This article is from page 112 of the 2010-02-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 112 JPG
SOMETIMES the scoreboard can be cruel and this, to be fair, is one of those occasions. Clare — playing un- der a new sponsor The Armada Hotel – didn’t deserve to lose by 13 and the concession of two late goals didn’t help. Still, considering the progress this team has made over the past while, this result shouldn’t halt the hope that surrounds ladies football in the county at the moment.
Armagh have competed well for the All-Ireland title in recent years, making the final a few years ago, and Clare’s step up to senior level means they will learn from encounters such as Sunday’s going into the champion- ship.
Armagh travelled to Shannon on SLUT ITCE- NAR OO AN OD KEESE BOSTON ce FSO played in Cusack Park before the men’s league opener is a mystery – but a handful of players made the trip on their own, somewhat later than the main crew, due to an awards ceremony on Saturday night.
It meant that the Ulster side fielded a slightly weakened side at the be- ginning of the game but when called upon in the second-half, their bench made a huge impact on the score and on the result.
Clare would have earmarked this game as one to win, considering they had home advantage and started well with Eimear Considine shaking off her marker and picking up a fine pass from Marie Considine to slot home to the net, giving them a perfect start.
The goal came after the third minute and playing against a strong wind, it was a good foundation. However, Clare failed to score again until the 22nd minute. The second score com- ing from the lively Sinead Sexton, a newcomer to the team. And the point was a thing of pure patience and well worked build up. Clare picked up the ball deep in their own half, strung a dozen passes together, Sexton peeled
away from her marker and show- ing some cool composure, split the ee te
In between these scores Armagh registered three points from Aoife Lennon on the half-forward line and her namesake in the full-forward line.
Two minutes after Sexton’s score,
Armagh levelled things up again when Kelly Mallon pointed but the Clare response was immediate. Again, a patient build up and some good possession against the wind released Niamh Keane who scored. Now, it was clear that Clare had the ammunition to make the Armagh de- fence work hard to keep Clare shack-
led, but two late points in the open- ing half from Armagh had the home side going in one behind, but hope- ful, considering the wind to come and the damage they had inflicted on Armagh with limited opportunity.
In the second-half though, the wind died and Armagh dug deep. Aine Kelly scored Clare’s first point of
the half eight minutes in but by then, Armagh had registered two of their own.
With ten minutes left the game still hung in the balance. Eimear Consid- ine popped up with a fine point and entering the last nine minutes, three separated the sides.
This is when Armagh stepped on the gas, though. In those nine min- utes, their substitutes added a further 2-4 to their tally. Shauna O’ Hagan — the Armagh ladies footballer of the year in 2009 — tapped over a couple of points shortly after she was intro- duced and fellow substitute Sharon Reel added her second of the day. The game was now slipping from Clare’s grasp and when, four minutes from the end, O’Hagan goaled, the two points were going north.
Mags MclIlinden scored Armagh’s second goal on 60 minutes to round off an impressive final quarter from the Ulster side.