St Ailbe's advance to Munster decider after big win over Cooraclare

ST AILBE’S are back into the Munster LGFA Intermediate final following an emphatic 3-11 to 1-6 victory over Cooraclare in Ballybricken.

The East Limerick side recovered from a jittery error-strewn start to take a decisive lead coming up to the break and maintained their control increasing all the way to the final whistle with Georgia Keane accounting for 3-6 of their total.

Simone Considine got the scoring underway for Cooraclare and Ailbe’s responded through Keane.

The hosts continued to do the pressing while their opposition from Clare relied on attacks from turnovers and regained their lead when drawing a foul for Considine to punish.

Orla Ryan had the sides level again only for that to be quickly matched by a Considine strike on the turn but, again Keane equalised for Ailbe’s.

The home side then took the lead for the first time going past the quarter mark when she bagged her third score.

Strikes from Meadbh McNamara and Keane and then came the first killer blow of the contest after a Kate Kennedy point.

Keane intercepted the kick-out and fired in her first goal and that was quickly followed up by an Eimear Ryan point.

A couple of frees for Considine pulled the gap back to 1-8 to 0-5 at half-time but the game was only going in one direction.

A long period without a score ended with Cooraclare finding the target but any hint of a comeback was dispelled when Keane nabbed her second goal soon after.

A pair of Keane frees followed and the lead was soon at ten heading into the final stage.

A Considine free opened up a slight chink of hope for the Banner girls and a faint realisation grew that the impossible might just be possible when she took the next free quickly and planted it straight into the net.

However, that chink of light soon disappeared as Keane buried her third goal to send St Ailbe’s into the Munster final.

SCORERS - ST AILBE’S: Georgia Keane 3-6 (2f), Orla Ryan, Maedhbh McNamara, Kate Kennedy, Eimear Ryan, Laura Nash 0-1 each; COORACLARE: Simone Considine 1-6 (1-4f), Shauna O'Gorman, Clodagh Mescall 0-1 each.

ST AILBE’S: Bríd Madigan; Martha Stanley, Ciara Ryan, Shona Hickey; Maedhbh McNamara, Niamh Ryan, Katie Heelan; Caroline Hickey, Alex Russell; Sinéad McNamara, Órla Ryan, Laura Nash; Eimear Ryan, Kate Kennedy, Georgia Keane; Subs: Aoife Dalton for Kennedy (46 mins), Aisling Kennedy for M McNamara (49 mins, inj), Aoife Kennedy for S McNamara (59 mins).

COORACLARE: Maeve Fennell; Aoife Lillis, Laura Quinlivan, Aisling Kelly; Zoe Downes, Sinéad Lillis, Róisín Talty; Niamh Conlon, Aoibhinn Mescall; Róisín Galvin, Aimee McNamara, Órlaith Lillis; Ruby Lillis, Simone Considine, Megan Downes; Subs: Shauna O'Gorman for Conlon (h-t), Nicole Downes for O Lillis (h-t), Georgia Ryder for R Lillis (52 mins), Clodagh Mescall for Galvin (59 mins).

Referee: Chris Scanlon (Cork).