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Clare 0-4
Kerry 1-8
Maria Redmond gets in her strike under pressure from Laura Collins.
Kerry travelled to Meelick on Sunday to take on Clare in the first round of the Littlewoods National Camogie League Division 3. Conditions were perfect for Camogie.
At the outset it was clear that Clare were aware of the threat posed by Kerry No. 14 Patrice Diggin as she was double marked by fullback Rebecca Cahill & midfielder Corina McMahon.
However, Diggin made a statement of intent in the first minute winning her first battle.
Despite narrowly missing the target, it was clear that she was going to be a handful for the afternoon. In the 9th minute a great run by Captain Jackie Horgan resulted in a free, which Patrice duly converted.
Jackie’s midfield partner Orla Young was also proving to be industrious as she embarked on a number of runs, one of which followed a dispossession by Laura Collins.
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Kerry continued to apply the pressure and Jessica Fitzell was narrowly wide having gathered possession from a Sara Murphy free.
In the 12th minute, Kerry were unlucky not to find the net. A powerful strike by Rachel McCarthy brought out an excellent save by Clare netminder Edel McNamra.
Jane Fitzgerald maintains possession under pressure from Orla Young and Laura Collins.
In the 15th minute, Patrice Diggins tapped over another free to make it 0-2 to 0-0. Clare got off the mark in the 22nd minute courtesy of a Siobhan Lane free.
In the 23rd minute Jessica Fitzell fired over to make it 0-3 to 0-1. In the 25th minute Patrice Diggins made it 0-4 to 0-1 from a free.
Clare were applying pressure but the Kerry full back line stood resolute. Clare were rewarded in the 27th minute by another Siobhán Lane free. Kerry had another goal chance in the 30th minute.
A brilliant run by Sarah Murphy & then by Jackie Horgan saw Rachel McCarthy bearing down on a crowded Clare goal but her hand pass was repelled by the Clare defence. That left the halftime score: Clare 0-2, Kerry 0-4.
A halftime substitution saw Julianne O’Keeffe replace Clodagh Walsh. The 2nd half was only 3 minutes old when Kerry found the Clare net.
The attack was started by Laura Collins who fed Patrice Diggin who in turn found the inrushing Aoife Behan and the Kerry No. 12 made no mistake crashing the ball past Edel McNamara in the Clare goal.
This was followed in the 34th minute by another pointed free from Clare’s Sinéad Lane. In the 36th minute a through ball from Jackie Horgan to Rachel McCarthy resulted in a free, which Patrice Diggin duly converted.
A minute later the same player converted another free following a good Kerry movement involving Laura Collins, Patrice & Sarah Murphy. Clare launched a number of attacks but the full back line marshalled by Niamh Leen stood firm.
In the 45th minute Caoimhe Shanahan replaced Rachel McCarthy and in the 47th Treise Moran replaced Michelle Costello.
Stephen Goggin speaks to the Kerry Camogie team after victory over Clare.
In the 51st minute Patrice Diggins added to her tally from frees. Bríd Horan & Alannah Whelan then replaced Jessica Fitzell & Jackie Horgan. In the 57th minute Clare’s Sinéad Power scored a beautiful point from the wing.
Following a foul on Alannah Whelan, Patrice Diggin converted the free to leave the final score: Clare 0-4, Kerry 1-8.
After the game, Kerry Manager Stephen Goggin said he was extremely pleased with the way Kerry raised their game in the second half & it was great to come away from Meelick with the points.
Kerry Team: Alanna Maunsell, Aine O’Connor, Niamh Leen, Michelle Costello, Eilis Harrington, Sara Murphy, Elaine Ryall, Orla Young, Jackie Horgan (Captain), Laura Collins, Clodagh Walsh, Aoife Behan, Jessica Fitzell, Patrice Diggin, Rachel McCarthy.
Substitutions: Julianne O’Keeffe for Clodagh Walsh, Caoimhe Shanahan for Rachel McCarthy, Treise Moran for Michelle Costello, Bríd Horan for Jackie Horgan, Alannah Whelan for Jessica Fitzell.
Management: Stephen Goggin, Gary O’Brien, Pete Young, Danny Guerin
Physical Trainer: Anthony Fealy
Administration: Joanne Diggin
