Defeat but plenty of promise as O'Leary's Laois era begins

All-Ireland LGFA Intermediate Championship 

Clare 1-11 

Laois 1-10 

PETER O'Leary's reign as Laois Ladies manager begun with a narrow one-point defeat to Clare in O'Moore Park on Sunday afternoon.

With a five-week break from their exit from the Leinster Championship, there was plenty of positives for Laois to take into the rest of the championship.

A slow start probably cost the home side, but they showed great battling qualities only to lose by a point in the end.

Clare got off to a fantastic start against the wind and soon would be in charge of the early stages. They kicked three in a row before Laois could respond.

Ellie Hanrahan was probably the best player on the pitch kicked two excellent points in a row while Chole Moloney got the third from a free.

Laois responded through a brilliant two-point effort from Emily Lacey to settle Laois into the game. But Clare responded once more through a brace of frees from Fidelma Marrinan.

Both teams traded points through Havill who nailed a free for Laois while her counterpart in Ellie Hanrahan would get another brilliant score from play.

Just before half time Laois got another two pointer from Lacey and after a slow start Laois were right back in the contest as Clare led 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.

Havill and Hanrahan traded points after half time and Laois were growing into the contest as the game went on.

Both teams traded points once more through Lacey and Moloney as Clare remained a single point in front.

Laois midfielder Sarah Larkin who was impressive in the second half equalised for Laois and the momentum started to swing in the way of Laois.

But disaster soon struck for the home side as a kickout from Eimear Barry went wrong and was punished by Lauren Conway who won the kicked and finished to the net to put a bit of daylight between the teams.

Marrinan added another free for Clare with ten minutes remaining, but Laois were now running out of time to produce a comeback.

They hit two points in a row through Ellen O'Byrne and a Lacey free to reduce the gap to two points. Yet again, Clare responded as Laois were closing in and hit two more points in a row as there was minutes left.

Marrinan nailed another free while Hanrahan finished the scoring for her side. Laois did throw everything they had, and they were awarded a penalty in injury time after Shifra Havill was taken down.

Lacey made no mistake in finding the net, but it was the last kick of the as Clare hung on for victory.

SCORERS:

Clare: Ellie Hanrahan 0-5, Fidelma Marrinan 0-4 (fs), Lauren Conway 1-0, Chloe Moloney 0-2 (0-1f).

Laois: Emily Lacey 1-6 (2tps, 1-0 pen, 0-2fs), Shifra Havill 0-2 Ellen O'Byrne and Sarah Larkin 0-1 each.

CLARE: Rebecca Sexton; Hannah Doyle, Rebecca Doohan, Shauna Melican; Abi Kelly, Joanna Doohan, Emer Burke; Theresa Collins, Aine Slattery; Amy Sexton, Ellie Hanrahan, Fidelma Marrinan; Leah Kelly, Chloe Moloney, Lauren Conway. Subs: Sinead Considine for Burke (23), Emer Burke for Melican (40), Sophie Torpey for Amy Sexton (55) LAOIS: Eimear Barry (Ballinakill); Deirdre Phelan (Portlaoise), Sinead Farrelly (St Joseph's), Mary Cotter (St Conleth's); Faye McEvoy (Ballyroan), Andrea Moran (Ballyroan), Lara Culleton (Portlaoise); Sarah Larkin (Timahoe), Anna Healy (Park/Ratheniska); Aishling Fitzpatrick (The Heath), Shifra Havill (St Conleth's), Ciara Crowley (Portlaoise); Mary O'Hara (Park/Ratheniska), Emily Lacey (St Joseph's), Mia Branagan (Graiguecullen).

Subs: Jenny Murphy (Timahoe) for Fitzpatrick (42m), Ellen O'Byrne (Park/Ratheniska) for Farrelly (50m), Ciara Byrne (Portlaoise) for Branagan (56).