Clara Intermediates first taste of Leinster

The Clara Intermediate girls had their first taste of Leinster camogie on Saturday when they lost 6-9 to 2-12 to Leinster champions St. Rynaghs in Banagher. Backed by the breeze and a large vocal home following the Rynaghs girls raced from the blocks and scored two goals in the opening 8 minutes. Clara settled and helped by the accuracy of Mary O Connell from placed balls and a point apiece from play by Siobhan Curtis and Niamh Byrne, they were back within two points approaching half time. Then a Rynaghs goal followed by a point left the score at the break 3-4 to 0-7.

It was a rejuvenated Clara that started the second half and a succession of scores, including a brace of goals by Siobhan Curtis, had them a point in front just 12 minutes into the new half. St. Rynaghs were definitely rattled and a couple of more scores by Clara at this point might just have broken the opposition. However the next score fell to the Banagher girls and it was a three pointer. A missed ball by a Clara defender yielded an opportunity for an easy finish and the score gave them renewed energy. They finished the game stronger and a couple of very late goals gave them a rather flattering nine point victory. It was 15 scores to 14 but as the old saying goes “Goals win matches” and St. Rynaghs scored six of them.

It was a hugely competitive game and the brave Clara efforts were sportingly acknowledged by a raucous ovation from the home support as the vanquished team left the field. They had done Kilkenny proud against a team that has won the last three senior championships in Offaly but for some reason are allowed to compete at Intermediate level in Leinster. Clara will take a lot from the experience and won’t be too deflated. After all they won their first ever Intermediate title in Kilkenny just seven days previously. They missed the services of Lucy Cody for this one through illness. The team was Lisa Kehoe, Margaret Kehoe, Aine McDonald, Katie Ryan. Tamsin English, Aisling Curtis, Claire Nolan. Rebecca Nolan, Aisling Nolan. Mary O Connell 0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-2 45s, Lucy Power, Niamh Byrne 0-2,  Keara Ryan 0-1, Siobhan Curtis 2-2, Grainne Glynn. Subs used Margaret O Connell, Grainne Byrne, Niamh Treacy. Roisin Kealy, Aoife Treacy, Aoife Glynn, Ciara Treacy, Blaithin Breen, Orla Farrell, Leah Phelan, Siobhan Treacy, Anna Walpole.