillon (40), Aoibhinn Marren for H Horgan (45)
Leah Hawes for N Ryan (60), Niamh Ryan for J Egan inj (75)


Scorers: Aine O'Loughlin 2- 5, Roisin Begley 1-1,Laura Foley 0-4 (4f), Joanne Egan 0-2, Leah Hawes, Niamh Ryan 0-1 each 


Inagh-Kilnamona: Rebecca Keating, Jane Fitzgerald, Laoise Ryan, Tierna Hegarty, Aine Longe, Clare Hehir, Teresa O'Keeffe, Laura Rynne, Sinead Power, Amy Keating, Fiona Lafferty, Aoibhinn Ryan, Claire Commane, Cliodhna Queally, Danielle Griffin 
Subs: Orla Vaughan for C Queally (40), Mary McInerney for C Commane (45) Helen Hehir for O Vaughan (ET), Claire Commane for M McInerney (ET)



Scorers: Aoibhinn Ryan 0-7 (4f), Amy Keating 1-0, Danielle Griffin 0-3, Fiona Lafferty, Clare Hehir 0-2 each, Claire Commane, Laura Rynne, Sinead Power 0-1 each  


Referee: Ger Hoey 

SENIOR CAMOGIE CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI FINAL

TREBLE SEEKING SCARIFF-OGONOLLOE CANTER TO COUNTY FINAL 


SCARIFF-OGONOLLOE 2-18
FEAKLE-KILLANENA 0-8


Clinical, powerful, ruthless, efficient and experienced are just some of the adjectives one could use to describe this Scariff-Ogonolloe winning machine. Putting in their best display of the year so far they easily brushed aside the challenge of East Clare rivals Feakle-Killanena to book their place in the County final for the third year running. A sixteen point winning margin doesn't even do them justice such was their superiority but Roisín Quilligan was simply sensational in the Feakle-Killanena goal denying the reigning champions on at least seven occasions. This was the Queen's of the County's fifth semi final in a row and it was Feakle-Killanena's first ever and this gulf in experience certainly told as straight from the throw in Alphie Rodgers charges took control. Four points inside three minutes signalled their intent before Quilligan came to her side's rescue for the first time when saving wonderfully from Labhaoise O'Donnell. Moments later the sister of County Senior keeper Eibhear magnificently denied Aoife Power a certain major as her side were pinned back by wave after wave of Scariff-Ogonolloe attacks. Playing with the aid of a really strong wind the two time Munster Club champions led by six points to no score after just ten minutes. A glimmer of hope did arrive for last year's Senior B winners when a Lorna McNamara free was doubled on in the air by Louise O'Callaghan only to see Rachael Daly produce one of the best saves ever seen in camogie, diving full length to get a miraculous touch, somehow deflecting the sliotar away. To their credit Michael Helebert's girls hung in there and after twenty minutes only trailed by five points. They would have gladly taken this deficit to the dressing rooms such was the strength of the wind. Rodgers charges had other ideas though and clinically raided for a further 1-3 before the half time whistle with Abby Walsh finding Jennifer Daly on the overlap with a perfectly executed Brick Flick. Daly didn't squander the opportunity, blasting home into the top corner to secure a huge interval lead of eleven points on a 1-11 to 0-3 scoreline.
There was still hope for the Regan Conway captained side but cruelly for them the wind completely died down during the half time break. With no element advantage there was only a flicker of hope of a glorious comeback but that flicker was firmly extinguished just six minutes into the second period when substitute Alva Rodgers superbly found the prolific Jennifer Daly in space and she duly obliged, rifling home her second major and practically booking their County Final berth. Try as they did Feakle-Killanena never let their heads drop but just couldn't get a foothold in the contest and further white flags followed with veteran Mairéad Scanlon flawless from placed balls. The game subsequently petered out to it's inevitable conclusion as Scariff-Ogonolloe served notice to one and all that they will not relinquish their County title easily.


Scariff-Ogonolloe: Rachael Daly, Bonnie Wiley Murphy, Susan Daly, Robyn McKenna, Amy Barrett, Susan Vaughan, Rachel Minogue, Abby Walsh, Ciara Doyle, Jennifer Daly, Lynda Daly, Danielle Beston, Aoife Power, Labhaoise O'Donnell, Mairéad Scanlon 
Subs: Alva Rodgers for A Walsh (HT), Holly McGee for B Wiley Murphy (50),Caoimhe McNulty for A Power (51), Lorraine Grady for J Daly (52 mins), 

Scorers: Mairéad Scanlon 0-11, Jennifer Daly 2-0, Aoife Power 0-3, Lynda Daly 0-2, Ciara Doyle, Danielle Beston 0-1 each 


Feakle-Killanena: Róisín Quilligan, Eileen Daly, Ella McNamara, Meave Brady, Rachael McNamara, Laura McGrath, Claire McNamara, Róisín McMahon, Sophie Conway, Zi Yan Spillane, Lorna McNamara, Shauna Canny, Robyn Conway, Regan Conway, Louise O'Callaghan 
Subs: Aine Daly for S Conway (41), Vera Loughnane for R McNamara (41), Clodagh Gray for Robyn Conway (47), Sinead Canny for L O'Callaghan (48)

Scorers: Lorna McNamara 0-4 (3f, 1 45), Zi Yan Spillane, Shauna Canny, Regan Conway, Robyn Conway 0-1 each


Referee: Andy McMahon 

Inagh Kilnamona v Truagh Clonlara - Photo credit : Aidan Ryan