CLARE ENDED THE three-in-a-row hopes of Cork in the Camogie League Division 1 with a pillar-to-post victory in today’s semi-final at Kilmallock.
Colm Honan’s charges will play Kilkenny in the final next week as a result of this 1-12 to 0-11 success.
While clearly a surprise result, the Banner women have troubled their Leeside rivals on numerous occasions in recent years, beating them in the Munster final in 2012 and only losing at the same juncture of this competition after extra time last season.
Clare stared well with a couple of points from Chloe Morey frees and an 18th minute goal from Fiona Lafferty, after good work from Ellen Horgan and Laura McMahon. Cork steadied the ship though and it was 1-4 to 0-4 at half time.
Crucially, Morey and McMahon hit the first two points of the second half and they held on comfortably to confirm their final berth.
In the All-Ireland minor A final, Limerick and Cork will have to do it all over again next Saturday when they could not be separated in the second game at Kilmallock. The game finished 2-11 to 3-8.
Waterford beat Derry 4-6 to 0-2 to claim the All-Ireland minor B title in Blakestown while in a high-scoring minor B Shield decider, Antrim came out on top against Dublin on a 6-11 to 3-10 scoreline. Meath are the All-Ireland minor C champions after beating Meath 1-13 to 0-5.
Joubert was nothing short of a disgrace in the final .
Joubert was nothing short of a disgrace in every match he’s ever reffed.
Can you imagine if France won though? That would just be bad for rugby in general, and Lievremont might have kept his job longer!
I would more say that he bottled it rather than set out to ensure a home win. Having said that he was chosen to ref the final on the basis that he would bottle it.
They’ll need an even bigger performance from Andre Joubert if they’re to win it again.
*Craig Joubert
They’re clearly the best team on paper so it all just depends on whether they show up. I’ll be putting a sizeable bet on a Southern Hemisphere winner at 7/11. Bet of the century as far as I’m concerned.
Carter will be lucky to get his place in the team these days. Barrett and Slade will gunning for a starting berth. Their strength in depth is remarkable. They could their top 5 or 6 players and still win it.
*could lose their top 5 or 6 players
No Slade would never be starting unless an emergency situation a la 2011 were to happen again. He’s good but nothing more than a bench player. I’d have Cruden as the starting 10 if he wasn’t injured, however I’m confident DC will deliver as long as he doesn’t get injured. TBH the only headache and legitimate question from the above is who our starting right winger is. If you were to go by form you’d be urged to drop Savea for Naholo and have Skudder on the right, but that won’t happen.
Watched the documentary on the NZ triumph in 2011 on a plane a few years ago. Conrad Smith trying to choke back laughter when commenting on how Ireland beat Australia stuck with me. His take was; “you know, scoff scoff, one of these smaller northern sides, might, *tries to hold back laughter, in their day and that, scoff scoff, even, scoff, beat you!”