This article is from page 75 of the 2011-09-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 75 JPG
IT WAS A double helping of top tier seven-a-side football for the Banner Ladies last weekend when the Senior and Under 14 teams appeared in the prestigious All-Ireland finals.
The Under 14 panel, most appearing in their third seven’s tournament, were well up for it this year and topped their group taking wins over Kildare, Down and Offally teams.
In the knockout stages, they dashed the hosts dreams when Grainne Nolan rallied the Banner with a couple of fine goals to defeat them by two points, aided by two crucial Niamh O’Brien saves. Then they dismantled the Emyvale, Monaghan machine by 2-9 to 3-0 before their semi-final meeting with Sarsfields, who were much fancied.
The Kildare side were rattled by the Banner’s blistering start, with scores from Eva O’Dea, Aoife Keane, Gráinne Nolan, and Aoibheann Malone. The second half belonged to Sarsfields, but the Banner were too far ahead to be stopped at 5-5 to 4-3 with solid performances from Elaine Casey, Emma Neylon and Aisling Maher.
An All-Ireland final meeting with Féile rivals and two-in-a-row champions Claregalway, was a very competitive affair with Clare Hehir and Laura Chesser showing great determination. The Banner held the advantage in the first half until Claregalway got two late goals to lead by two points at half–time.
The second half was all Claregalway with the Banner feeling the effects of their seven game marathon and a flurry of goals sealed it for the Galway side.
Banner Under 14
Elaine Casey, Emma Neylon, Eva O’Dea,Aoife Keane, Niamh O’Brien,Aisling Maher, Clare Hehir, Laura Chesser and captains Grainne Nolan and Aoibheann Malone. THE BANNER senior squad, AllIreland intermediate champions in 2010, went into senior grade action for the first time and reached the final with a perfect record too. They topped their group with wins over Down, Meath, Galway and Dublin sides.
An expected crucial decider with St. Ultan’s of Meath was averted when Down side Bryansford, came out on top in their game with Utlan’s.
The Ennis girls met Carrickmore in the All-Ireland semi-final and a sterling team performance delivered a big win over the Tyrone side 12-4 to 7-2.
When debutants Banner faced seven time champions Ballymacarbury of Waterford in the All-Ireland final they were unphased and were leading by the minimum at half-time. Ballymacarbury opened with two points but Niamh Keane started with a point, followed by a Niamh O’Dea goal and Louise Henchy tacked on a point shortly after for the Saffron and Blues.
The Waterford side had two more points scored when Niamh O’Dea goaled again and she replicated it when they went over and under the bar before the break at 2-3 to 1-5 in favour of the Banner.
Ballymacarbury started the second half with a point but Henchy was back with a penalty to go three points up. Captain O’Driscoll had them at sixes and sevens with long and short range kick-outs while Louise Woods, Laurie Ryan and Sinead O’Keeffe were outstanding in defence. Katie Cahill, Shonagh Enright and Louise Henchy in the middle were very strong.
The third quarter was frantic as O’Dea, Carroll and Orlaith Lynch tried to open up a solid Waterford defence but some harsh decisions and a couple of missed opportunities let the Déise through for 2-1 to leave the Clare side four points adrift.
In the last Banner attack of the day, Naomi Carroll buried to bring it back to the minimum but the whistle went up on the dot and Ballymacarbury were lucky to escape with the Cup.
Overall, it was a good day’s work for the Banner club with two teams in All-Ireland finals and surely they will feel they can return next year for seniors honours.
Banner
Emma O’Driscoll (Capt), LouiseWoods, Niamh Keane, Sinead O’Keeffe, Katie Cahill, Rebecca Culligan, Louise Henchy, Niamh O’Dea, Shonagh Enright, Naomi Carroll, Orlaith Lynch, Laurie Ryan County Junior A champions Doonbeg also reached the knock-out stages of the All-Ireland Junior Seven’s on Saturday after an perfect group stage campaign. The Magpies won all four of their opening games against Carryduff (Down), Aghada (Cork), Beagh (Galway) and Dublin’s Clontarf to reach the last eight but unfortunately, their hopes of emulating the Banner ended at the first hurdle when coming up against a clinical St Bridget’s squad from Mayo who advanced on a 7-2 to 1-5 scoreline.
Doonbeg
Edel Conway,Amanda Ryan, Caroline Haugh,Yvonne Downes, Patricia Nugent, Sarah Cahill,Aoife Conway, Siobhan Beehan, Linda Russell, Kevina Kenny, Rachel Ryan, Mairead Madigan Munst er Senior Club semi fina l Pr eview