CLARE’s senior footballers recorded their third league win in four outings with a thirteen point victory over Wicklow.
Clare 2-15
Wicklow 0-8
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Two Cormac Murray goals in as many minutes shortly before the half time whistle sent Clare on the road to a thirteen point win over Wicklow in this Allianz football league division 3 tie played before an attendance of 1,719 patrons.
This result puts Clare in a strong position to ensure their division 3 status while they are also still capable of winning promotion back to division 2.
The opening quarter of this tie was particularly disappointing with both sides guilty of plenty of mistakes and missed chances.
Points were exchanged three times before an Emmet McMahon’s free in the twenty seventh minute gave Clare a lead they would hold to the finish.
The game had just passed the half hour mark when Muraray strick for his first goal and two minutes later he strock again, anosther low effort beating the Wicklow goalie Shane Doyle at his near post.
The goals helped the home side to a seven point half time lead, 2-5 to 0-4, a margin that hadn’t looked likely for tbe opening half hour.
A strong start to the second half when Clare landed 0-5 without reply in twelve minutes killed the game as a contest.
With just fifteen minutes of the second period played the visitors made four substitutions at the same time and while they responded with two points, there was never any sign that they could get back into contention and asvoid suffering their fourth defeat of the campaign.
The Clare defence was in control tshroughout with Daniel Walsh, Ronan Lanigan and Micheál Garry to the fore while the midfield pairing of Gavin Murray and Brian McNamara gave Clare the upperhand in the area.
The forward line struggled, particularly in the first half but good work from Iken Ugwueru, Cormac Murray in the opening half and Aaron Griffen in the second period helped steer the Banner side to this victory.
Scorers Clare; Cormac Murray (2-1); Emmett McMahon (0-4, all frees); Ciaran Downes (2 frees), Aaron Griffin (0-3) each; Brian McNamara (0-2); Diarmuid O’Donnell (free), Ronan Lanigan (0-1) each
Scorers Wicklow; Brian Nesbitt, Gearoid Murphy (0-2) each; Kevin Quinn (free), John Paul Nolan (free), Eoin Darcy, Joe Prendergast (0-1) each;
Clare:
1: Stephen Ryan, Kilrush Captain
4: Micheál Garry, Cooraclare
2: Manus Doherty Eire Og
3: Ronan Lanigan, Eire Og
17; Einne O’Connor, Eire Og
6: Alan Sweeney, St. Breckans
7: Daniel Walsh, Kilmurry-Ibrickane
8: Gavin Murray, Eire Og
9: Brian McNamara, Cooraclare;
12: Ciaran Downes, Kilmihil
11: Emmett McMahon, Kildysart,
5: Ikem Ugwueru, Eire Og;
13: Cormac Murray, Miltown St. Josephs
14: Aaron Griffin, Lissycasey
15: Shane Griffin, Lissycasey
Subs:
23; Darren Nagle (Liscannor) for O’Connor (inj. 34)
10: Joe McGann (St. Breckans) for S. Griffin (47)
25: Diarmuid O’Donnell (Kildysart) for Murray (53)
24: Josh Guyler (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Walsh (inj. 61)
22: Darren O’Brien (Eire Og) for McMahon
18: James Curran (St. Josephs) for Ugwueru (68)
Wicklow;
1: Shane Doyle
4: Matt Nolan
3: Malachy Stone
2: Tom Moran;
25: Joe Prendergast,
6: Patrick O’Keane
7: Eoin Murtagh
8: Craig Maguire
9: Jack Kirwan
22: Gearoid Murphy
11: Dean Healy
12: John Paul Nolan;
17: Christopher O’Brien
14: Kevin Quinn
13: Eoin Darcy
Subs:
10: Cathal Baker for Prendergsst (half time)
23: Cillian Mcdonald for Murtagh
15: Brian Nesbitt for O’Brien
18: Declan Doyle for Maguire
20: Oisin McGraynor for Darcy (all 50)
Referee: Jonathan Hayes, Limerick
