Youthful Limerick lose out to Clare in Division 1B of Very National Camogie League

A YOUTHFUL Limerick side succumbed 3-13 to 1-10 to a clinical Clare side, despite an improved second half display, in their Division 1B Very National Camogie Club Round 4 fixture played at Zimmer Biomet Cusack Park, Ennis on Saturday afternoon.

Limerick were facing an uphill battle when trailing their table topping hosts by 13 points at half-time, 0-3 to 2-10. Two goals inside a minute mid-way through the opening half from Clare full-forward Ellen Casey turned the game decisively in Clare's favour.

To their credit, Limerick showed admirable resilience in the second half, out-scoring their opponents 1-7 to 1-3. However, there was never any danger of Clare losing their grip on the game as the home side had built an unassailable advantage in the opening 30 minutes.

The Limerick management team used the game to afford gametime to no fewer than eight substitutions over the course of the hour.

In ideal sunny playing conditions, it was the home side who got off to the quicker start, racing into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes. ULs Ashbourne Cup play Zi Yan Spillane was in top form for Clare in that opening spell, rifling over four points from play.

Limerick's sole response on the scoreboard in that opening quarter came courtesy of an excellent individual score from Bruff midfielder Mairead Ryan.

Clare took a firm grip on the game with those two goals from full-foward Casey in the 14th and 15th minutes. The first came after the Newmarket-on-Fergus player reacted quickest to flash a shot to the back of the visitors net after Limerick goalkeeper had produced a smart save to initially deny Áine O'Loughlin. 

Casey raised a second green flag within a minute after being set up by Spillane's well-timed handpass. 

Those two body blows rocked Limerick who had played with plenty of purpose and composure to that point. While there was plenty to admire in Limerick's line-up play and the manner in which they used possession, they were unable to covert it into sufficient scores.

Limerick managed just one further point in the opening half, a pointed free from top scorer Caoimhe Costello, while Clare tagged on five further points to lead by 13 at the change of ends.

Limerick made a number of substitutions at half-time and the changes seemed to energise the team.

However, after Costello pointed a free 30 seconds into the second period, Limerick were rocked by a third goal as Niamh Mulqueen set up captain Áine O'Loughlin for Clare's third green flag of the afternoon.

It was Limerick's gritty response to the score that will have pleased their players, management team and supporters most.

Trailing 0-4 to 3-10 in the 37th minute, Limerick outscored their hosts 1-6 to 0-3 over the remainder of the contest.

Points from Monaleen's Laura Southern, Costello (free) and Murroe-Boher's Karen Cunningham re-energised their challenge as both sides rung the changes from the substitutes' bench. 

Limerick captain Costello showed her class from placed balls when landing two top class frees from acute angles out near the left hand sideline.

The visitors might well have struck for a 57th minute goal, but Clare netminder Rachael Daly denied Southern with a fine save.

However, Limerick did manage to register a goal towards the end of regulation time when the opportunistic Costello finished to the net from a free, some 20m from goal.

The result was beyond doubt at that stage, but Limerick can take plenty of positives from their second half display as the end of the National Camogie League's regular season nears.  

The Joe Quaid-managed Limerick side complete their programme of Very National League 1B Division fixtures with a home game against Westmeath on Saturday next.

SCORERS: Clare: Zi Yan Spillane 0-8 (0-3 frees), Ellen Casey 2-0, Aine O'Loughlin 1-1, Grace Carmody, Aoife Anderson, Caoimhe Cahill, Aisling Cooney (free) 0-1 each. Limerick: Caoimhe Costello 1-7 (1-6 frees, 0-1 '45), Karen Cunningham, Mairead Ryan, Laura Southern 0-1 each.

CLARE: Rachael Daly; Susan Daly, Michelle Powell, Muireann Scanlon, Lynda Daly, Abby Walsh, Clare Hehir; Niam Mulqueen, Grace Carmosy; Aoife Anderson, Caoimhe Carmody, Áine O'Loughlin (Capt); Caoimhe Cahill, Ellen Casey, Zi Yan Spillane. SUBS: Sinead O'Keeffe for Scanlon, Grainne McMahon for Walsh (both 44 mins), Maeve Millea for Casey, Hannah Mai Neylon for Cahill (both 46 mins), Aisling Cooney for Spillane, Mary Hanrahan for Hehir (both 54 mins), Cliodhna Queally for Carmody (55 mins), Aoibhinn McNamara for Carmody (59 mins).

LIMERICK: Robyn Conlon (Na Piarsaigh); Cliodhna Ryan (Doon), Theresa Dore (Patrickswell), Nadine White (Ballyagran Granagh), Ciara O'Riordan (Effin), Sophie O'Callaghan (Adare), Karen Cunningham (Murroe-Boher); Mairead Ryan (Bruff), Ailbhe Larkin (Mungret), Enya Harrington (Na Piarsaigh), Caoimhe Costello (Adare) (Capt), Laura Southern (Monaleen); Lisa English (Galbally), Sarah Cosgrove (Ahane), Dearbhla Egan (Crecora). SUBS: Orlaith Kelliher (Croagh-Kilfinny) for Cliodhna Ryan (18 mins), Emily O'Halloran (Monaleen) for Egan, Stephanie Woulfe (Templeglantine) for White, Lizanna Boylan (Na Piarsaigh) for Harrington (half-time), Donna Kenny (Croagh Kilfinny) for English (39 mins), Shauna Cunningham (Kileedy) Larkin, Poppy Giltenane (Adare) for Cosgrove, Ciara Neenan (Bruff) for Mairead Ryan (all 45 mins).

REFEREE: Mike Ryan (Tipperary)