Liberty Insurance Premier Junior Championship

By : Brid MacNamara Photo credit : David Dillon 

@ Sixmilebridge GAA

Clare 0-12 Armagh 3-21

Clares hopes of making the latter end stage of the Liberty Insurance Premier Junior Championship were effectively ended in Sixmilebridge on Saturday afternoon, when a physically stronger Armagh outfit overcame the Banner girls.

Three first half goals from Armagh sharpshooter Colette McSorley along with seven points from Ciara Donnelly ensured the wind assisted visitors went in at the break with a comfortable lead. Armagh had the majority of play in the opening half as they lead siege in the Clare half of the field and could have been further ahead but for the work rate from Laura Browne, Megan O’Brien and Katie O’Flanagan. Siobhan Lane in the Clare goals was kept busy throughout and couldn’t be faulted for McSorleys three green flags. Up front Niki Kaiser accounted for five of Clares opening half scores with Sarah Redmond firing over also.

With the wind at their backs for the second half half and some positional changes, Clare were more dominant, however Ciarai Devlin denied Clare on the goal line. Kaiser continued to keep the Clare scoreboard ticking over, along with Sinead Power and Keelin Lyons, while Aisling McMahon lead the defence from the backs, holding the visitors to six second half points. However Armagh had the work done in the first half and finished up comfortable winners 3-21 to 0-12.

Clare: Siobhain Lane Corofin; Laura Browne Eire Og, Megan O’Brien St Josephs, Katie O’Flanagan Newmarket on Fergus; Aisling McMahon St Josephs Capt, Deana Considine Sixmilebridge, Eva Whyte Eire Og; Sarah Redmond Eire Og 0-1, Louise Egan Truagh Clonlara; Louise McDonnell Corofin, Keelin Lyons Sixmilebridge 0-1, Sinead Power Inagh Kilnamona 0-1; Maria Redmond Eire Og, Niki Kaiser Newmarket on Fergus 0-9, Aoife Nihill Wolfe tones

Subs: Claire McMahon Eire Og for O’Brien Sarah Loughnane Sixmilebridgefor Whyte

Armagh: Ciarrai Devlin Granemore; Clare McKinley Mullaghbawn, Catherine McCooey Keady, Caella Casey Cullyhanna; Siodhna Woods Derrynoose/Middleton, Grainne Kelly Granemore, Colleen O’Hare Granemore; Roisin Murray Keady 0-1, Eimear Hayes Tullysaran 0-2; Bernadette Murray Cullhanna 0-2, Leah McGoldrick Madden; Ciara Hill Granemore 0-1; Ciara Donnelly Eglish 0-11, Colette McSorley Tullysaran 3-4, Eimear O’Kane Portmor

Subs: Eadaoin Murphy Keady for McGoldrick, Nicola Woods Middleton for O’Hare, Emma Mone Derrynose/Middleton for Woods

Referee Mike Ryan Galway