*Captain Eoghan Gunning excelled in defence for Clare. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE’S U20 hurlers have recorded successive wins in the Munster championship, making hard work of it yet again but getting over the line nonetheless.
Clare 0-18
Limerick 0-15
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
Two wins have Clare with one foot in the semi-finals but there remains a lot of work to be done as the three point winning margin is somewhat flattering considering just how tight proceedings were in Sixmilebridge on Wednesday evening.
Level fifteen times throughout the entire course of the game, the three point margin was the biggest gap between the sides. Fred Hegarty, Paul Rodgers and Jamie Moylan fired the last four points of the game to see Terence Fahy’s side make it successive wins and create a one hundred percent home record.
It is the first time since 2024 and only the second time in Terence Fahy’s tenure that Clare have won both home games in the round robin series of the Munster championship.
This was far from clear cut and Clare made things difficult for themselves. Though they crafted some excellent moves through the hands, Clare were guilty of not playing as a collective unit especially in the forward line where players seemed more focused on ensuring they had scores dotted beside their name.
For the second game running, Clare replaced two members of their starting full-forward line but once again the quality of ball that is being supplied to the inside line must be examined as closely.
Graham Ball made a tremendous impact when introduced at half time, he brought energy and an appetite to get on the ball while apart from one dropped shot he did everything right when in possession. Jamie Moylan, a towering figure for this level, stood tall when leaders were needed in the closing stages while for the second game running the full-back line of Eoghan Gunning, Joe Casey and Robert Loftus were immense. Ronan Kilroy more so in the first half really made his presence felt. Goalkeeper Mark Sheedy made three excellent saves over the hour but will need to continue to refine his puckout.
Also worthy of a mention is Ryan Hayes who although he may have been Clare’s third choice centre back with James Hegarty and James Cullinan both ruled out with injuries, he made two excellent catches. Fred Hegarty continues to be the main attacking outlet for Clare.
Fred Hegarty’s second point of the evening gave Clare the lead for the first time on eight minutes, he had scored a free earlier which was won by Kilroy and sandwiched the second between a Darren Moroney effort. The lead was short-lived as the constant battle of drawing level and falling behind continued until the nineteenth minute when Hegarty landed yet another free.
It was all scores from Hegarty and Hugh Flanagan, the respective freetakers for the final ten minutes of the opening half, the Garryspillane man knocking over four placed balls with Inagh/Kilnamon’s Fred firing over three. Sheedy was called upon to make a save from Robert O’Farrell and the sides were rightly tied at 0-9 apiece by half time.
On the restart it continued to ebb and flow before the attendance of 1,583. Sheedy again stepping up with a save, this time to stop Eoin Brosnan. Ball was beginning to clean up play around the middle third with Marco Cleary firing his body over to make a block in one of his last acts before his withdrawal.
Heading into the final quarter, the sides remained tied, they each led on two occasions in the third quarter but calling a winner remained a tricky task. Crucially, Clare kept Limerick scoreless from the fifty third minute until the final whistle, they only conceded 0-2 in the final quarter and while they only hit 0-4 themselves in this spell it was enough to emerge victorious.
Clare will be clocking up the miles for the remainder of the championship as it’s all away games from here on. Their next outing is on April 22nd when they take on Brendan Cummins’ Tipperary in Thurles.
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill
Scorers Clare: F Hegarty (0-10 7f), J Moylan (0-2), D Moroney (0-1), R Kilroy (0-1), M Collins (0-1), G Ball (0-1), T O’Connor (0-1), P Rodgers (0-1).
Scorers Limerick: H Flanagan (0-9 6f 3’65), C Ryan (0-1), E Brosnan (0-1), M Fitzgerald (0-1), E Richardson (0-1), D Hurley (0-1), J O’Connor (0-1).
Clare:
1: Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge)
2: Eoghan Gunning (Broadford)
3: Robert Loftus (Éire Óg)
4: Joe Casey (Kilmaley)
6: Jamie Moylan (Cratloe)
5: Ryan Hayes (Ruan)
7: Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge)
8: Daniel Costelloe (Ballyea)
9: Darren Moroney (Éire Óg)_
11: Michael Collins (Clonlara)
10: Ronan Kilroy (Banner)
14: Fred Hegarty (Inagh/Kilnamona)
13: Marco Cleary (Éire Óg)
20: Tomás O’Connor (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
15: Michael Power (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
Subs:
24: Graham Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Moroney (HT)
22: Paul Rodgers (Scariff) for Power (47)
18: Harry Doherty (Clarecastle) for Cleary (48)
17: Jack Mescall (Inagh/Kilnamona) for Collins (62)
Limerick:
1: Alex Kearns (Limerick)
3: Jackie Dwane (Kilmallock)
4: Seán Duff (Mungret St Paul’s)
2: John Murray (Patrickswell)
6: Eamon Richardson (Doon)
5: Jack Cosgrove (Ahane)
7: Matthew Fitzgerald (Monaleen)
9: Aidan O’Connell (Doon)
8: Conor Ryan (Ahane)
23: Michael Leo (Knockainey)
10: John O’Connor (Ahane)
11: Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane)
12: Tadhg Boddy (Dromin/Athlacca)
13: Robert O’Farrell (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
15: Eoin Brosnan (Na Piarsaigh)
Subs:
22: Diarmuid Hurley (Hospital/Herbertstown) for Boddy (33)
14: Griffin McCaffrey (Hospital/Herberstown) for Leo (49)
20: Rory Hanly (Ballybricken/Bohernore) for O’Connor (52)
17: Darren Collopy (Murroe/Boher) for Hurley (59)
Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Tipperary)
