*Conor Cleary accepts the Division 1B trophy from Jarlath Burns. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE have won Division 1B of the Allianz National Hurling League capping off their start to the season with a seventh win from as many games.
Clare 2-26
Dublin 3-20
Venue: TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
Box ticked for Clare’s senior hurlers was the feeling in the Gaelic Grounds, as has been the case throughout their run in the second tier they got the job done and stuck to the task at hand.
It is the first time since 2012 that Clare have won the second tier of the league. The Gaelic Grounds was the setting when Clare won 0-21 1-16 with John Conlon then corner forward introduced as a substitute for the final quarter on Sunday afternoon while Brendan Bugler was wing back then and is coach now.
A strong first half where they held a ten point advantage put Clare on their way to success and ensured that even though they were outscored 1-15 0-11 over the course of the second half it didn’t affect the outcome.
An injury sustained by sharpshooter Mark Rodgers is the biggest concern. Whether it is a muscular strain or tear has yet to be confirmed but as he made his way to pick up the man of the match award from TG4, the Scariff attacker was hobbling and cut a dejected figure. The hope of the Clare hurling public is that his injury is not a serious one as he is central to the championship cause. He had 0-12 to his credit by the time of his exit on forty eight minutes and had one hundred percent accuracy from placed balls.
Shane O’Donnell made way at half time and manager Brian Lohan confirmed following the game that the Éire Óg man was substituted after picking up a knock.
After conceding a penalty on six minutes, Clare responded extremely well. Rory Hayes picked up a black card for his foul on Cian O’Callaghan but the numercal advantage didn’t deter Clare from getting on top of proceedings.
John Hetherton may have crossed the 21m line when taking the penalty but the setback spurred Clare to life. O’Donnell in his first start of 2026 was very lively and hit 1-1 in a three minute spell.
Cathal Malone’s interception in defence started the move which ended with Mark Rodgers’ first score from play on ten minutes, he hit over two more points followed by a burst of 1-1 from Shane Meehan to see Clare lead 2-5 1-2 by the close of the first quarter.
Cian O’Sullivan pulled a goal back for Dublin on twenty one minutes, a score that will frustrate the Clare defence and management. This cut the gap to five points but Clare replied with three scores on the bounce, two from Rodgers and one from Meehan to immediately cancel out the green flag.
Midfielder Chris Donohoe landed two points without reply for the Dubs but Clare replied via Rodgers and Ryan Taylor. With the final three points of the half, Clare led by ten points at the sounding of the half-time whistle.
Dublin hit six points without reply on the restart to cut into the deficit making it a four point game by the forty first minute. Three Rodgers’ frees steadied Clare but his withdrawal through injury coupled with O’Donnell’s departure did take some life from the Banner attack.
Peter Duggan took over the mantle as freetaker and slotted over three placed balls in the second half, his first was followed by a Ryan Taylor effort to make it an eight point margin on fifty one minutes. Dublin put together three points in a row but Clare were still able to keep themselves at arm’s length.
That grip was reduced when Fergal Whitely’s ground stroke rippled the net on sixty one minutes to make it a two point game. This would be as close as it got with three points from wing back Diarmuid Ryan in the final eleven minutes proving to be vital scores.
Still a bit off the pace required for championship, Clare’s second half slump will need to be studied by management but the electricity of Rodgers and O’Donnell in particular won’t dampen expectation on what can be achieved in 2026. The duo along with Diarmuid Ryan and Rory Hayes impressed.
Scorers Clare: M Rodgers (0-12 9f), S Meehan (1-3), S O’Donnell (1-1) P Duggan (0-4 3f), D Ryan (0-3), R Taylor (0-2), I Galvin (0-1)
Scorers Dublin: C O’Sullivan (1-10 6f), C Donohoe (0-4), F Whitely (1-1), J Hetherton (1-0 Pen), D Power (0-2), D Ó Dulaing (0-1 1f), B Hayes (0-1), D Purcell (0-1)
Scorers for Clare: M Rodgers 0-12 (9 frees); S Meehan 1-3; S O’Donnell 1-1; P Duggan 0-4 (3 frees); D Ryan 0-3; R Taylor 0-2; I Galvin 0-1.
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Clare
1: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2: Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
3: Conor Cleary (Kilmaley)
4: Conor Leen (Corofin)
5: Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
6: Niall O’Farrell (Broadford)
7: Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
8: Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones)
9: Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin)
10: Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin)
11: David Reidy (Éire Óg)
12: David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona)
15: Mark Rodgers (Scariff)
14: Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
13: Shane Meehan (Banner)
Subs:
19: Ian Galvin (Clonlara) for O’Donnell (HT)
21: Jack O’Neill (Clooney/Quin) for Fitzgerald (HT)
20: Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara) for Rodgers (48)
17: John Conlon (Clonlara) for Lohan (55)
24: Daithí Lohan (Wolfe Tones) for Leen (66)
Dublin:
1: Seán Brennan (Cuala)
2: Conor McHugh (Na Fianna)
3: Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
4: Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
7: Andrew Dunphy (St. Brigid’s)
6: Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
5: Paddy Doyle (Naomh Barróg)
9: Conor Donohoe (Erin’s Isle)
8: Conor Burke (St. Vincent’s)
10: Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes)
13: Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing (Commercials)
11: Brian Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes)
12: Darragh Power (Fingallians)
14: John Hetherton (St. Vincent’s)
15: Cian O’Sullivan (St. Brigid’s)
Subs:
24: Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes) for Ó Dulaing (HT)
21: John Bellew (Lucan Sarsfields) for Smyth (HT)
23: Dara Purcell (Kilmacud Crokes) for Power (55)
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)
