Tipperary senior ladies football champions Fethard beaten in Munster championship

Banner (Clare) 2-9 Fethard 0-5

On Sunday last the Munster Ladies Senior Football Championship semi-final was played in Fethard Town Park, the first competitive game ever played on the new grass surface, which is a sand-based pitch that never showed a mark after 60 minutes of football.

The Fethard team were out of sorts on the day, with the Banner experience very much to the fore as they outgunned the youth of a Fethard fifteen that only came into the game in the third quarter of the first Munster Football Club game played in Fethard since 1988.

The Banner's standout players of Laurie Ryan and Niamh O'Dea were brilliant and in control of all movements and scores in a dominant first half that strained the Fethard defence. The Clare team scored 1-7 in the first half, as they demonstrated that Munster Ladies Football is a big step-up from the county club championship.

The game was five minutes old before we had the first score, a point from play by Niamh O'Dea.  In the ninth minute Banner added a second point from a 20 metres free by Grainne Nolan. The last action of the first quarter was a second point from Niamh O'Dea, leaving the score Banner 0-3 Fethard 0-0.

Jamie Roche the hero with late winner for Kilsheelan United in Tipperary league

The pattern of the game was set and this continued with the Banner, who this season won their fifth Clare county title in a row, dominant in all departments. Louise Ryan scored a point from play before Fethard, on one of their rare attacks, saw Leah Coen run 50 metres up the line before cutting in and kicking an excellent point.

Fethard also missed two scorable frees, the wind not helping as it was in Banner's favour. The Clare side scored 1-3 without reply, the goal and two points coming from Niamh O'Dea as well as a point from play by Grainne Nolan, leaving the half-time score Banner 1-7 Fethard 0-1.

After the interval Fethard came out a different team, taking the game to the Banner with immediate results, a point from Niamh Hayes, who was set up by great running from Meah Cuddihy. Within two minutes the same player scored a point from a 20 metres free.

Meah Cuddihy added a Fethard point from play after a great save at the end of the third quarter.

However, all of Fethard's good work was wiped out within a minute when Banner's Aoibhin Ryan, on their first attack of the second half, scored a point from play, before Niamh O'Dea had a goal from a poor kickout that was intercepted.

Fethard did add another point from a free by Kate Davey, but despite attack after attack they couldn't add another score, with a number of scoring chances missed. On the final attack Banner's Grainne Nolan added a point, leaving the Clare team winners by 10 points.

The Banner had standout performances from Laurie and Laoise Ryan, Graine Nolan, Aoibhin Ryan and Niamh O'Dea.

Best for a Fethard team that came good in the second half were Carrie Davey,  Lucy and Heather Spillane, Niamh Hayes and Meah Cuddihy.

Banner: Emma O'Driscoll, Sinead O'Keeffe, Clare Hehir, Eva O'Dea (captain), Saragh Ni Ceallaigh, Laurie Ryan, Laoise Ryan 0-1, Louise Henchy, Emer Burke, Caoimhe Cahill, Grainne Nolan 0-2 (1 free), Keelin Fitzgerald, Shannon Donovan, Niamh O'Dea 2-4, Aoibhin Ryan (0-1).

Sub used: Akisha Malone (50 minutes).

Fethard: Meabh O'Loughlin, Emaleigh Cuddihy, Sinead Delahunty, Kelly Ryan, Nell Spillane, Carrie Davey, Alison Connolly, Lucy Spillane (captain), Heather Spillane, Emily Spillane, Niamh Hayes 0-1, Nicole Delaney, Leah Coen 0-1, Meah Cuddihy 0-2 (1 free), Kate Davey 0-1 free.

Subs used: Aoibheann Collum for Alison Connolly (44 minutes), Aine Connolly for Emily Spillane (50 minutes), Aine Ryan for Kelly Ryan (60 minutes), Evie Smith for Meadbh O'Loughlin (60 minutes).

Referee: Paddy Smith (Waterford).