Clare suffered a shock defeat to Waterford as their wait for a win goes on in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship.
Waterford 1-08
Clare 0-10
Venue: Walsh Park
It was an agonising one point defeat for Clare who battled back from a five point deficit at half time. With a strong wind blowing down field and a driving mist, conditions were slippery and it was the Déise outfit who had the wind at their backs in the opening half.
Patricia Jackman landed the opening scores of the game with two converted frees. Niamh O’Dea split the posts from play for Clare’s first score in the sixth minute. From a sideline ball Beth Carton won possession and slotted between the posts for Waterford’s third point. The home side were intent on a green flag and when Carton was fouled as she bore down on the Clare goal, referee Ray Kelly awarded a penalty which Jackman dispatched to the net.
Aoife Keane converted a free for Clare in the eighteenth minute which was cancelled out at the other end by Niamh Rockett. Jackman slotted home Waterford’s last score of the first half in the twenty second minute. Keane pointed another free before the break to leave the visitors trailing by five points.
With the wind at their backs in the second half Clare were more in control, hitting four points on the bounce with Ellen Horgan, Aoife Keane, Niamh O’Dea and Aoibheann Malone raising white flags. A Roisin McMahon free levelled matters on the fortieth minute.
Jackman put the home side back in front when she converted the resulting ’45. McMahon replied from a placed ball on the far wing. With the game entering the last 10 minutes Maire McGrath moved to the half back line and Laura McMahon moved to full back.
Áine O’Loughlin gave an inch perfect pass to Roisin McMahon in the fifty fourth minute with the Newmarket on Fergus woman striking between the posts to edge the Banner side in front. Carton levelled the game for the third time with her strike two minutes later.
Both sides battled hard for possession in the remaining minutes, Clare driving forward, only for O’Dea’s goal shot to be wide of the mark. Trish O’Grady’s outfit had two more efforts but they both went wide of the posts.
With the game deep in injury time Waterford moved play to the other end. Carton fired from 30 yards and though Solon made the catch, the wet sliotar slipped out over the line for a 45. Jackman stood over the placed ball and slotted home the final score of the game to give the home side their first ever win at senior level.
Waterford: Brianne O’Regan (Cappoquin); Claire Whyte (St Anne’s), Charlotte Raher (St Anne’s), Mairead Power (Piltown); Fiona Morrissey (An Rinn), Shona Kiernan (Lismore), Iona Heffernan (Ferrybank); Lorraine Bray (Cappoquin), Patricia Jackman (Gaultier) (1-05 2f 2’45); Catriona McGlone (Lismore), Niamh Rockett (St Anne’s) (0-01), Kate McMahon (Butlerstown); Aoife Landers (An Rinn), Beth Carton (De la Salle) (0-02), Jenny McCarthy (Cappoquin). Subs: Sibeal Harney (St Anne’s) for Landers (44), Jenny Simpson (St Anne’s) for Rockett (49), Shona Prendergas (Lismore) for Bray (53).
Clare: Lauran Solon (Whitegate); Emma O’Connell (Ballyea), Máire McGrath (Sixmilebridge), Carol O’Leary (Newmarket-on-Fergus); Aoibheann Malone (Corofin) (0-01), Orlaith Duggan (Clooney/Quin), Laura McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus); Roisin McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus) (0-03 1f), Laura Foley (Truagh/Clonlara); Áine O’Loughlin (Truagh/Clonlara), Aoife Keane (Inagh/Kilnamona) (0-03 2f), Zoe McInerney (Wolfe Tones); Michelle Caulfield (Truagh/Clonlara), Niamh O’Dea (Kilmaley 0-02), Doireann Murphy (Clarecastle). Subs: Ellen Horgan (Truagh/Clonlara) (0-01) for McInerney (21), Eimear Kelly (Parteen) for Murphy (55)
Referee Ray Kelly (Kildare)
