O’DEA DRIVES FLYING BANNER TO FINE WIN

CLARE 2-17 DOWN 1-9

NIAMH O’DEA notched 2-8 as Clare beat Down in Kinnegad to win the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship.

Captain Laurie Ryan also played a key role for the Banner, who led from start to finish.

Despite only having 19 players at their disposal, Down battled gamefully throughout, especially in the opening half when an injurytime Jessica Foy goal slashed the half-time arrears to just 0-3.

However, although Kyla Trainor led the Ulster side’s challenge up front, they would only score 1-1 from play over the hour, in contrast to Clare’s 2-16.

Down were reduced to 14 when Trainor was sin-binned in the 18th minute and Clare took full advantage as O’Dea found the net four minutes later, followed by points from Caoimhe Harvey and Fidelma Marrinan.

However, the determined Trainor would make an immediate impact on her return to tee up Foy for a 31st minute goal that provided a timely boost at 1-7 to 1-4 by the interval.

That was as good as it would get for the Ulster side as Clare kicked 1-4 without reply in the third quarter, 1-3 from O’Dea , to lead 2-11 to 1-04.

And with Down suffering a second yellow card, it was essentially game over as the Banner strolled to a fine win. SCORERS– Clare: N O’Dea 2-8 (1f), F Marrinan, E Keane0-3each,CHarvey,CO’Leary,AKelly0-1each Down: J Foy 1-6 (6f), N Ferris 0-2 (2f), B McKee 0-1 CLARE – G Lynch; L Egan, E O’Gorman, G Harvey; R Considine, L Egan, C O’Leary; E O’Connor, L Woods; C Harvey, E Keane, O Devitt; F Marrinan, N O’Dea, C Blake Subs: S Ni Chonnaill for Egan (28), A Kelly for Blake (40), C Hester for O’Gorman (44), A Keane for Marrinan (50), A Morrissey for G Harvey (56)

DOWN – A Burns; L Duffy, O Boyle, C Laverty; C Moane, C Mulvena, A Greene; K McKay, K Trainor; M O’Boyle, G McClean, J Foy; B McKee, N Ferris, M Doherty Subs: S Doherty for McClean (HT), J Fitzimons for McKee (52), A Flynn for O’Boyle (55), M McCann for Moane (57)

REF – D McEnery (Westmeath)