*Ikem Ugwueru was Clare’s goal scorer. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE’s footballers ran out thirteen point winners over Leitrim to get their Division 3 campaign up and running in the Allianz National Football League.
Clare 2-17
Leitrim 0-10
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
What a difference a week makes! Seven days after a disappointing loss to Antrim in the opening round of the National Football League, Clare got their first points on the board when recording a thirteen point win over Leitrim at Cusack Park this Sunday afternoon.
While the Leitrim display was disappointing, Clare showed an improvement from last week with ten players sharing in their impressive final tally which included three two pointers, two from Eoin Cleary and one from Emmet McMahon.
Clare had named an unchanged team from that which started last week but they were forced into a late change when midfielder Brian McNamara was ruled out due to a groin strain.
He was replaced by Corofin’s Cillian McGroary who went in at wing back with Ikem Ugwueru moving to midfield.
Emmet McMahon opened Clare’s account when he converted a free in the second minute but a misplaced clearance from the Clare defence resulted in Keith Beirne landing the equaliser on the sixth minute.
McMahon landed a two pointer in the twelfth minute and from here on Clare got a grip on proceedings and followed with points from Aaron Griffin, Daniel Walsh and Eoin Cleary while Cleary landed two two pointers as Clare opened a 0-10 to 0-3 lead by the twenty seventh minute.
When the half time whistle sounded Clare’s lead was nine after further points from Aaron Griffin, Eoin Cleary and Ciaran Downes.
Sean McAllister added to Clare’s tally when the second half got underway before the visitors landed three in a row but any hopes of a rally by the Connacht side were quickly killed off when Ikem Ugwueru soloed past a number of players and crashed a piledriver to the net.
Five minutes later Alan Sweeney struck for his team’s second goal and the points were safely in the bag for the home side.
Manus Doherty, Cillian Rouine, Eoin Cleary, Eamon Tubridy, Fionn Kelleher and Cillian Brennan were prominent for the winners who can now turn their attention to Fermanagh in round 3 in two weeks time.
Barry McNulty dominated the midfield exchanges for the visitors while substitutes Eanna McNamara and Darren Cox showed some nice touches.
Scorers; Clare; Eoin Cleary (0-6, 2x2and 2 x 1); Emmett McMahon (0-4, 1f (1×2 and 1×1); Ikem Ugwueru and Alan Sweney (1-0) each; Aaron Griffin (0-3);Dankel Walsh, Ciaran Downes, Sen McAllister, Keelan Sexton (0-1) each
Scorers Leitrim; Barry McNulty (0-4, 1f) Keith Beirne (0-3, 1f) Riordan O’Rourke, Jack Flynn, Darren Cox (0-1) each
Clare;
1: Eamonn Tubridy (Doonbeg);
2: Manus Doherty (Éire Óg),
3: Cillian Brennan (Clondegad),
4: Cillian Rouine (Ennistymon);
19: Cillian McGroary (Corofin)
6: Fionn Kelleher (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield),
7: Alan Sweeney (St Breckans);
5; Ikem Ugwueru (Éire Óg),
9: Sean McAllister (Clondegad);
10: Eoin Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown),
11: Emmett McMahon (Kildysart)
12: Daniel Walsh (Kilmurry-Ibrickane);
13: Ciaran Downes (Kilmihil),
14: Aaron Griffin (Lissycasey),
15: Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane).
Subs:
21: Evan Cahill (Kilmurry-Ibrickane) for McAllister (55)
23: Shane Griffin (Lissycasey) for Cleary (61)
20: Rory McMahon (Kildysart) for McGroary (62)
18: Connor Meaney (Lissycasey) for Sweeney (67)
Leitrim;
1: Daire O’Shea
2: Eoin McLoughlin
3: Kieran Clancy
4: Cathal McHugh;
5: Sean Harkin
6: Mark Diffley
7: Mark Keegan
8: Barry McNulty
9: Keith Keegan
10: Jordan Reynolds
11: Jack Flynn
12: Tom Prior;
13: Paul Honeyman
14: Riordan O’Rourke
15: Keith Beirne
Subs:
21: Eanna McNamara for C. McHugh (29)
24: Stephen McLoughlin M. Keegan (half time)
26: Darren Cox for J. Reynolds (46)
23: Conor Quinn for T. Prior (58)
25: Diarmuid Kelleher for J. Flynn (67)
Referee: James Molloy (Galway)
