Photo Credit - Eugene McCafferty
Match Report - The Clare Champion - Derek Dormer
COMFORTABLE CLARE CANTER TO OPENING ROUND VICTORY
CLARE 3-14
WESTMEATH 0-4
Anyone who might have ever been in doubt about the extent of the difference there is between Senior and Intermediate level should have been in Tubber on Saturday afternoon as the flagship side of Clare Camogie, who never really had to get out of second gear, eased to a nineteen point success over visitors Westmeath. Even in the pre match warm up one could readily see the gulf in strength and conditioning between the teams as John Carmody's charges just looked far bigger, far fitter and far stronger than their Leinster opponents and apart from a spell in the first half when the visitors seemed to hold the upper hand in the middle third the contest played out as one expected. Overall senior superiority was quite telling with the Banner's touch, movement, tackling and aerial ability all too much for the newly promoted Westmeath side.
Having the perfect start with Zi Yan Spillane blasting to the net, after terrific work by former All Ireland Junior player of the year Ellen Casey, virtually ensured that any notions Westmeath might have had of a shock victory were squashed immediately. Although Clare didn't kick on from this perfect start, with several passages of play breaking down leading to rucks in a congested middle third the Banner still held a comfortable five point lead by the end of the opening quarter. Just minutes into the second quarter full forward Casey turned provider once more when a superb 'Brick Flick' pass teed up Kilmaley's Caoimhe Cahill for the second major this effectively killing this game as a contest as early as the seventeenth minute. A series of white flags quickly followed with Casey pointing a beauty along with quality scores from Cahill and a peach from Feakle-Killanena forward Zi Yan Spillane which gave the home side a comfortable ten point interval lead on a 2-7 to 0-3 scoreline. The third quarter saw little in the way of attacking play with alot of rucks leading to a stop start sort of period but substitute Mary Hanrahan did light up the North Clare venue with an audacious point that truly beggared belief. Gathering possession with a quality first touch Hanrahan was unceremoniously fouled on several occasions with referee Donnacha O'Callaghan continually having his hand up for advantage. Hanrahan though didn't want a free and shrugged off several hefty and illegal challenges before splitting the posts to a thunderous round of applause from those present. By the end of that third quarter the Banner had extended their lead to twelve points.
If Clare are to be successful in their quest to return to the top table it will take a squad to do so and with that in mind John Carmody and his management team rightly emptied their bench giving valuable game time and experience to no fewer than eight substitutes with Hannah Mai Neylon in particular impressing with two well taken points. The Aaron Considine coached outfit eased through the final quarter before finishing the game in style with Captain Aine O'Loughlin raiding for a closing 1-1 to put the icing on the cake. The goal itself was a trademark O'Loughlin green flag when she plucked a booming Clare Hehir delivery from the clouds before dispatching the full back and the sliotar to the net in one powerful swivel and execution.
There's no question that bigger tests lie ahead starting with this week's trip to the South East where Wexford will provide the opposition but for now it's a happy Clare Camogie camp as the 2025 season gets off to a comprehensive and comfortable winning start.
Clare: Rachael Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe), Cliodhna Queally (Inagh-Kilnamona), Clare Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona), Muireann Scanlon (Cratloe), Niamh Mulqueen (Broadford), Abby Walsh (Scariff-Ogonolloe), Lynda Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe), Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley), Grace Carmody (Kilmaley), Jennifer Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe), Aoife Anderson (Ruan), Aine O'Loughlin (Truagh-Clonlara), Caoimhe Cahill (Kilmaley), Ellen Casey (Newmarket on Fergus), Zi Yan Spillane (Feakle-Killanena)
Subs: Mary Hanrahan (Crusheen) for J Daly (HT), Susan Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe) for A Anderson (41), Hannah Mae Neylon for G Carmody (41), Maeve Millea (Parteen-Meelick) for C Cahill (49), Aisling Cooney (Parteen-Meelick) for Zi Yan Spillane (55), Michelle Powell (Truagh-Clonlara) for A Walsh (55), Sinead O'Keeffe (Kilmaley) for C Queally (56), Chloe Neylon (Kilmaley) for E Casey (56)
Scorers: Zi Yan Spillane 1-4 (2 f), Caoimhe Cahill 1-2, Aine O'Loughlin 1-1, Hannah Mai Neylon, Jennifer Daly 0-2 each, Ellen Casey, Mary Hanrahan, Caoimhe Carmody 0-1 each
Westmeath: Anna Weir, Emily McCabe, Dearbhaill McLoughlin, Mary Geraghty, Katie Coleman, Julie McLoughlin, Laura Doherty, Aoife O'Malley, Claire Gaffney, Muireann Scally, Caoimhe McGrossan, Karen Keegan, Meadbh McLoughlin, Hannah Core, Olivia Kelleghan
Subs: Shannon Dalton for K Keegan (35), Katie Penrose for K Coleman (49), Ciara Corcoran for O Kelleghan (49), Roisin Scally for M Geraghty (55)
Scorers: Caoimhe McGrossan (2 f), Hannah Core 0-2 each
Referee: Donnacha O'Callaghan (Limerick)
Match Report - The Clare Champion - Derek Dormer
COMFORTABLE CLARE CANTER TO OPENING ROUND VICTORY
CLARE 3-14
WESTMEATH 0-4
Anyone who might have ever been in doubt about the extent of the difference there is between Senior and Intermediate level should have been in Tubber on Saturday afternoon as the flagship side of Clare Camogie, who never really had to get out of second gear, eased to a nineteen point success over visitors Westmeath. Even in the pre match warm up one could readily see the gulf in strength and conditioning between the teams as John Carmody's charges just looked far bigger, far fitter and far stronger than their Leinster opponents and apart from a spell in the first half when the visitors seemed to hold the upper hand in the middle third the contest played out as one expected. Overall senior superiority was quite telling with the Banner's touch, movement, tackling and aerial ability all too much for the newly promoted Westmeath side.
Having the perfect start with Zi Yan Spillane blasting to the net, after terrific work by former All Ireland Junior player of the year Ellen Casey, virtually ensured that any notions Westmeath might have had of a shock victory were squashed immediately. Although Clare didn't kick on from this perfect start, with several passages of play breaking down leading to rucks in a congested middle third the Banner still held a comfortable five point lead by the end of the opening quarter. Just minutes into the second quarter full forward Casey turned provider once more when a superb 'Brick Flick' pass teed up Kilmaley's Caoimhe Cahill for the second major this effectively killing this game as a contest as early as the seventeenth minute. A series of white flags quickly followed with Casey pointing a beauty along with quality scores from Cahill and a peach from Feakle-Killanena forward Zi Yan Spillane which gave the home side a comfortable ten point interval lead on a 2-7 to 0-3 scoreline. The third quarter saw little in the way of attacking play with alot of rucks leading to a stop start sort of period but substitute Mary Hanrahan did light up the North Clare venue with an audacious point that truly beggared belief. Gathering possession with a quality first touch Hanrahan was unceremoniously fouled on several occasions with referee Donnacha O'Callaghan continually having his hand up for advantage. Hanrahan though didn't want a free and shrugged off several hefty and illegal challenges before splitting the posts to a thunderous round of applause from those present. By the end of that third quarter the Banner had extended their lead to twelve points.
If Clare are to be successful in their quest to return to the top table it will take a squad to do so and with that in mind John Carmody and his management team rightly emptied their bench giving valuable game time and experience to no fewer than eight substitutes with Hannah Mai Neylon in particular impressing with two well taken points. The Aaron Considine coached outfit eased through the final quarter before finishing the game in style with Captain Aine O'Loughlin raiding for a closing 1-1 to put the icing on the cake. The goal itself was a trademark O'Loughlin green flag when she plucked a booming Clare Hehir delivery from the clouds before dispatching the full back and the sliotar to the net in one powerful swivel and execution.
There's no question that bigger tests lie ahead starting with this week's trip to the South East where Wexford will provide the opposition but for now it's a happy Clare Camogie camp as the 2025 season gets off to a comprehensive and comfortable winning start.
Clare: Rachael Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe), Cliodhna Queally (Inagh-Kilnamona), Clare Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona), Muireann Scanlon (Cratloe), Niamh Mulqueen (Broadford), Abby Walsh (Scariff-Ogonolloe), Lynda Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe), Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley), Grace Carmody (Kilmaley), Jennifer Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe), Aoife Anderson (Ruan), Aine O'Loughlin (Truagh-Clonlara), Caoimhe Cahill (Kilmaley), Ellen Casey (Newmarket on Fergus), Zi Yan Spillane (Feakle-Killanena)
Subs: Mary Hanrahan (Crusheen) for J Daly (HT), Susan Daly (Scariff-Ogonolloe) for A Anderson (41), Hannah Mae Neylon for G Carmody (41), Maeve Millea (Parteen-Meelick) for C Cahill (49), Aisling Cooney (Parteen-Meelick) for Zi Yan Spillane (55), Michelle Powell (Truagh-Clonlara) for A Walsh (55), Sinead O'Keeffe (Kilmaley) for C Queally (56), Chloe Neylon (Kilmaley) for E Casey (56)
Scorers: Zi Yan Spillane 1-4 (2 f), Caoimhe Cahill 1-2, Aine O'Loughlin 1-1, Hannah Mai Neylon, Jennifer Daly 0-2 each, Ellen Casey, Mary Hanrahan, Caoimhe Carmody 0-1 each
Westmeath: Anna Weir, Emily McCabe, Dearbhaill McLoughlin, Mary Geraghty, Katie Coleman, Julie McLoughlin, Laura Doherty, Aoife O'Malley, Claire Gaffney, Muireann Scally, Caoimhe McGrossan, Karen Keegan, Meadbh McLoughlin, Hannah Core, Olivia Kelleghan
Subs: Shannon Dalton for K Keegan (35), Katie Penrose for K Coleman (49), Ciara Corcoran for O Kelleghan (49), Roisin Scally for M Geraghty (55)
Scorers: Caoimhe McGrossan (2 f), Hannah Core 0-2 each
Referee: Donnacha O'Callaghan (Limerick)
.jpg)
