Limerick's search for first Ladies National Football League win goes on as Clare prevail

“WE SHOULD have gotten more out of the strong breeze and been further ahead at half-time," was manager John Lynch's take on Limerick's senior ladies footballers falling to a fifth successive Division 3 defeat, 1-12 to 1-8, against Clare in the fifth round of the Lidl Ladies National League in Ballyhahill on Sunday.

With both sides struggling to adapt to the soft surface and squalls of rain, the Banner girls, All-Ireland Intermediate finalists just three years ago, made their greater experience of higher level competition tell during the stamina-sapping conditions of the second half to bounce back from a deficit of four points and keep their opponents' efforts at a response at bay during the final quarter.

The outcome leaves Limerick needing victory in their final two outings against Down and Fermanagh to avoid relegation to the competition's bottom grade but, while the results may not have been going their way, their performances have continued to improve after shipping heavy defeats in their opening games amid significant retirements over the winter and the departure of their newly-appointed manager following the opening round.

Limerick bounced out of the traps, fed Éadaoin Crowe straight from the throw-in who put them ahead with the opening score.

Despite Sophie Hennessy having to block Ella Hanrahan's shot on goal in Clare's first attack, Limerick continued to press forward into the opposition half for Caoimhe McGrath's point from a free and Lucy O'Brien with a score from play to stretch their lead.

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The Banner girls settled into their stride when Hanrahan sent over a free, but their finishing woes continued as Lauren Conway blasted off the upright. However, the visitors finally edged closer when Hanrahan pointed on the turn off the lay-off.

Coming up to the end of the first quarter, Limerick drew a foul for Tara Geoghegan to punish and the Mungret full-forward was out of luck a minute later when her shot on the run came back off the butt of the upright.

Another goal chance then went a-begging when Orla Ryan, after jumping highest to connect with a long delivery at the edge of the square, saw her effort intercepted by Rebecca Sexton.#

Clare made the most of their escape to take over control of the middle for Theresa Collins, with a score from play, and Chloe Moloney's free to draw level.

Coming up to break, however, the hosts found another burst of inspiration as McGrath sent over a free. Limerick's Katie Heelan collected off the the resulting kickout being turned over to split the posts and, with the next kickout also intercepted, McGrath sent another free over to leave her side leading 0-7 to 0-4.

With the wind picking up significantly over the interval, Clare tore into the restart to make the most of its advantage and had reduced the gap back to the minimum inside two minutes as Conway and Leah Kelly found the target with points.

However, just as their momentum was moving through the gears, a Limerick breakaway found its way to Geoghegan whose cracking shot on the run in from the right scorched to the far cotner of the net.

The Banner's response was immediate, however, as a wide delivery found Moloney out on the left who looped her shot into the opposite corner of the crossbar and, after Hennessy pounced from her line to pull a point-blank save off Conway, the sides were level when Hanrahan sent over a free.

Tight Limerick marking held their opponents at bay until the three-quarter mark when a free for a breach allowed Moloney put her side ahead for the first time.

A burst of follow-up scores from Áine Slattery, Conway and Moloney's free opened up a lead of substance before the pace of the game dropped as the subs piled on.

Limerick tried to respond but, with their range for scoring reduced due to the breeze continuing to strengthen, the home side struggled to find the target before 12 scoreless minutes ended with Moloney's point on the run being cancelled by McGrath's free in added time.

SCORERS: CLARE: Chloe Moloney 1-4 (0-3 frees), Ellie Hanrahan 0-3 (2 frees), Lauren Conway 0-2, Theresa Collins, Leah Kelly, Áine Slattery 0-1 each; LIMERICK: Caoimhe McGrath 0-4 (4 frees), Tara Geoghegan 1-1 (0-1 free), Éadaoin Crowe, Lucy O'Brien, Katie Heelan 0-1 each.

CLARE: Rebecca Sexton; Lucy Power, Rebecca Doohan, Shauna Melican; Lauren Conway, Joanne Doohan, Emer Bourke; Aisling Kelly, Áine Slattery; Sinéad Considine, Caoimhe Harvey, Amy Sexton; Theresa Collins, Chloe Moloney, Ellie Hanrahan. SUBS: Leah Kelly for Theresa Collins (half-time), Louise Cleary for Emer Bourke (half-time), Hannah Doyle Lucy Power (41 minutes), Ashling Crowe for Shauna Melican (43 minutes), Maria Fitzgerald for Áine Slattery (54 minutes), Sophie Culleton for Lauren Conway (57 minutes), Emer Burke for Amy Sexton (59 minutes), Orlaith Considine for Aisling Kelly (61 minutes).

LIMERICK: Sophie Hennessy; Shauna Hickey, Áine Ryan, Martha Stanley; Éadaoin Crowe, Lauren Ryan, Maedhbh McNamara; Orla Ryan, Emma Hickey; Caoimhe Macnamara, Lucy O'Brien, Katie Heelan; Laoise Browne, Tara Geoghegan, Caoimhe McGrath. SUBS: Aoife Dalton for Éadaoin Crowe, (injured, 6 minutes), Anna O'Dea for Rebecca Fitzgibbon (41 minutes), Clodagh Reale for Shona Hickey (46 minutes), Molly Creedon for Laoise Browne (46 minutes), Anna O'Dea for Caoimhe McNamara (50 minutes), Alex Russell for Martha Stanley (50 minutes), Jillian Buckley for Katie Heelan (59 minutes).

REFEREE: Colm Conway (Galway).