Another man of the match performance from Tony Kelly has steered Clare into Munster semi-final meeting with Tipperary next week as they comfortably disposed of Waterford.
Clare 1-22
Waterford 0-21
Venue: Semple Stadium, Thurles
The Ballyea man was in sparkling form throughout and caused huge problems for the Waterford defence.
While there is no doubting the merit of the Clare team’s victory, there will be concern in the Clare camp at the fact that they shot twenty three wides while they allowed a nine point led to be whittled down to three as the game went into ‘added time’.
Overall Clare showed the greater hunger for victory on the day and they hunted in packs throughout the tie.
Clare got off to a blistering start and led 0-5 to 0-0 after six minutes, the first three scores having come from Tony Kelly who started at full forward.
Clare continued to dominate the opening quarter and were 0-7 to 0-3 ahead at the first waterbreak.
Clare could well have been much further ahead. The Bnner side’s tally of wides had stretsched to fourteen by the time the half time whistle sounded at which stage the score was 1-13 to 0-7 at this point as they had shot nine wides in that period.
The game’s only goal came six minutes from the half time whistle when Aron Shanagher was fouled which resulted in a penalty which Kelly converted. Adding to Waterford’s woes, they had Shane Fives sent to the sin bin for the foul.
Waterford turned over with wind advantage to come but it was point for point throughout the third quarters, each adding five to their half time tallies to leave the score at 1-18 to 0-12 at the three quarter stage.
While the Déise outfit had the better of the scoring stages in the final period, they never threatened the goal which they needed to get back into contention and Clare held on for a fully merited victory.
Team captain John Conlon led by example from centre back while Dirmuid Ryan, was another who gave great support to the brilliant Kelly on a day when Clare managed to deny Dessie Hutchinson a score while also succeeding in limiting Austin Gleeson influence.
Clare;
1-–Eibhear Quilligan;
2–Rory Hayes,
3–Conor Cleary,
4–Paul Flanagan;
5–Diarmuid Ryan, 0-1
6–John Conlon (captain),
7–Paidi Fitzpatrick;
8–Colm Galvin,
10-Cathal Malone; 0-1
15–Aidan McCarthy, 0-3
11–David Reidy, 0-2
12–Ryan Taylor; 0-2
14–Aron Shanagher
9—Tony Kelly, 1-12
13–Ian Galvin; 0-1
Subs; David McInerney for Fitzpatrick (50); David Fitzgerald for I. Galvin (57) Mark Rodgers for Reidy (60); Domhnaill McMahon for C. Galvin (65); Shane Golden for McCarthy (69)
Waterford;
1–Billy Nolan;
3–Coonor Gleeson,
5–Calum Lyons 0-1
2–Shane Fives;
4–Shane McNulty,
6–Iarlaith Daly,
8–Ausrin Gleeson 0-5
7–Kevin Moran,
9–Darragh Lyons;
10–Peter Hogan,
11–Jack Fagan,
12–Stephen Bennett (captain); 0-11, 9 f
13–Dessie Hutchinson,
14–Shane Bennett,
15–Jack Prendergast;
Subs; Kieran Bennett (0-1) for Moran (31); Patrick Curran (0-1) for Fagan (44); Neil Montgomery (0-1) for Prendergast (46); Billy Power for Lyons (53);Mikey Kearney (0-1) for Hogan (63)
Referee; Colm Lyons, Cork;
