THE history of women's football in Clare stretches back to 1926 when Annie Ryan's grandmother played her part in a parish league game in Cooraclare. Yesterday at Croke Park Annie Ryan helped Clare beat Longford and lift the All-Ireland junior championship title.
This was Clare's third junior title and right corner back Breda Aherne-O'Halloran shared in the two previous wins, in 1989 and 1991. But even past experiences could not have fully prepared her for this epic and exciting clash.
The midfield battle was a microcosm of the match. The stronger Clare women relied on the forceful pairing of Eithne Morrissey and Annie Ryan, while Longford opted for the more nimble and varied trickery of Fiona BlessingIon and Michelle Hannify. Ultimately, strength overcame subtlety.
One of the keys to Clare's victory was the ability of centre forward Majella Griffin to strike for vital scores and to create space for better placed team-mates with her astute distribution. Her sixth-minute goal followed a similar effort from corner forward Claire Daly. This boosted Clare to a 2-0 to 0-1 lead and from there on Longford were playing a chasing game. But, chase and harry and persist, they did.
In the 20th minute a long-range free by Mary Kiernan was deflected to the net by Jennifer Hennessy and Longford had the goal they threatened to get through the incisive running of both midfielders and wing forward Mary Burke. Points from Hannify and Kiernan had the game back on an even keel by the 24th minute (1-5 to 2-2).
Yet, within five minutes Longford were in danger of being swamped again after a Clare burst that included goals from Daly and Nollaig Griffin.
Trailing by seven points (4-3 to 1-5), at half-time, Longford refused to panic and chipped away at Clare's resistance. When Hannify and Dara Gill blasted home goals, just a point separated the sides.
But Longford could never quite snatch the lead and consequently the psychological edge always lay with Clare. Points from Daly, Brid Keane, Majella Griffin and Miriam Flynn were sufficient to cushion the effect of Barbara McElvaney's expert conversion of a 57th-minute penalty.
