*Captain Tony Kelly leads the way for Clare. Photograph: Ruth Griffin
CLARE are off to a winning start in the Munster SHC following a six point victory over Waterford.
Clare 2-33
Waterford 4-21
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis
Munster championship returned to Ennis and so did the sunshine but more importantly, Clare picked up a first home win in the provincial championship since May 2024 when the opposition was once again Waterford.
It could have been a greater winning margin but it also could have been far less and a potential upset. Shane Meehan scored a goal at the death to extend the margin, Ian Galvin having made a tremendous run after a mistimed handpass saw Waterford spurn a potential chance to nab a goal of their own.
Raising green flags was no tough task for Waterford, they had four over the seventy minutes, three from Stephen Bennett, he’s scored five goals against Clare in championship in two seasons. The manner in which the hosts were cut open requires introspection and is the main work-on ahead of round two with Limerick.
There were plenty of pleasing aspects for Clare, the showings of the young-guns like Seán Rynne who hit five points, Diarmuid Stritch who excelled with three points off the bench in his championship debut and Niall O’Farrell fared well in his provincial bow.
Level eight times in the opening half, Clare put together a strong third quarter where they hit six points without reply. It left them in a commanding spot and holding an eight point advantage (1-27 3-12) with fifty four minutes played.
(Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill)
Seeing out the game wasn’t clear-cut and a Waterford fight back followed, the impressive Seán Walsh managed to raid for goal which was their fourth and the gap was back to four points.
By the seventieth minute, it was a two point margin, additional time also saw Eibhear Quilligan make a brilliant save to deny Kevin Mahony a major. Equally in the first half, the Feakle shot stopper made a tremendous stop from Stephen Bennett but the Ballysaggart sharpshooter managed to dispossess Ryan Taylor from the rebound to collect their first goal on ten minutes.
Bennett was the man to bring them to within two points twice in additional time but on each occasion Clare replied, firstly via Darragh Lohan and then through captain Tony Kelly. The final score fell to Meehan who was dropped from the starting fifteen for Shane O’Donnell, his powerful finish would have eased some of his personal disappointment but also put a nice footnote with the historic achievement for his club, the Banner who for the first time had two members lining out in the Munster SHC at the same time.
Offering a big lift during Clare’s dominant third quarter was Adam Hogan’s goal-saving block on Sean Walsh with thirty eight minutes played. It was as inspiring as a goal-line save and showcased why the 2024 Young Hurler of the Year is such a welcome return to the Banner defence.
Given that Clare were operating in a lower league division to all their Munster opponents, there was always going to be an element of finding their feet. Recording a round one win was always the objective, it has been achieved and there is a fair bit to work on for Brian Lohan and his management before round two and the visit of neighbours Limerick to Ennis.
There was no 10/10 performances from the Clare perspective but Rynne, Stritch, Diarmuid Ryan, Tony Kelly and Shane O’Donnell delivered fine displays while Mark Rodgers was once again unerring from placed balls. For Waterford, Stephen Bennett, Paddy Leavey and Mark Fitzgerald impressed.
Scorers for Clare: Mark Rodgers 0-11 (10fs, 1 65), Sean Rynne 0-5, Peter Duggan 1-1, Tony Kelly and Shane O’Donnell 0-4 each, Shane Meehan 1-0, Diarmuid Stritch 0-3, Darragh Lohan and Diarmuid Ryan 0-2 each, Ryan Taylor 0-1.
Scorers for Waterford: Stephen Bennett 3-12 (1-0 pen, 12fs), Dessie Hutchinson 0-4, Sean Walsh 1-0, Jamie Barron and Austin Gleeson 0-2 each, Peter Hogan 0-1.
Clare:
1: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2: Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
3: Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
4: Adam Hogan (Feakle)
5: Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
6: Niall O’Farrell (Broadford)
7: Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
11: Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin)
8: Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones)
9: Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
15: David Reidy (Éire Óg)
12: Seán Rynne (Inagh/Kilnamona)
14: Mark Rodgers (Scariff)
18: Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
10: Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin)
Subs:
22: Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara) for Reidy (49)
23: Conor Leen (Corofin) for Hayes (57)
13: Shane Meehan (Banner) for O’Donnell (63)
24: Ian Galvin (Clonlara) for Rynne (65)
19: Ronan Kilroy (Banner) for Hogan (67)
Waterford:
1: Billy Nolan (Roanmore)
4: Aaron O’Neill (Ballygunner)
3: Mark Fitzgerald (Passage)
2: Ian Kenny (Ballygunner)
10: Jack Fagan (De La Salle)
6: Paddy Leavey (Ballygunner)
7: Shane Bennett (Ballysaggart)
8: Darragh Lyons (Dungarvan)
5: Calum Lyons (Ballyduff)
15: Michael Kiely (Abbeyside Ballinacourty)
12: Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater)
9: Jack Prendergast (Lismore)
13: Dessie Hutchinson (Ballygunner)
14: Seán Walsh (Fourmilewater)
11: Stephen Bennett (Fourmilewater)
Subs:
21: Peter Hogan (Ballygunner) for Shane Bennett (39)
20: Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion) for Kiely (46)
22: Kevin Mahony (Ballygunner) for Lyons (53)
23: Patrick Curran (Dungarvan) for Barron (67)
Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway)
