Offaly fall just short against Clare but survive in top tier
Clare edge away in closing stages to secure quarter final place
GLEN DIMPLEX ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CAMOGIE CHAMPIONSHIP
CLARE 0-16
OFFALY 1-8
THE weather for the week leading up to today’s crucial battle between Offaly and Clare felt like it was very much in keeping with the landscape for the home side.
It’s been a long time since there was this much warmth and optimism, and to still be in with a chance of sneaking into the quarter-final line up with one group game to go meant that already, all expectations had been exceeded.
Yet there were dark clouds on the horizon too. Whatever about winning by six points, which was the threshold for securing a ticket to Croke Park, defeat was always going to open the door to a possible relegation final against Wexford, and when the strength of the wind is factored into the mix, there was never a point in this game when it looked like the result would be anything other than a Clare win.
That meant that Offaly needed a favour from Limerick to be sure of preserving their senior status, and they got it, just about. A stoppage time equaliser from the home side in Cappamore put an end to five very tense minutes on the field after Liz Dempsey’s final whistle confirmed a five-point defeat for Offaly.
The margin of the win was perhaps a little bit flattering to the visitors, in that Offaly could have picked off one or two more scores in the second half to go with Mairéad Teehan’s free and a superb solo score from Katie O’Connell, but understandably, they were chasing goals in a bid to get themselves back into the game.
It was a tense and physical battle throughout, but in particular in the first 20 minutes of the second half, where Offaly worked hard without the ball to try and prevent Clare from racking up scores with the aid of the strong breeze.
Four points in a row in the last ten minutes, kicked off by a simple Ellen Casey finish to punish Megan King’s loss of footing, concluded the scoring and left a somewhat bleak look on the scoreboard from Offaly’s perspective, but for all the points that were left behind in their pursuit of goals, it was the anaemic first half performance that will sting the most when Jack Maher and his players reflect on this game.
With black clouds overhead and strong stormy gusts whipping down the field towards the town, Offaly needed a fast start, and they didn’t get it. Emer Reynolds was able to get over 100 metres of distance on her puckouts while Doireann Murphy did well to get to halfway at the other end, but Clare’s use of the ball through the hands was impeccable. Róisín Begley fired over frees and Ziyan Spillane was lively, but it was across the half-back line, particularly Claire Hehir at right half-back, where Clare were dominant.
Offaly’s attitude and workrate when it came to putting in tackles and contested ruck balls was exemplary, but Clare gave a lesson in off the shoulder running and support play on the ball, creating high class chances.
Meanwhile Clodagh Leahy missed three scorable frees as her laser-like accuracy from a week ago was nowhere to be seen, and while she redeemed herself with a superb block to set up a simple finish for Grace Teehan’s goal, Offaly couldn’t afford to get as little as they did out of their attack in the opening half.
1-5 to 0-4 after 22 minutes was inadequate, 1-6 to 0-7 at half-time felt like a ten-point deficit, given the wind. Even at that, Emer Reynolds had produced one superb diving save to deny Andrea O’Keeffe a goal, and in general the Shinrone custodian had to be sharp with a couple of other Clare chances.
The first two points of the second half were shared, but two quickfire Begley frees early in the second half, bookending another clever snapshot from Maeve Millea, took the fairy tale ending off the table for Offaly. From then on, it was all about survival, and getting a helping hand from Limerick to make that happen.
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MATCH ANALYSIS
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Claire Hehir (Clare): The Clare joint captain was at her best in the early exchanges, hoovering up ball and using possession very well, while also playing a key role in the rucks and adding a score into the bargain.
Róisín Begley struck her frees well but Amy Byrne stuck to that task well, despite some outstanding deliveries going into the Clare attacker. Her selection as the official Player of the Match seemed like one of those instances where the decision was made on the back of the scorers’ tally alone.
Mairéad Teehan, Ellen Regan, Aisling Brennan and Amy Byrne hurled well throughout for Offaly, leading the home charge.
THE SCORERS
Clare: Róisín Begley 0-10 (0-9f), Ellen Casey 0-2, Ziyan Spillane 0-1, Clare Hehir 0-1, Maeve Millea 0-1, Áine O’Loughlin 0-1
Offaly: Grace Teehan 1-0, Clodagh Leahy 0-3f, Faye Mulrooney 0-1, Ellen Regan 0-1, Rachel Brennan 0-1, Mairéad Teehan 0-1f, Katie O’Connell 0-1.
THE TEAMS
CLARE: Doireann Murphy; Niamh Mulqueen, Sinéad O’Keeffe, Muireann Scanlon; Claire Hehir, Abby Walsh, Lynda Daly; Róisín McMahon, Aoife Anderson; Caoimhe Carmody, Andrea O’Keeffe, Ellen Casey; Jennifer Daly, Ziyan Spillane, Róisín Begley. Subs: Maeve Millea for Carmody, half-time; Claire McNamara for Anderson, 38mins; Áine O’Loughlin for Casey, 55mins;
OFFALY: Emer Reynolds (Shinrone); Amy Byrne (Shinrone), Una Kilmartin (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Megan King (St. Cillian’s); Áine O’Connor (Naomh Bríd), Aisling Brennan (St. Cillian’s), Ellen Regan (Birr); Allie Butler (St. Rynagh’s), Mairéad Teehan (Moneygall); Grace Teehan (Naomh Bríd), Rachel Brennan (St. Cillian’s), Fianait Dooley (Drumcullen); Faye Mulrooney (Birr), Sarah Harding (Birr), Clodagh Leahy (Drumcullen). Subs: Katie O’Connell (St Rynagh’s) for Dooley, 28mins; Becky Bryant (Tullamore) for R Brennan, 47-49 mins, temp; Orlagh Phelan (Naomh Bríd) for Butler, 51mins;
REFEREE: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny)
REFEREE WATCH
Liz Dempsey’s performance drew the ire of most of the Offaly crowd, though there was no single decision that was glaringly incorrect. What’s not unreasonable to say is that over the hour, more of the marginal calls went Clare’s way, and a couple were significant.
Did Katie O’Connell take more than four steps before putting the ball in the net in the third quarter? Absolutely, but if overcarrying was monitored as ruthlessly as that consistently, there would be nothing only stoppages. Fianait Dooley looked to be manhandled at one stage in the first half, Clodagh Leahy was very harshly pinged for what looked like a fair challenge near the end and Sarah Harding was deemed to have been charging forward rather than just trying to break a tackle at the end, while it’s hard to pick out instances where Offaly were so obviously fortunate to get a call.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
There wasn’t a single hammer blow at any stage, but Offaly conceding three of the last four points of the first half turned a difficult challenge into an almost impossible task.
VENUE WATCH
Playing Wexford in Tullamore and taking advantage of the opportunity to be part of a high profile double header made sense for Offaly camogie, but there’s no denying that St. Brendan’s Park is an ideal venue for these games, particularly given the geographic profile of this Offaly team.
The pitch was largely in perfect condition, though the couple of worn patches on the centre of the two 20m lines came into focus when an uneven bounce cost Offaly a little bit of momentum as they bore down on goal with one second half attack. Minor details perhaps, but an easy fix for the host club all the same with the club championships looming large over the next few months.
WHAT'S NEXT
Clare secured their place in next weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-finals, though on this form they will be clear underdogs against whichever of the Group One teams that are sent their way.
Limerick’s late, late equalising point against Dublin, while knocking Offaly down to fourth place in group two, was a welcome development for the Faithful women as it means that Dublin stay in the bottom two places and they will now play Wexford in a repeat of the Leinster final to determine who drops down to intermediate level for the 2027 campaign.
STATISTICS
Wides: Offaly – 6 (5 in first half); Clare – 8 (2 in first half).
Yellow cards: Offaly – 1 (R Brennan, 46 mins); Clare – 1 (Hehir, 52mins).
Red cards: 0.