Pic Credit: Caroline O'Keeffe 

Éire Ógs Sarah Redmond & Amy Russell blocking down on Scariff Ogonelloes Aisling Corry.

Senior Championship

Ruan GAA:

Newmarket on Fergus 2-8 Clooney Quin 1-7

The first round of the Senior Camogie Championship took place in Ruan on Friday evening between neighbours Newmarket on Fergus and Clooney Quin. What was billed to be a hotly contested affair, certainly lived up to that. Newmarket played with the advantage of the wind and the sun in first half and took full advantage notching up 1-5 without reply. However, Clooney Quin dug deep to claw back 3 points from frees from stick of Orlaith Duggan. Newmarket finished the half strongly adding a goal and 3 points, to bring their tally to 2-8 to Clooney Quins 0-3 at the break.

With the strong wind at their backs, Clooney Quin came out all guns blazing in the second half. The game seesawed between the both 45s, in what was an extremely physical game, to the extent that the first score wasn’t registered until 16th minute of the second half from an Orlaith Duggan free. Clooney followed up that point with a goal and two further points. Newmarket held out to win by a margin of 4 points.

Newmarket-On-Fergus: Aileen Kilmartin; Aoife Griffin, Roisin McMahon, Katie O’Flanagan; Aimee McInerney, Laura McMahon, Carol O’Leary; Lorraine Bible (1-01), Joanne Walsh; Rachel Kelleher (0-1), Niki Kaiser (1-0), Aine O’Brien (0-3); Jenny Kelly (0-2), Sharon McMahon, Ann Marie Hayes (0-1).

Sub: Zoe McInerney for Niki Kaiser.

Clooney Quin: Marie Keating; Jessica O’Neill, Mairead Kelly, Nicole O’Riordan; Ciara Grogan, Sinead McGee, Ciara Halpin; Louise Henchy, Orlaith Duggan; Moya Dunne, Mairead Ryan, Marie Halpin; Aoibheann Duggan, Sarah Costelloe, Kate McCarthy.

Subs: Emma Deegan for Moya Dunne (38 mins), Sinead Considine for Kate McCarthy (55 mins).

Referee: Ger Lyons

Clooney GAA:

Eire Og 1-5 Scariff Ogonnnelloe 4-14

2017 Intermediate champions, Éire Óg, had their first outing in the senior ranks since the early 80s on Friday evening at Clooney GAA when they took on Scariff Ogonelloe in round 1 of the senior championship.

While the massive step up in pace and intensity from intermediate to senior was evident, the Townies eventually settled and dealt with it well. The East Clare side ran into an early two point lead punctuated by a pointed free from Orla Devitt. Another brace from Scariff Ogonelloe gave them a three point lead but Devitt narrowed the gap once again as she fired over on the run. Éire Óg were dealt a double blow as Scariff Ogonelloe raised two green flags in succession, the first being a ball that seemed to be going wide that crept to the corner of the net. Minutes later, Mairead Scanlon raised their second green flag of the evening as her long range free deceived the Éire Óg defence and found its’ way to the back of the net. The Ennis side added a further two points to their oppositions four, leaving the score at the break at 1-07 to 4 points in favour of Scariff Ogonelloe.

An early second half tally of 1-02 put Scariff Ogonelloe firmly in the ascendancy, but, the newcomers didn’t step back and make it easy for them. While Éire Óg midfielder, Grainne Nolan, added a further 1-1 to her sides tally, it couldn’t match a tally of 1-04 for Scariff Ogonelloe. Both sides are out again this Saturday as Scariff Ogonelloe will take on last years runners up, Newmarket on Fergus at 3 pm and Éire Óg will play Clooney-Quin at 6.30 pm. Both matches take place at Fr. McNamara Park.

Éire Óg: Katie Malone; Aimee Daniels, Laura Brown, Claire McMahon; Alana McInerney, Aoife O’Neill, Amy Russell; Grainne Nolan (1-03), Sarah Redmond; Orla McMahon, Eva Whyte, Maria Redmond; Ciara Kennedy, Orla Devitt (0-02), Karen Roche

Subs: Roisin Martin for Karen Roche (35 mins), Caireann Kennedy for Aimee Daniels, Saoirse Warren for Claire McMahon, Sophie Hanna for Alana McInerney( all 53 mins)

Scariff Ogonelloe: Aisling Corbett; Maria Brody, Susan Daly, Anna McNamara; Aoife Moloney, Ciara Doyle, Alision McGee; Lynda Daly, Cathy Madden; Rachel Minogue, Mairead Scanlon, Aisling Corry; Aoife Power, Kealy Power, Danielle Sheedy

Referee: Aidan Ryan

Fr McNamara Camogie:

Inagh Kilnamona 0-16 Sixmilebridge 2-8

Referee Kevin Walsh

Clarecastle GAA:

Kilmaley 0-4 Truagh Clonlara 5-19

The final scoreline may suggest a one sided contest in Clarecastle for this opening round of the Clare Senior Championship for Truagh and Kilmaley, but the match was played at a fierce intensity right to the end. It took 7 minutes before a score was registered after a long break for a Kilmaley injury. Eimear Kelly, Louise Egan and Laura Foley controlled the scoring for the South Clare side in the first half with Kilmaley's two points coming from play. The injuries carried into the game hurt Kilmaley with a weakened squad, coupled with some poor shooting and good work from Aideen Hogg in goals for Truagh, Kilmaley found it hard to stay in touch. 

Roisin and Maire Begley, were combining well in the full forward line and both got on the second half score sheet for Truagh with Becky Foley making her Senior Championship debut to assist in shoring up the half forward line, combining well to set up Sinead Hogg and Niamh Powell for points, to complete Truagh's list of scorers. Truagh held their first half advantage until the end to register a 5-19 to 0-4 win in the round one of the Senior Championship. Inagh-Kilnmona and Truagh now hold a slight advantage in Group B after today heading into Round 2 with wins under their belts but there is still plenty of Camogie left to play. 

Truagh Clonlara: Aideen Hogg; Sinéad Ryan, Aine O’Loughlin, Michelle Powell; Sarah Hastings, Michelle Powell, Sarah Sherlock; Hannah Horgan, Ellen Horgan; Louise Egan (0-3), Eimear Kelly (2-9, 1f), Laura Foley (0-3); Sinéad Hogg (0-1), Máire Begley (1-1), Roisin Begley (2-1).

Subs: Niamh Powell (0-1) for H Horgan (half time), Rebecca Foley for Kelly (40mins).

Kilmaley: Chloe McAleer: Lisa kennedy, Helen McMahon, Alysha Pyne; Sarah ni Cheallaigh, Ailish Considine, Caroline Casey; Emily Cahill, Sinead O’Keeffe; Niamh O’Dea, Caoimhe O’Halloran, Aida Griffey; Caoimhe Carmody, Lauren McGuane, Chloe Neylon

Referee: Ciaran Sheehan