Round four of the Ladies Senior Football Championship between Banner Ladies and Coolmeen was played last Thursday 19th August. Coolmeen were first on the scoreboard with an early point by intercounty player Eimear O'Connor and they spent the next five minutes laying siege to the Banner's goalkeeper Emma O'Driscoll. However there was no scores coming from the pressure and as the Banner found their footing, Irene Hehir was the first to point, followed quickly by a goal taken at speed by Meghan Haugh. Two points from the townies captain Louise Henchy and one from Sonya Maher were recorded before Coolmeen's Niamh Greene fired over their second point in fifteen minutes of play. Another period of sustained Coolmeen pressure was relieved when full-back Jane Kennedy took a full frontal block only to have it fall into the hands of a Coolmeen foward who was denied by the crossbar. When the ball came back into the Banner square from the kickout, goalkeeper O'Driscoll had to go full stretch to push it onto the upright. It didn't seem like Coolmeen's day. Intercounty regulars Niamh Keane pointed and Louise Henchy rattled the net from a trademark placed free kick before Eimear O'Connor pointed Coolmeen's third and last point of the first half. Emma Glynn worked tirelessly at midfield to keep the ball in Coolmeen's half and relentless distribution by Sonya Maher and Niamh Keane set up Becky Coughlan for two goals inside of a minute. Keane and Haugh pointed again as the whistle sounded for the break.

When play resumed it was clear Coolmeen were determined to impose themselves on the game as Grace Lynch scored from the throw-in. Louise Henchy and Mary Tierney pointed for the Banner but this was cancelled by two points from play by Coolmeen's excellent Eimear O'Connor. Banner defenders Laurie Ryan, Jane Kennedy and Aoife Cavanagh certainly had their hands full when keeper Emma O'Driscoll was forced to palm over a rocket from Niamh Greene for a point but she couldn't make it to the top right hand corner for O'Connor's goal a minute later. Points from the Banner's Niamh Keane and Meghan Haugh were negated by quick responses from O'Connor. But Coolmeen had nothing left in the tank when tireless Keane pointed twice and Susan McNamara goaled a beautiful pass from Becky Coughlan before the final whistle blew.

This was a very free flowing encounter played at a fast pace, marshalled by referee Shane Hehir. While Coolmeen almost matched the Banner for scores in the second half, the damage was done before the interval and it was always going to be a struggle to claw back the deficit. Best for Coolmeen were Eimear O'Connor, Niamh Greene and Grace Lynch.

The Banner Ladies have been drawn to meet Cooraclare in the championship semi-final double header in Doonbeg next Saturday 28th August at 6:45pm. This game will be preceded by Kilmihil Vs West Clare Gaels which will be thrown-in at 5:15pm. Tweet

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