DUBLIN 2-18 CLARE 2-12
The Jackies progress to the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC semi-final after victory in a titanic battle against Clare in Saturday’s quarter-final shootout in Banagher.
A Sinead Aherne goal seven minutes from time, her second of the game, finally gave the Dubs sufficient breathing space against very attack-minded Banner side.
Three minutes before Aherne’s well taken goal Jackies goalkeeper Cliodhna O’Connor made a great save to deny impressive Clare corner-forward Eimear Considine who had caused problems for the Dublin defence all game long.
In the opening half Dublin made the better start with points from Aherne and Mary Nevin but in this opening period they failed to convert some very promising situations into scores and Clare soon responded with scores from Louise Henchy (two) and Eimear Considine.
Indeed Clare have taken the upperhand before Dublin were awarded what looked a soft penalty in the 20th minute when Orla Egan was deemed to have been fouled in the square. Aherne duly dispatched the spot-kick with precision to put Dublin 1-5 to 0-5 in front.
Before the break Eimear Considine expertly judged the hop of the ball from a long delivery and raced through on goal to finish to the net and by the interval Dublin led 1-7 to 1-6.
Dublin’s restart to the second half was crucial to their victory with points from Colleen Barrett, the influential Elaine Kelly, Gemma Fay, Aherne, and sub Niamh Hurley seeing them open up a six-point lead, 1-12 to 1-6.
But back came the Banner and this was the fashion of the game to it’s conclusion with a brilliantly taken Niamh O’Dea goal for Clare with 14 minutes left pushing Dublin all the way to the finish with Aherne’s late goal the decisive score over the close of this highly entertaining tussle.
SCORERS – Dublin: S Aherne 2-4 (1-0 pen), E Kelly 0-4, N Hurley 0-3, C Barrett 0-2, M Nevin, L Davey, G Fay, L Peat, A McGuinness (0-1f) 0-1 each. Clare: E Considine, N O’Dea 1-3 each, L Henchy, N Keane 0-2 each, R Lenihan, E O’Connor 0-1 each.
