*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
PROMOTION hopes for the Clare senior footballers were dashed in Down where they met their toughest opponents of the year to date and fared out second best.
Down 3-15
Clare 1-10
Venue: Páirc Esler, Newry
It was an opening half display where Clare were duly punished for their basic errors, a trend that has been part and parcel of their league bid to date. Despite the mistakes they remained in the contest at half-time and at the beginning of the second half but the concession of two goals in forty seconds crushed the promotion dreams.
Down got off to a blistering start and had 1-1 on the board inside the first five minutes. A missed pick-up from Daniel Walsh ended up in the concession of a the opening free which Pat Havern converted.
Poor reactions and tracking allowed Ceilum Doherty to raid for goal, this seconds after Stephen Ryan had made a block. There appeared to be some confusion about the green flag after Gavin Murray had cleared the ball but the umpires adjudged that the ball had crossed the line.
Ryan Johnston kicked their second point on seven minutes as the home support continued to make their presence known, particularly when it came to scoreable frees from the opposition.
Aaron Griffin had Clare’s first score of the afternoon and it was a goal on the ninth minute, he did well to round John O’Hare before calmly slotting home after Manus Doherty had played him through with a handpass. It was a lift that Clare needed and they hit the next score, a free from Ciaran Downes, the Kilmihil taking the placed ball after Emmet McMahon had missed two prior to this.
Two in a row from Down via Liam Kerr and Micael Rooney were answered by McMahon at the other end. The Kildysart man then had a chance to lower the gap to one but his free went wide, then Down fleshed out a four point advantage when Pat Havern and Danny Magill were on target.
Downes and Ceilum Doherty traded scores before Clare hit their first point from play in the last attack and it came through the boot of goalkeeper Stephen Ryan to make it 1-7 1-4 when the half-time whistle sounded.
When Ciaran Downes kicked a great score to start the second half, it sparked a belief for Clare but it was followed by a poor wide from Daniel Walsh, a score here would have reduced the deficit to a single point.
Instead Down would hit 2-3 without reply to seal their promotion to the second tier. They even had a goal disallowed, Daniel Guinness had goaled but along the way David Coldrick had blown his whistle which prompted Stephen Ryan to stop in his tracks. It appeared the goal would stand but after a two minute lull the decision was overturned.
It proved to be of no significance as Down hit two goals in a forty second window. Odhran Murdock converted a penalty after Guinness was brought down by Sweeney. The resulting kickout was won by Guinness who fed Murdock and he popped to Danny Magill for their third major.
This spell killed off the game and with it the chance of an immediate bounce back to Division 2 for Clare’s footballers.
Promotion was undoubtedly the main focus for Clare so anything short of that is a disappointment. However their overall campaign has consisted of more positives than negatives. Down were certainly their toughest opposition and it provides a glimpse of the level this new-look Clare need to get to. They lacked a strong attacking threat as evident by their return of 1-4 from play in seventy minutes while defensively they were opened up on occasions.
In what was his first start of the campaign, Cillian Rouine was a welcome addition to the Clare defence, he along with Dermot Coughlan did best for Mark Fitzgerald’s men.
By breaking at speed, strong execution of their kickouts and runners off the shoulder, Down proved too strong for Clare. Ceilum Doherty, Daniel Guinness, Liam Kerr and Danny Magill were best for the winners.
Scorers Down: C Doherty (1-2), P Havern (0-5 4f), D Magill (1-2), L Kerr (0-3), O Murdoch (1-0 pen), R Johnston (0-1), M Rooney (0-1).
Scorers Clare: C Downes (0-4 3f), A Griffin (1-0), M McInerney (0-2 1f), E McMahon (0-1 1f), S Ryan (0-1), D Coughlan (0-1), D O’Donnell (0-1 1f)
Down:
1: John O’Hare (Gleann)
2: Peter Fegan (Boireann)
3: Ryan McEvoy (Cill Chua)
5: Miceal Rooney (Cill Chua)
4: Ceilum Doherty (Cill Chua)
6: Pierce Laverty (Naomh Phadraig Sabhall)
18: Finn McElroy (Cloch Fhiadh)
8: Jonny Flynn (Loc An Oilean)
9: Odhran Murdock (Droichead Mhaigh Eo)
12: Ryan Johnston (Cill Chua)
11: Liam Kerr (Boireann)
7: Daniel Guinness (Ceithrú Aodh Dhuibh)
10: Danny Magill (Boireann)
14: Pat Havern (Sabhall)
15: James Guinness (Ceathrú Aoidh Dhuibh)
Subs:
20: John McGovern (Baile Cholmain) for Guinness (19)
13: Oisin Savage (Loc An Oilean) for McGovern (39)
22: Shane Annett (Droichead Mhaigh Eo) for McElroy (58)
19: Conor Francis (Bredach) for Rooney (64)
21: Ryan Magill (Boireann) for Kerr (67)
Clare:
1: Stephen Ryan (Kilrush Shamrocks)
4: Micheál Garry (Cooraclare)
2: Manus Doherty (Éire Óg)
3: Ronan Lanigan (Éire Óg)
17: Cillian Rouine (Ennistymon)
6: Alan Sweeney (St Breckan’s)
7: Daniel Walsh (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
8: Brian McNamara (Cooraclare)
9: Gavin Murray (Éire Óg)
5: Ikem Ugwueru (Éire Óg)
11: Ciaran Downes (Kilmihil)
12: Dermot Coughlan (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
15: Cormac Murray (St Joseph’s Miltown)
14: Aaron Griffin (Lissycasey)
10: Emmet McMahon (Kildysart)
Subs:
13: Joe McGann (St Breckan’s) for C Murray (HT)
19: Mark McInerney (Éire Óg) for G Murray (53)
26: Thomas Kelly (Shannon Gaels) for Sweeney (58)
24: Diarmuid O’Donnell (Kildysart) for McMahon (61)
23: Shane Griffin (Lissycasey) for Griffin (65)
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)
