WOMEN'S IFC: Clare 3-10 Fermanagh 1-11: CLARE MADE up for last year's final heartbreak by capturing the intermediate championship crown at Croke Park yesterday.
Clare looked on course for a comfortable victory with 20 minutes remaining as they led by seven points, 2-7 to 0-6, but a remarkable Fermanagh rally brought the Ernesiders level with eight minutes left on the clock.
A run of 1-4 without reply tied the game at 1-10 to 2-7, but just when it appeared that Clare’s hold on the game had slipped, they recovered with a strong finish to secure the title.
Clare racked up 1-3 in the final seven minutes of playing time as two-goal heroine Majella Griffin’s 53rd minute strike proved crucial.
Clare assumed complete control again to close the game out and secure senior championship football in 2010.
An exciting second period was in direct contrast to the opening half, which was littered with bad wides and poor passages of play.
CLARE:D Walsh; S Eustace, L Kelly, S Hoey; M Delaney, S Kelly, L Woods; L Henchy (0-1), F Lafferty (0-1); M Considine, E Morrissey (0-1), E Considine (1-1); A Kelly, N Keane (0-1), M Griffin (2-4, four frees). Subs: R Lenihan (0-1) for M Considine (52 mins), G Lynch for Lafferty (56 mins), B Kelly for Morrissey (58 mins), C Considine for A Kelly (58 mins), AM Callinan for Griffin (59 mins).
FERMANAGH: D Gilroy; T Hughes-Little, E McGovern, C Woods; A Newell, P Melanaphy, A Gallagher; C Murphy, K McManus; A McBrien, S Hamilton (0-1), A Moane (0-2); D Maguire, S Little (0-3), C Little (1-5, four frees). Subs: S McGovern for Woods (36), A McCaughey for McBrien (56), N Curran for E McGovern (59).
Referee: J Murray (Dublin).
