*Clare’s Jack O’Neill chased by Conor Tobin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Clare got off the mark in this year’s Munster Minor Hurling Championship in impressive fashion when seeing off Waterford in Cusack Park Ennis this evening.
Clare 1-22
Waterford 1-08
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Leading from start to finish, Clare appeared much more resolute, decisive and confident in their second outing, having disappointedly faltered in the second period against Tipperary seven days earlier.
Considering the age profile, the Under 17 grade is all about incremental improvement which was required and indeed delivered by Clare who had leaders throughout the park in front of a decent home attendance.
The triumvirate of defensive lynchpin James Hegarty, chief architect Jack O’Neill and top-scorer Cian Neylon who finished with 1-5, made the Banner tick but debutant Sean McMahon, targetman Oisin Whelan, busy midfielder Diarmuid Stritch, Fionan Treacy and goalkeeper Mark Sheedy who produced two important stops, were others to stand up significantly when needed most.
On the flip side, Waterford sorely struggled to find form and it was hard to believe that they were in the driving seat against group winners Tipperary until a late turnaround.
That was of no concern to the home side that hit the ground running and never looked in doubt of letting their clear advantage slip at any stage. With the wind at their backs, O’Neill (2), James Organ (2), Whelan (2) and Neylon hit the first seven points whereas Waterford struck six wides in the same period.
Indeed, it took until the 21st minute for the Déise to open their account through an excellent Billy O’Connell lineball. However it would only be a temporary reprieve as Oisin Whelan’s late brace of frees were almost accentuated by a Neylon goal, following good work from Hegarty and O’Neill, only for his powerful effort to just miss the far post at 0-9 to 0-2.
A Waterford recovery never came despite the half-time regrouping, with the withdrawal of the central axis of centre-back, centre-forward and both midfielders telling its own tale of their self-implosion.
Clare accelerated that process when resuming with another unstoppable rally, with Cian Neylon grabbing 1-2 as the hosts outscored Waterford by 1-5 to 0-1 by the 40th minute at 1-14 to 0-3.
With the result beyond doubt, Clare did lift their foot off the gas for the remainder until a Conor Tobin consolation goal for Waterford sparked a new lease of life that saw home substitute Fred Hegarty excel with their last three points in as many minutes.
It was a statement of intent that couldn’t have been any better timed as they now prepare to host Kerry back in Cusack Park at the quarter-final next Tuesday whereas Waterford will need to pick up the pieces fit if they are to survive another journey west when taking on Group 2 runners-up Limerick.
Scorers for Clare: Cian Neylon 1-5, Oisin Whelan 0-7 (5f), Jack O’Neill 0-3, Fred Hegarty 0-3, James Organ 0-2, Diarmuid Stritch 0-2
Scorers for Waterford: Jack Twomey 0-4 (4f), Conor Tobin (1-1), Billy O’Connell 0-1 (sl), Sean Mackey 0-1, Peter Cummins 0-1
Clare
1: Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge)
2: Eoghan Gunning (Broadford)
3: Fionan Treacy (Éire Óg)
4: John Cahill (Clooney-Quin)
5: Sean McMahon (Smith O’Brien’s)
6: James Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona)
7: Riain McNamara (Cratloe)
8: Piaras Ó Sé (Ruan)
9: Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara)
10: Michael Collins (Clonlara)
11: Jack O’Neill (Clooney-Quin)
12: James Organ (Corofin)
13: Sam Scanlan (Clooney-Quin)
14: Oisin Whelan (Clarecastle)
15: Cian Neylon (Kilmaley)
Subs
18: Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge) for Ó Sé (43)
21: Frankie Lyons (Ruan) for Collins (43)
19: Dylan Keane Hayes (Kilmaley) for Organ (49)
24: Fionn Hayes (Sixmilebridge) for Scanlan (54)
23: Fred Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Stritch (56)
Waterford
1: Brian Callaghan (Abbeyside)
2: Conor Keane (De La Salle)
3: Aaron O’Neill (Ballygunner)
4: Tony Brennan (Ballygunner)
5: Billy O’Connell (Abbeyside)
6: Daniel Lalor (De La Salle)
7: Darragh Walsh (Abbeyside)
8: Sean Mackey (Fenor)
9: Cillian Ryan (Brickey Rangers)
10: Michael Morrissey (Fourmilewater)
15: Peter Cummins (Brickey Rangers)
12: Gearoid Power (Clonea)
13: Conor Tobin (Ballygunner)
14: Jack Twomey (De La Salle)
11: Ben O’Sullivan (Lismore)
Subs
19: Jake Henley (Tallow) for Ryan (27)
18: Bobby Drohan (St Molleran’s) for Lalor (35)
20: Josh Hegarty (St Molleran’s) for Power (38)
24: Barry Flynn (Erin’s Own) for Mackey (48)
23: Joe O’Keeffe (Lismore) for O’Sullivan (51)
Referee: Eamon Stapleton (Limerick)
