Ballinamere/Durrow’s Leinster journey ended by superior Slashers

Ballinamere/Durrow’s Leinster Club Senior Ladies Football Championship ambitions were ended by an impressive Longford Slashers in a wind-swept quarter-final at Durrow on Sunday afternoon.

Leinster Club Senior Ladies Football Championship quarter-final

Longford Slashers (Longford) 2-13

Ballinamere/Durrow (Offaly) 3-1

The back-to-back Offaly champions could have no complaints after registering just four scores compared to the visitors’ 15. Trailing by 1-0 to 0-6 at the break, Ballinamere/Durrow rocked Slashers back on their heels with two goals in the space of 30 seconds at the start of the second half. But the 2022 All-Ireland intermediate winners refused to panic and outscored Ballinamere/Durrow by 2-7 to 0-1 thereafter, with the hosts’ only point coming from a Saorah Doyle free in the final minute.

It was a disappointing end to another successful season for Padraig Corcoran’s charges who had accounted for Laois champions St Conleth’s in the opening round last weekend. However, with injuries mounting and five of their players playing a second game in 24 hours (Ballinamere/Durrow were crowned Intermediate Camogie champions for the first time after defeating St Sinchill’s on Saturday), this fixture was a bridge too far for them.

Fresher and full of running, Longford Slashers were hugely impressive as they eased into a provincial semi-final against Tinahely of Wicklow. With a large travelling support cheering them on, they dominated for long spells and had some quality performers in wing back Orla Nevin, midfielder Aoife O’Brien and forwards Kara Shannon and Jessica Barry, who kicked 0-9 from play between them.

With the tail end of Storm Boelo still blowing, a crossfield wind made conditions tricky for both sides. It slightly favoured Ballinamere/Durrow in the first half, but they failed to make it count, troubling the scoreboard operator just once when Úna O’Brien scored the first of her two goals in the 21st minute.

The strong running and accuracy of Kara Shannon immediately put the home side on the backfoot. The classy wing forward scored twice inside the first four minutes before Jane Maher was lucky to escape an early yellow card for a high tackle. When a Faith McDermott point attempt dropped short in the 17th minute, a Slashers counterattack culminated in Clodagh Lohan blazing over with a goal at her mercy. The corner forward would more than make amends later.

Barry extended the visitors’ lead to 0-4 to 0-0 before Ballinamere/Durrow got themselves back into it against the run of play. Amy Loughman did well to win possession from Saorah Doyle’s high ball into the square before passing to O’Brien, who finished to the bottom right hand corner. But Slashers responded with points from Lohan (after Meadhbh Mealiff had pulled off a fine save from Nevin) and Barry to lead by double scores at the interval.

Ballinamere/Durrow opted to have their half-time team talk out on the pitch and whatever the thinking behind it, it seemed to work when they turned the game around with quickfire goals in the 33rd and 34th minutes. Saorah Doyle caught the Longford defence napping when she crashed a 20-metre free to the roof of the net before O’Brien raised another green flag straight from the kickout.

All of a sudden, the hosts were 3-0 to 0-6 up, but they couldn’t build on it as points from Kate Shannon, Kara Shannon and Barry brought Slashers level by the 44th minute. Barry then turned provider for Lohan to fire to the net after Niamh Lydon was dispossessed from the kickout. Grace Shannon quickly added another point to leave the visitors four up heading into the final quarter.

The momentum remained firmly with the winners who tagged on further points via the rampant Kara Shannon (two) and Barry, while Ballinamere/Durrow’s fate was sealed when Orla Nevin teed up Clodagh Lohan for her second goal in the 53rd minute. Doyle's late pointed free was a mere consolation score for a Ballinamere/Durrow team who simply ran out of steam.

For the record, both teams posted five wides each.

MATCH ANALYSIS

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Kara Shannon (Longford Slashers): All of the standout performers were wearing navy and sky blue, with wing forward Shannon scoring five points from play in an outstanding display.

THE SCORERS

Longford Slashers: Clodagh Lohan 2-1, Kara Shannon 0-5, Jessica Barry 0-4, Orla Nevin, Kate Shannon (0-1 free) and Grace Shannon 0-1 each.

Ballinamere/Durrow: Úna O’Brien 2-0, Saorah Doyle 1-1 (1-0 free, 0-1 free).

THE TEAMS

Longford Slashers: Emer Casey; Sinéad Masterson, Eimear O’Brien, Emily Reilly; Orla Nevin, Aisling Cosgrove, Caoimhe Lohan; Aoife O’Brien (captain), Lara O’Connor; Jill Glennon, Grace Shannon, Kara Shannon; Kate Shannon, Jessica Barry, Clodagh Lohan. Subs: Niamh Farrell for O’Connor (half-time), Sarah Glennon for Caoimhe Lohan (59 min), Laura Kenny for Barry (59 min), Hannah Farrell for Glennon (60 min).

Ballinamere/Durrow: Meadhbh Mealiff; Brooke McDermott, Shauna Slattery, Ava Grennan; Jane Maher, Róisín Mealiff (captain), Faith McDermott; Niamh Galvin, Niamh Lydon; Ella Ravenhill, Emma Hand, Rachel Cunningham; Úna O’Brien, Saorah Doyle, Amy Loughman. Subs: Rachel Lambe for Lydon (46 min), Róisín O’Brien for Ravenhill, Anna Doyle for Cunningham (59 min).

Referee - Ray McBride (Dublin).