*John Conlon excelled for Clare. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
A RETURN TO WINNING WAYS in resounding fashion saw Clare’s senior hurlers carve out a twenty two point victory against Wexford.
Clare 6-25
Wexford 1-18
Venue: Chadwick’s Wexford Park
Previous 13 point National Hurling League wins over Wexford in 1974 and 2005 were blitzed as Clare recorded their largest ever victory in the competition against the Model County, greatly shortening the long trip home from Wexford, on a day when David Reidy raided for two goals.
Indeed it is also the biggest winning margin recorded under Brian Lohan’s tenure. The fifteen point (4-27 0-14) win against Westmeath in the opening round of this year’s League had been the largest but that was quashed as Clare bounced back from a disappointing second round loss to Limerick where six points separated them from the All-Ireland champions.
Early exchanges saw little separate the sides and they were even tied with seven minutes played but Clare completely blew away the Wexford challenge to collect their second league win in three games.
Wexford Park is ordinarily a fortress but it resembled a fallen Colosseum with their support muted as Clare raided for four opening half goals to kill off their challenge.
Leading 4-17 1-06 at half-time, the game was won but the formalities had to follow and to their credit, Clare never let a Wexford comeback spring to life.
Tony Kelly, John Conlon, Paul Flanagan and Ryan Taylor all returned for their first starting appearances of the year but Clare would still have collected their second league win had the quartet been given an extra game to rest.
Rory Banville opened the scoring inside the first minute only for the Clooney/Quin duo of Ryan Taylor and Peter Duggan to respond with 1-01, Duggan eased his way past the Wexford defence before slotting in the first of six goals of the afternoon.
Momentum began to shift Clare’s way but stalled to a very minor degree when Conor McDonald goaled on five minutes, reducing the deficit to a single point. They drew back on level terms moments later via Conor Foley.
Three points without reply saw Clare tighten their grip on proceedings, Rory Banville added a free for the hosts but a rally of 2-06 in succession effectively saw Lohan’s side kill off the game. David Reidy and Aidan McCarthy struck for the green flags.
A sign of Clare’s dominance was highlighted by goalkeeper Eamonn Foudy and corner back Adam Hogan scoring points in the opening half. Tony Kelly struck for Clare’s fourth goal on twenty seven minutes, he had been provider for Reidy’s goal but did the damage on this occasion but both goals arose from the Ballyea man making an interception to foil Wexford trying to move the ball up the field from a puckout.
Kelly was the first to score on the restart before Wexford hit 0-03 on the bounce, corner forward Rory Higgins would have added a goal to this tally only for a brilliant save from Eamonn Foudy.
Reidy, Aidan McCarthy and Peter Duggan would help to keep the Clare account ticking while Wexford playing purely for pride at this juncture had Cathal Dunbarr, Ian Cartry and freetaker Rory Banville among their scorers.
Duggan teed up Reidy to see him score a second goal and Clare’s fifth on sixty three minutes while fresh from winning a Fitzgibbon Cup medal for the second time, Mark Rodgers struck for the sixth goal on sixty eight minutes.
It’s the first time since 2020 that Clare have defeated Wexford in the NHL, having lost to them in both 2021 and 2022. The margin of the victory this time may have been a surprise but it is a strong response to the setback of a fortnight ago. Undoubtedly Clare fielded the stronger side but they certainly issued a message with the start of championship edging closer by the week.
Eamonn Foudy’s booming delivery added a new dimension with the ball winners of David Fitzgerald and Cathal Malone thriving off this in the half-forward line while a break from a Foudy clearance resulted in Aidan McCarthy’s goal. Creating pressure for starting places is always a main objective from a league campaign and for the number one spot Foudy has done himself no harm from this outing.
John Conlon slotted seamlessly into centre back and controlled matters throughout. David Reidy, Tony Kelly, Ryan Taylor and Aidan McCarthy were others to set the way.
Wexford will certainly be left with brusies after this encounter. They played loose and were punished while this damage was much greater due to the space left in front of their defence. Darragh Egan and his management have a lot to do if Wexford are to have any aspirations of making a dent in this year’s championship.
Scorers for Wexford: R. Banville (0-8, 6 frees, 2 65s); C. McDonald (1-0); C. Dunbar (0-3); C. McGuckin (0-2); C. Foley, R. Higgins, D. Reck, C. Hearne, I. Carty (0-1 each).
Scorers for Clare: A. McCarthy (1-10, 0-6 frees); D. Reidy (2-1); T. Kelly (1-2); P. Duggan (1-1); M. Rodgers (1-0); D. Fitzgerald (0-3); I. Galvin (0-2); R. Taylor, C. Malone, D. Ryan, E. Foudy (free), A. Hogan, D. Conroy (0-1 each).
Clare:
1: Eamonn Foudy (Inagh/Kilnamona)
2: Adam Hogan (Feakle)
3: Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
4: Paul Flanagan (Ballyea)
5: Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
6: John Conlon (Clonlara)
7: Brandon O’Connell (Ballyea)
12: Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
9: Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin)
8: David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona)
14: Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin)
11: Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
13: Ian Galvin (Clonlara)
10: Aidan McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona)
15: David Reidy (Éire Óg).
Subs:
17: Mark Rodgers (Scariff) for Galvin (41)
24: Oran Cahill (Éire Óg) for Ryan (52)
20: Davy Conroy (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield) for Malone (54)
21: Aaron Fitzgerald (Éire Óg) for Flanagan (56)
22: Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge) for Taylor (64)
Wexford:
1: James Lawlor (Ferns St Aidan’s)
2: Shane Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien)
3: Simon Donohoe (Shelmalier)
4: David Clarke (Glynn-Barntown)
11: Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s)
6: Damien Reck (Olyegate-Glenbrien)
23: Conor Foley (Horsewood)
12: Charlie McGuckin (Naomh Éanna)
9: Cathal Dunbar (Naomh Éanna)
10: Conor Hearne (Shelmalier)
7: Conal Flood (Cloughbawn)
8: Liam Óg McGovern (St Anne’s Rathangan)
13: Rory Higgins (Rathnure St Anne’s)
14: Conor McDonald (Naomh Éanna)
15: Ross Banville (Shelmalier)
Subs:
5: Ian Carty (Toughmon-Camross) for Foley (44)
20: Corey Byrne Dunbar (Ferns St Aidan’s) for Óg McGovern (46)
19: Jack Doran (Naomh Éanna) for Flood (54)
24: Eoin Murphy (Ferns St Aidan’s) for O’Connor (59)
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)
