Div 3

Clare 0-4 Kerry 1-8

Clare lost out in the opening game of the Littlewoods Div 3 Camogie League to Kerry in Meelick on Sunday afternoon. Played in bitter cold sunny conditions, the Kerry panel was backboned by the Munster and All Ireland Junior Club Championship finalists Clanmaurice, with the starting fifteen all hailing from that winning club.

The visitors were on the attack from the throw in and were intent on a green flag, however pressure from Clare full back Rebecca Cahill saw Patrice Diggins shot drift wide. Clare moved forward from the puckout, and Niamh Quirke had the opening attack for the home side only for her shot to drop short and be cleared out by Alanna Maunsell. Sara Murphy sent her free down the wing to Diggin but Corrina McMahon won the battle for possession and sent play back to the middle of the field.

Kerry and Clanmaurice sharpshooter Diggin opened the scoring when she converted a free in the eight minute and added her next in the sixteenth minute. Siobhan Lane opened Clares tally with twenty minutes on the clock when she converted a free. Jessica Fitzell struck for the games first score from play when she split the posts in the twenty second minute. With Kerry awarded a free out on the wing at an awkward angle, Diggin took the option to send a short free to the unmarked Jackie Horgan who split the posts. From a Kerry sideline cut Jane Fitzgerald intercepted the ball in flight and sent play forward tow Aisling McMahon who was fould as she drove forwards towards goal, with Lane converting the resulting free. The visitors had the last attack of the first half when Murphy launched a free into the Clare danger area, with Diggin striking towards goal only for Edel McNamara to block with Rebecca Cahill clearing from danger, to leave the half time score Clare 0-2 Kerry 0-4.

Kerry had the dream start to the second half grabbing the only goal of the game inside the opening minute, Diggin won possession from the throw in and passed forward to Horgan who in turn fed forward to the on rushing Aoife Behan who finished to the back of the Clare net. Sinead Power responded from play for the home side before Diggin added a brace of points, one each from placed ball and play to extend Kerrys lead to six points with thirty eight minutes on the clock. Clare were driving forward however Niamh Leen proved to be a formidable full back for the visitors, winning any high ball dropping in around the square. With ten minutes left Diggin further stretched Kerrys lead when she again split the posts from placed ball. When Corina McMahon was fouled on the run, Aine Dinan sent the resulting free forward down the wing, where Power gathered and sent over the bar. The last score feel to the visitors when substitute Julieanne O’Keeffe gathered a sideline cut and fired over to leave Kerry winners on a final scoreline of Clare 0-4 Kerry 1-8.

Clare: Edel McNamara Kilkishe4n; Orla Molonery Rebecca Cahill Kilmaley, Orlaith Cotter Inagh Kilnamona; Jane Fitzgerald Inagh Kilnamona, Aine Dinan Tulla -Capt, Niamh Mulqueen Broadford; Sinead Power Inagh Kilnamona, Corina McMahon Corofin; Aisling Cahill Kilmaley, Maria Redmond Eire Og, Siobhan Lane Corofin; Alisha Malone Corofin, Aisling McMahon St Josephs, Niamh Quirke Whitegate

Subs: Chloe Devitt Ballyea for A Malone, Aoife Shannon St Josephs for Quirke, Rachel Minogue Scariff Ogonnelloe for A Cahill, Louise McDonnell Ruan for Redmond

Kerry: Alanna Maunsel ClanmauriceAine O’Connor Clanmaurice, Niamh Leen Clanmaurice, Michelle Costelloe Clanmaurice; Eilis Harrington Clanmaurice, Sara Murphy Clanmaurice, Elaine Ryall Clanmaurice; Orla Young Clanmaurice, Jackie Horgan Clanmaurice Capt 0-1; Laura Collins Clanmaurice, Clodagh Walsh Clanmaurice, Aoife Behan Clanmaurice 1-0; Jessica Fitzell Clanmaurice 0-1, Patrice Diggin Clanmaurice 0-5 4F, Rachel McCarthy Clanmaurice

Subs: Julieanne O’Keeffe Clanmaurice 0-1 for Walsh, Caoimhe Shanahan Causeway for McCarthy

Referee: Conor Quinlan, Galway