Clare 6-10 Offaly 1-13

Report by John Gavin

Offaly's 12 year stay in the Senior ranks of camogie came to a disappointing end on Saturday when they were put to the sword by a rampant Clare team who showed no mercy to the girls from the Faithful County.  Susan Earner did not have an easy week in the lead up to the match as she was unsure if she would be able to avail of the services of Shinrone's Christine Cleary for the game due of her red card against Down.  She found out on Friday morning that the appeal was successful and as a result Cleary was able to take up her position at centre half forward.  Offaly did make two changes to their line up before throw in with Siobhan Killeen replacing Aisling Feeney at full back and Kaitlyn Kennedy replacing Faye Mulrooney. 

Unfortunately for Offaly, the changes did not have any impact on Clare once play got underway and before Offaly could muster an attack they found themselves behind by two goals with Chloe Morey and Eimear Kelly firing past Eleanor Clendennen.  There was little flow to the game as it was littered with stoppages and players using any opportunity to take on some liquids in the warm temperatures.  While Offaly managed to hit points from Kaitlyn Kennedy and Roisin Egan, Clare continued to score almost at will hitting 4 points and another goal courtesy of Morey to leave them leading 3-4 to 0-2.  A further first half goal from Clare's Niamh O'Dea and the game was well and truly over as a contest well before half time.

To rub salt into the open Offaly wounds, Clare added a further two goals after the break with the goals coming from Lorna McNamara and Eimear Kelly.  With the score now at 6-8 to 0-6 it would have been easy for the Offaly girls to accept their fate but they refused to lie down and showed pride in the jersey and hit 1-7 without reply from the Banner girls but it was academic at this stage and Clare finished the game by hitting a brace of points to send Offaly into the Intermediate ranks.

Offaly will now have to lick their wounds and begin planning for 2023 where they will hope to bounce back and win the Intermediate Championship but given that they are a team in transition, that will be no easy challenge.

Teams:  

Clare:Doireann Murphy (Clarecastle), Ciara Grogan (Clooney-Quin), Susan Daly (Scarriff-Ogonelloe), Caoimhe Kelly (Kilkishen), Aoife Keane (Inagh-Kilnamona), Clare Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona), Alannah Ryan (Kilkishen), Caoimhe Carmody (Kilmaley), Niamh O'Dea (Kilmaley), Lynda Daly (Scarriff-Ogonelloe), Eimear Kelly (Truagh-Clonlara), Zi Ya Spillane (Feakle-Killanena), Orlaith Duggan (Clooney-Quin), Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge), Lorna McNamara (Feakle-Killanena)

Subs: Lauran White, Muireann Scanlon, Aoife Power, Gretta Hickey, Ellen Casey, Shauna Canny, Niamh Mulqueen, Sinead Hogg, Rebecca Crowe, Aoife Anderson, Abby Walsh, Rachel Kelly, Michelle Powell, Roisin Powell, Sinead O'Keeffe

Offaly: Eleanor Clendennen (Kinnitty), Sarah Guinan (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Siobhan Killeen (St Cillians), Orla Gorman (Tullamore), Grace Teehan (Naomh Brid), Aisling Brennan (St Cillians), Orlagh Phelan (Naomh Brid), Sarah Walsh (Tullamore), Louise Mannion (St Rynaghs), Sarah Harding (Birr), Christine Cleary (Shinrone), Roisin Egan (St Rynaghs), Kaitlyn Kennedy (Drumcullen), Siobhan Flannery (St Rynaghs), Mairead Teehan (Moneygall)

Subs: Leah Gallagher, Clodagh Leahy, Jane Lowry, Edwina King, Faye Mulrooney, Caitlin O'Meara, Catriona Doughan, Sharon Shanahan, Amy Byrne, Aisling Feeney

Scorers:

Clare:  Lorna McNamara 1-5 (2 frees), Eimear Kelly 2-2, Chloe Morey 2-1, Niamh O'Dea 1-0, Orlaith Duggan (0-1), Zi Yan Spillane (0-1)

Offaly:  Mairead Teehan 0-6 (4 frees, 2 '45 ), Roisin Egan (0-3), Sarah Harding (1-0), Sarah Walsh (0-1), Faye Mulrooney (0-1),

Kaitlyn Kennedy (0-1), Aisling Brennan (0-1)

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