Press Release Clare Ladies Football Board 10/07/2006 Clare Ladies Senior Championship Previews The Clare Ladies Football Championship kicks into life this weekend with games on Friday, Saturday and Monday evenings. With the county junior team flying high at present there should be great interest in this first series of games. First into the fray are current league holders Fergus Rovers against the 2006 Tír Connell Gaels International 9-a-side winners The Banner Ladies of Ennis. This game, to be played at Clareabbey at 7.30pm on Friday has all the ingredients of a cracking encounter. In three meetings last season there was never more than a single score between these two great rivals. However the Lisseycasey ladies were victorious on each occasion so the Banner Ladies have plenty of ammunition to seek to turn the tables. Both sides will have a liberal sprinkling of current county stars with Lorraine Kelly, Áine Kelly, Cliodhna Talty and Myra Daly lining out for The Rovers while The Banner will have county stars Louise Henchy, Emma O'Driscoll, Niamh Keane, Sonia Maher and Aoife Cavanagh on duty. This game should be a fast open and high scoring game if any of the recent meetings between these two teams are anything to go by. Will Fergus Rovers' craft and experience again see them through over the Banner young guns or will the Ennis outfit finally get to overcome their near neighbours from the west? All will be revealed in Clareabbey on Friday evening. On Saturday evening Doonbeg face up to last years defeated finalists Cooraclare in a game down for Kilmihil with a 6.00pm throw in. Cooraclare with several county stars in their ranks will be hot favourites to win this first round game. Players such as Eithne Morrissey, Majella and Monica Lillis and Tammy Hehir are currently in top form and should be the aces in the Cooraclare pack that will see them through to victory on Saturday. Doonbeg cannot be written off however and will be happy with their underdog status for this game. This proud footballing outfit will be keen to fly the Magpie flag high so Cooraclare would do well to avoid being complacent. Still anything other than a sky blue victory would constitute a major shock. Monday evening sees the reigning champions Miltown return to championship action with their opening game against senior newcomers and 2005 Intermediate champions Crusheen. This is probably the most intriguing game of the weekend with Crusheen really anxious to beat the reigning champions in their senior championship debut. Both sides have been working hard in anticipation of this game and with one county panellist apiece in Denise Walsh and Diane Kelly a thrilling encounter could be in store. Miltown will be hoping that many of their county minor winning squad of 2005 will have matured over the winter season and will be slight favourites by virtue of their strength and experience. This game has a 7.30pm throw in and will be played in Quilty. Dr. Paul McKenna, PRO Clare Ladies Football Board 086 - 6036385 Tweet

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