Déise Hopes Dented In Ennis

Waterford’s hopes of an All-Ireland quarter-final place were severely dented on Saturday when being forced to succumb from a strong second half fight back from hosts Clare in Cusack Park, Ennis.

Having secured a minimum victory over the Banner County in their first year at senior level last July, a second successive championship triumph appeared to be on the cards when Kate McMahon and Niamh Rockett raided for first half goals to give wind-assisted Waterford a six point advantage.

However, they were unable to build on that cushion and instead, those sucker-punches only seemed to motivate the home side who finished with the last four points of the half before maintaining that momentum on the restart to outscore the visitors by 1-8 to 0-3 and surge seven points clear by the 50th minute.
A late goal from substitute Becky Kavanagh did provide a glimmer of hope for never-say-die Waterford who slashed the arrears to just three. However, Clare would respond with a goal of their own through Aoife Keane to alleviate any grandstand finish and cement their first championship win since 2015.
It was all so different in the opening half as Waterford hit the ground sprinting to surge four points clear by the eighth minute. Backed by the conditions and the use of Jenny McCarthy as a sweeper, the visitors replied to Chloe Morey’s opener with points through Beth Carton and Lorraine Bray before being bettered by the opening goal only a minute later.

It stemmed from a flowing move involving Caithriona McGlone and Carton who cleverly picked out the overlapping run of unmarked Kate McMahon to solo through and billow the net at 1-2 to 0-1.

Clare hit back with four of the next five points, all from Morey placed balls to make it a one point game, only for Waterford to pull away once more with a further brace of Carton points along with a rather fortuitous second goal in the 24th minute when Niamh Rockett’s effort for a point from 50 metres deceived goalkeeper Ciara McCarthy and bounced over her head to push Waterford 2-5 to 0-5 in front.

With Shauna Kiernan excellent in defence and McMahon and Carton working tirelessly up front, that six point margin would have been a satisfactory cushion by the break. However, Clare upped the ante in the final minutes, with two points apiece from Morey and Andrea O’Keeffe lowering the deficit to just two at 2-5 to 0-9 with the wind to come.

While Kate McMahon had an early goal opportunity smothered by a combination of Carol O’Leary and Maire McGrath, Waterford never looked as composed and assured in the second period as Clare took over in the scoring stakes.
Three Morey points edged the Banner in front only a Carton free from 45 metres demonstrating Waterford’s initial resistance. However, Chloe Morey continue to be a thorn in their side, finishing the hour with 15 points, and she soon got the home side back on top while also seeing a shot at goal excellently saved by goalkeeper Brianna O’Regan by the end of the third quarter.

The decisive moment of this must-win tie arrived in the 46th minute when Beth Carton bore down on the Clare goal only to be excellently dispossessed by a Carol O’Leary flick, with the home side immediately countering to put substitute Aine O’Loughlin through to find the net on their way to a 1-17 to 2-07 lead.

Craving a response, Waterford reverted to a more orthodox formation, pushing captain Fiona Morrissey to full-forward in search of a lifeline. And it would pay off in the 55th minute when after a Bray point, Carton and Morrissey teed up Áine Lyng to shoot at goal. That effort was parried by goalkeeper McCarthy but substitute Becky Kavanagh was quickest to react to flick the rebound to the net at 1-17 to 3-08.

While Clare reacted with a Niamh O’Dea point in the next passage of play to restore a four point margin, Waterford’s best chance of a goal was once more denied by O’Leary who again pounced at the perfect moment to deny Carton.
Clare finally made the game safe with an opportunistic Aoife Keane goal but true to form, Waterford never gave up but found full-back O’Leary in defiant mood once more as she blocked a Niamh Rockett shot before having to settle for a consolation score.

With a two week gap until the next outing away to Galway before finishing their group campaign on home soil against Dublin the following Saturday, it’s now must-win territory for Waterford to advance to the business end of the All-Ireland championship.
Clare: Ciara McCarthy; Amy Barrett, Carol O’Leary, Maire McGrath; Laura McMahon, Claire Hehir, Róisín McMahon; Orlaith Duggan, Ciara Grogan; Orla Devitt, Aoife Keane, Andrea O’Keeffe; Chloe Morey, Niamh O’Dea, Aoibheann Duggan Subs: Áine O’Loughlin for Aoibheann Duggan, Emma O’Connell for Claire Hehir, Vera Loughnane for Orla Devitt.

Scorers: Chloe Morey 0-15 (8f, 1 ‘45), Aoife Keane 1-1, Áine O’Loughlin 1-0, Andrea O’Keeffe 0-2, Niamh O’Dea 0-1. 

Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Aoife Landers, Fiona Morrissey, Claire Whyte; Marie Russell, Shauna Kiernan, Mairead Power; Iona Heffernan, Áine Lyng; Caithriona McGlone, Jenny McCarthy, Kate McMahon; Beth Carton, Niamh Rockett, Lorraine Bray Subs Becky Kavanagh (1-0) for Iona Heffernan, Valerie O’Brien for Áine Lyng, Niamh Ahearne for Caithriona McGlone, Annie Glavey for Mairead Power.

Scorers: Beth Carton 0-6 (3F), Kate McMahon 1-1, Niamh Rockett, Becky Kavanagh 1-0 each, Lorraine Bray 0-2.

Referee: Cathal Egan (Cork)