*Dean Hegarty. Photograph: Joe Buckley
BACK TO BACK defeats for Clare’s Oscar Traynor side has them in need of results going their way in the final round of the group if they are to progress to the knockout stages.
Limerick Desmond League 1
Clare District Soccer League 0
Venue: Askeaton
By Jim Madden
Clare’s inability to find the target in their two outings has them on the brink of exiting the
Oscar Traynor competition.
David Geary on the left wing for Limerick Desmond scored their goal on the stroke of half-time. He was the standout player of the tie and came close to hitting a second goal after his effort boomed off the crossbar.
It was an end to end game but Geary stood out, giving Jamie Roche a tough evening.
Clare played quite well in patches for the first half, they had a number of chances but shots from David Keenan, Eoin Hayes, Brian O’Connor and Jack O’Halloran were all blocked down or went wide. Limerick had a tightly packed defence with Joseph McAuliffe very strong at centre half winning everything there was to win in the air.
At the beginning of the second half, Clare had a lot of play particularly up to the sixty fifth minute, they put Limerick under pressure but didn’t look like threatening for a goal. After this spell, Limerick got on top with Geary becoming prolific.
Positives from the Clare perspective included Simon Kilker in goals, he did well with anything that went his way, the goal taking a deflection which left him stranded. Liam Buckley and Conor Mullen had solid performances while Brian O’Connor did well in patches. The entire Clare team worked hard but their style of play is direct football and hitting it over the top which many of them don’t seem overly familiar with and against sides with decent centre halfes like McAuliffe they are always going to find it difficult.
For the final group game against Kerry, Clare have it all to do and this weekend’s outings in the FAI Junior Cup for Avenue Utd, Bridge Utd and Newmarket Celtic if the trio progress may weaken Donie Garrihy’s side further if the clubs prevail as their focus will be more so on the fifth round of the national competition.
Limerick Desmond League: Andrew Ruddle; Alan O’Shea, Dylan Moloney, Adam Long, Joseph McAuliffe, Keith Punch, Jack Power, Michael Brosnan, Patrick Ahern, Jack Sheahan, David Geary
Clare District Soccer League: Simon Kilker; Jamie Roche, Liam Buckley, Conor Mullen, Brian O’Connor, Jack Kelly, Scott Kirkland, Dean Hegarty, David Keenan, Eoin Hayes, Jack O’Halloran.
Subs: Cullen McCabe for Keenan (50), Cian McDonough for Kelly (70), Nathan Boaventura for Roche (74), Conor Finucane for O’Connor (81), John Furston for O’Halloran (85).
