2023 Munster Senior Camogie Championship Semi-Final – Clare 1-15 Limerick 0-11

Clare defeated Limerick by 1-15 to 0-11 in the Munster Senior Camogie Championship Semi-Final on Saturday 29th April at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Clinical Clare put Limerick to sword to seal Munster final place

Limerick 0-11 Clare 1-15

Report by Tom Clancy for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Clare booked their place in the Munster Senior Camogie final, thanks to a seven-point triumph over neighbours Limerick in the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

The game, which served as a curtain-raiser to the Senior Hurling clash of the same two counties, saw Clare lead from the 3rd minute, to the finish.

John Carmody’s side book a Munster decider on the 14th of May. They were clinical at crucial stages in this contest, but the margin of victory would have been far greater, had it not been for a trio of Laura O’Neill saves in the second period.

Before this, early points from Orlaith Duggan (two) and Lorna McNamara (free) gave Clare a 0-5 to 0-1 lead on eight minutes. They were moving the ball at ease and took good advantage of the face-playing Limerick surface.

Clare held a narrow half-time lead, 1-8 to 0-9 with Aine O’Loughlin helping herself to 1-2. The skilful full-forward pulled a Clare Hehir delivery from the Limerick sky with an immaculate touch, before turning her marker and drilling to the net on 22 minutes.

Despite conceding that fine goal, there was a decent end to the half for Limerick, who got four of the last five points. There was nice efforts from Claire Keating and Caoimhe Costello – to add to an earlier effort from Caoimhe Lyons. But they couldn’t kick-on.

There was a telling statistic, that Limerick didn’t register a wide until inside the final ten minutes. That, coupled with only two second-half points, meant this contest proved beyond the side who just about stayed in Division 2A.

Clare, looked all the sharper for their Division 1A exploits and pulled clear the third quarter.

A 41st minute save from Laura O’Neill denied Eimear Kelly a goal, which would have put Clare six clear. Adding to her growing tally was Lorna McNamara, who added a brace of frees early in the second-half. They moved further clear on 46 minutes as Rebecca Foley added a point from the bench.

There was little reply from Limerick, with Sarah O’Briens 50th-minute score their final of the contest. O’Neill was in fine form in the Limerick goal, as the Na Piarsaigh clubwoman denied Kelly with another point-black stop.

There was sealing scores Orlaith Duggan, and a couple of McNamara 45’s to close the win. The Banner now await one of Cork, Waterford and Tipperary who are on the other side of the draw.

Scorers for Limerick: C Costello (0-3 frees), C Keating (0-2 frees) 0-4 each; C Lyons, O Kelleher, S O’Brien 0-1 each

Scorers for Clare: L McNamara 0-8 (0-3 frees, 0-3 ‘45’); O Duggan 0-3; A O’Loughlin 1-2; E Kelly, R Foley 0-1 each.

Limerick: L O’Neill (Na Piarsaigh); T Dore (Charleville), M Creamer (Cappamore), M Quaid (C) (Bruff); M Ryan (Bruff), A Larkin (Mungret/St. Paul’s) M O’Callaghan (Bruff); O Kelleher (Croagh/Kilfinny), C Costello (Adare); C Lyons (Monaleen), S O’Callaghan (Adare), C Ryan (Doon); S O’Brien (Templeglantine), L Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), C Keating (Cappamore).
Subs: A Ó Tiarnaigh for Larkin (49 -inj), E Madigan for C Ryan (49), L Fennelly (Cappamore) for Boylan (57), S Woulfe (Templeglantine) for O’Callaghan (61).

Clare: D Murphy (Clarecastle); C Grogan (Clooney-Quin), S Daly (Scariff-Ogonnelloe), C Kelly (Kilkishen), C Hehir (JC) (Inagh-Kilnamona), L Ryan (Inagh Kilnamona); C Carmody (Kilmaley), O Duggan (Clooney-Quin); M Scanlan (Sixmilebridge), N O’Dea (JC) (Kilmaley), A Keane (Inagh-Kilnamona); E Kelly (Truagh-Clonlare), A O’Loughlin (Truagh-Clonlara), L McNamara (Feakle-Killanena).
Subs: R Foley (Truagh-Clonlara) for Scanlan (40), A Walsh (Scariff-Ogonnelloe) for Ryan (53), Z Y Spillane (Feakle) for E. Kelly (55), C Morey for Hehir (56), A Keating for O’Loughlin for (61).

Referee: D Kirwan (Cork)