Young Clara Almost Upset The Odds

Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai Senior Semi Final

Thomastown 2-13
Clara 1-12

By Martin Quilty (Kilkenny PRO)
Picture Credit Billy Culleton Photography

The second semi final also played in Tullaroan GAA had a small enough crowd who came to watch a very entertaining game of Camogie. Clara had a big surprise before the start of the game as Aisling Nolan had flown in from Dubai the night before to play in the semi-final.

Thomastown couldn’t have asked for a better start in this game, with four chances they had registered 1-3 and there was only 3 minutes on the clock. Eva Hynes opened the scoring with a point from play, this was followed by another point from Anna Farrell and this was quickly followed by Thomastown’s first goal. Therese Donnelly who is like a cheetah running on the pitch rattled an unstoppable shot past Aoife Glynn in the Clara Goal. Donnelly then followed this up with a point from play. Clara was rattled they didn’t know what had hit them, Thomastown hadn’t even registered a wide but they had 1-3 on the board and it was to get worse for Clara as T’Town then added two more points from Eimear Farrell and Niamh Donnelly. It was eight minutes into the game before Clara registered their first score which came from the stick of Mary O’Connell as she slotted over a free. Anna Farrell got her second point of the half and things were looking ominous for Clara.

Things changed just before the first quarter had ended, some brilliant individual skill from Siobhan Curtis see the centre forward been dragged and fouled, referee Burke gave her a great advantage and Curtis buried a shot to the back of the Thomastown net. It’s a piece of individual brilliance that was needed and got Clara right back into this tie. Mary O’Connell then added to her tally with another point to leave the score 1-6 to 1-3 by 22nd minute. Eve Hynes got another point for Thomastown but Clara finished stronger and got the last two points of the half O’Connell and Kera Ryan getting points from play. Half Time score Thomastown 1-7, Clara 1-5.

In what was a carbon copy in the first half but in reverse Clara got the great start they needed and by the 40th minute Clara had taken the lead thanks to scores from Mary O’Connell (2), Niamh Byrne, Kera Ryan and Aisling Nolan. It was now 1-10 to 1-7 in favour of the team wearing maroon. Therese Donnelly and Anna Farrell reduced the margin with a couple of points while Mary O’Connell was keeping Clara head with a point of her own, that point from O’Connell came just at the end of the third quarter and Clara were looking impressive.

Thomastown had to call shore Eva Hynes who was injured and with Clara in the ascendency one would have worried for T’Town but in true style they never give up, an attack on the Clara goal started with Anna Farrell winning possession and working the ball in through the lines and substitute Michelle Donnelly found herself with the ball at her feet and with a flick of the wrist put the ball into the Clara net, it was now 2-9 to 1-11. It was a cruel blow to Clara who had come back into the game so well but the experience of Thomastown can never be underestimated. Both teams exchanged points in the latter stages of the game but as much as they tried Clara couldn’t break the defence to get that goal they craved and in the end Thomastown held on for the victory. Final Score Thomastown 2-13, Clara 1-12

Teams:

Thomastown:- Kate McDonald, Lisa Donnelly, Sally Teehan, Sarah Hudson, Roisin O’Keeffe, Sinead O’Keeffe, Joanne Fitzpatrick, Jenny Reddy, Sarah Walsh, Eva Hynes, Eimear Farrell, Niamh Donnelly, Sarah Barcoe, Anna Farrell, Therese Donnelly

Clara:- Aoife Glynn, Grainne Glynn, Rachel Whelan, Katie Ryan, Tamsin English, Laoise Nolan, Margaret Kehoe, Aisling Curtis, Rebecca Nolan, Aisling Nolan, Siobhan Curtis, Mary O’Connell, Kera Ryan, Margaret O’Connell, Niamh Byrne

Scorers:

Thomastown: – Anna Farrell 0-7 (4f), Theresa Donnelly 1-2, Michelle Donnelly 1-0, Eva Hynes 0-2 (1f), Eimear Farrell/Niamh Donnelly 0-1 each

Clara: – Mary O’Connell 0-7 (6f), Kera Ryan 0-3 (1f), Siobhan Curtis 1-0, Niamh Byrne/Aisling Nolan 0-1 each

Referee: Peter Burke (Emeralds)