Banner and Sky Blues advance

Clare and Dublin will play in next Saturday’s All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-finals, having come through their play-offs at O’Moore Park.

The manner of their wins could not have been more different though, as Clare produced a stunning second-half performance to prevail 1-19 to 1-7 against Tipperary, while Dublin needed extra-time to edge it 0-17 to 2-10.

Clare reminded us of the talent in their ranks as Fiona Lafferty gave a player of the match display that yielded four points, and Claire McMahon shooting 10 points from placed balls.

It was a day to remember for 17-year-old Niki Kaiser, who scored her first championship points. Meanwhile Naomi Carroll, who played for Ireland in their 8-0 U21 hockey international success six days earlier, was also on target.

There was little sign of what was in the offing in the first-half, which ended with Clare leading by 0-7 to 0-5. Nicole Walsh and Jill Horan were amongst Tipperary’s scorers and the Premier girls thought they had hit the front five minutes before half-time when Noreen Flanagan scrambled the sliothar to the net from Walsh’s delivery in the 25th minute. She was adjudged to have been in the square, however.

Caoimhe Maher and Walsh hit points in response to Kaiser’s early opener but Tipp would not score for another 22 minutes, when Walsh goaled from a late penalty.

John Carmody’s outfit struck 1-11 in the intervening period, raising five white flags before Ailish Considine doubled wonderfully on a McMahon free to goal. McMahon was on fire as the Banner girls shot six more points before Walsh’s 55th minute consolation score.

There was much more tension in the second game in Portlaoise, with Kilkenny’s goals keeping them in contention for so long against a fired-up Dublin. The Sky Blues deservingly led by 0-6 to 0-2 at the interval but despite the unerring shooting of Máire Moynihan, were forced into extra time by goals from Elaine Aylward and Katie Power that left it 0-13 to 2-7.

Kilkenny stretched their lead to two points after the first period of extra time but showed tremendous character, with points from Moynihan and Orlaith Durkan to restore parity once more.

And it was player of the match, Arlene Cushen who came forward from the half-back line to shoot the winner, and spark tremendous celebrations.