*Clare’s Gearoid Madden gets a strike away. Photograph: Ruth Griffin.
CLARE’s minor hurlers recorded their first win of this year’s championship when overcoming All-Ireland champions Waterford.
Clare 1-20
Waterford 2-12
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
As Clare recorded the warmest temperatures in the country for the second day running, the sun finally shone for the county’s minor hurlers to get off the mark with their victory of the year.
It will take more than sunshine to bring them to a Munster final but securing a first win of the campaign was merited as Clare were the superior side over the hour, goalkeeper Patrick Murphy in his first start saving a penalty with the last puck of the game.
Colm Daly at centre back was superb for Clare, his ability to read the game and his distribution was top drawer while to boot he was able to chip in with two fine scores.
Daly was the standout performer for the winners with James O’Donnell, Seanie Connellan, Isaac Hassett and Oran Duignan also delivering decent displays.
Within the Waterford ranks, Jack Walsh, Donnacha Flannery, Dylan Murphy and Darragh Murphy were best. The Déise were managed by former Ballygunner boss Darragh O’Sullivan.
Having led for the entire game, Clare had built up an eight point cushion by the seventeenth minute and held a six point lead by the sounding of the half time whistle.
When Clare applied the pressure and started winning turnovers, they managed to shove further ahead with Donncha McKenna landing an excellent score on fourteen minutes after winning a turnover himself.
Nikki Belenko struck for Clare’s only goal on thirty seven minutes, Ben Talty supplying the offload as the emphasis from the sideline was to feed the full-forward line.
Waterford cancelled out the major in their next attack with Donnacha Flannery hitting the net after Jack Walsh won the race for possession ahead of Talty at the other end of the field.
Talty with two points and Daly’s second score of the evening saw the hosts reply well and heading into the final ten minutes they led by double scores with Cian Mullins and Oran Duignan on target.
Flannery bagged a second goal on fifty three minutes, it formed part of Waterford hitting 1-2 without reply at the finish, a tally that could have included a second goal if Murphy did not save the penalty, Clare failing to score from the fifty second minute onwards.
Ahead of their final round robin tie with Cork, Clare will make the journey Leeside with more confidence after putting their first points on the board.
Scorers Clare: B Talty (0-6 5f), J O’Donnell (0-4), O Duignan (0-3), N Belenko (1-0), C Daly (0-2), P Murphy (0-1 1f), G Madden (0-1), D McKenna (0-1), C Mullins (0-1).
Scorers Waterford: D Murphy (0-8 4f 1’65), D Flannery (2-0), C Delaney (0-2), M Moloney (0-1).
Clare:
1: Patrick Murphy (Tulla)
2: Odhran Perill (Crusheen)
3: Cian Maxted (Clooney/Quin)
4: Marcas Fitzpatrick (Clooney/Quin)
5: Podge Murphy (Corofin)
6: Colm Daly (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
7: Seán Connellan (Kilmaley)
8: Oran Duignan (Banner)
9: Isaac Hassett (Clooney/Quin)
12: Cian Mullins (Sixmilebridge)
11: Gearóid Madden (Scariff)
10: James O’Donnell (Broadford)
13: Donncha McKenna (Scariff)
14: Nikki Belenko (Tulla)
15: Ben Talty (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
Subs:
22: Conor Coffey (Banner) for McKenna (53)
20: Dara Seery (Inagh/Kilnamona) for Maxted (56) (inj)
21: Ryan Mahony (Éire Óg) for Duignan (61).
Waterford:
1: Mikey Ware (Geraldines)
6: Andrew Power (Ballygunner)
5: Jack Walsh (Mount Sion)
18: Calum Crowley (Ballygunner)
7: Emmet Walsh (Stradbally)
3: Darragh Murphy (St Mary’s)
2: Luke Fitzgerald (Passage)
9: Adam Cummins (Lismore)
8: Stephen Coffey (Sliabh gCua/St Mary’s)
15: Liam Mac Fhlannchadha (An Rinn)
14: Dylan Murphy (Roanmore)
13: Jack Mullaly (De La Salle)
24: Donncha Flannery (Mount Sion)
10: Cian Delaney (Butlerstown)
22: Michael Moloney (Ballygunner)
Subs:
12: Ferdia Geoghegan (St Mollerans) for MacFhlannchlada (HT)
11: Ryan Molumphy (Ballyduff) for Coffey (38)
20: Jack O’Sullivan (Ballygunner) for Mullally (46)
21: Cian Qualter (An Rinn) for Delaney (58)
Referee: Canice Walsh (Cork)
