*Evan Crimmins goes into the air to claim the sliotar. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE teed up a winner-takes-all final round showdown against Waterford for a place in a historic fourth consecutive Munster Minor Hurling Final following a commanding victory over Limerick.
Clare 2-20
Limerick 0-18
Venue: TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
Sublime final quarter goals through Paul Rodgers and Ian O’Brien sealed the Banner’s most impressive win of the campaign as they appeared to find their feet at the perfect time.
Clare did concede the first point through Limerick’s biggest threat Cathal Dennehy after only 17 seconds but the opening minute hadn’t elapsed when John Barry equalised and from there, the wind-assisted visitors largely seized control.
Dara Kennedy showed exactly what the Banner had been missing when his first touch of the championship yielded a monster point from his own ’65 while Paul Rodgers converted a free but even when Dennehy and Rory Hanly regained full parity by the eighth minute, Clare simply kicked on again.
A trio of Rodgers free allied to an Ian O’Brien opener would see the visitors carve out a lead that they would never relinquish as Limerick were predominantly limited to frees and would only land four points from play for the remaining three-quarters of the tie.
Clare had no such issue as Ian O’Brien’s switch to the full-forward line only added to the potency that already included the twin threats of Rodgers and Liam Murphy.
Centre-back Kennedy, Rodgers, O’Brien and John Barry would finish the half on a high to hand Ger O’Connell’s side an 0-11 to 0-05 interval cushion.
Evan Cleary, Zak Phelan and new full-back Jack O’Halloran who replaced the injured Niall Doyle were others to shine for the Banner in an encouraging display. A more evenly-matched third quarter was dominated by respective freetakers Paul Rodgers and new placed ball specialist Paul Murphy before Clare finally put the game to bed with the opening goal in the 45th minute.
Liam Murphy turned his marker in the left corner and bore down on goal before offloading to the back post where Paul Rodgers excellently controlled and struck to the net at 1-15 to 0-10.
To their credit, Limerick did cancel that major out within six minutes thanks to a hat-trick of Murphy frees but it would only be a temporary revolt as Rodgers (2) and Murphy accounted for three of the next four points to soar 1-18 to 0-14 clear.
The icing on the cake arrived in the 58th minute with the goal of the entire championship so far as Clare embarked on a scintillating series of handpasses from a Leon Talty restart to find the net at the other end. The flowing six man move saw the ball swiftly moved through Dara Kennedy, Darragh Murrihy, John Barry and Paul Rodgers to find Ian O’Brien in space tov crash to the net and power his side nine clear at 2-18 to 0-15.
Limerick battled on but a further brace from O’Brien who took his tally to 1-5 proved a fitting end to a heartening showing that couldn’t have been any better timed as Clare travel down to Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field in Dungarvan next Friday (7pm) for what is effectively a Munster Minor Semi-FInal for the right to reunite with Cork in the decider.
Scorers for Clare: Paul Rodgers 1-10 (9f); Ian O’Brien 1-5; Dara Kennedy, John Barry 0-2 each; Liam Murphy 0-1
Scorers: Paul Murphy 0-6 (6f); Shane Waters (2f, 1’65), Cathal Dennehy 0-4 each; Diarmuid Crowe 0-2 (1f, 1’65); Rory Hanly, Rian Horgan 0-1 each
Clare
1: Leon Talty (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
2: Darragh Murrihy (Inagh-Kilnamona)
7: Jack O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge)
4: Zak Phelan (Sixmilebridge)
5: Evan Crimmins (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
6: Dara Kennedy (Ballyea)
18: Colm Daly (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
8: Graham Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
9: Evan Cleary (Ballyea)
10: Gavin Marshall (Parteen-Meelick)
11: John Barry (Inagh-Kilnamona)
12: Jake Gibbons (Whitegate)
13: Ian O’Brien (Cratloe)
14: Paul Rodgers (Scariff)
15: Liam Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills)
Subs:
21: James O’Donnell (Broadford) for Marshall (44)
17: Dara McInerney (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for Gibbons (54)
23: Donncha Mahon (Clooney-Quin) for Barry (59)
19: Harry Hodgins (Clonlara) for Kennedy (61)
20: Jason Keane Hayes (Kilmaley) for Ball (62)
Limerick
1: Marcus Murphy (Na Piarsaigh)
2: Eoin Hennessy (Patrickswell)
3: Evan Ryan (South Liberties)
4: Jackie Dwane (Kilmallock)
5: Shane Carroll (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
6: Michael Hanly (Ballybricken/Bohermore)
7: Danny Sheehan (Na Piarsaigh)
8: Gavin Thompson (St Kieran’s)
9: David O’Keeffe (Na Piarsaigh)
10: Sean Óg Cahill Hayes (Croom)
11: Rory Hanly (Ballybricken/Bohermore)
12: Paul Murphy (Castletown/Ballyagran)
13: Shane Waters (Na Piarsaigh)
14: Cathal Dennehy (Glenroe)
15: Rian Hogan (Murroe/Boher)
Subs
20: Killian Begley (Mungret St Paul’s) for Cahill Hayes (HT)
23: Gavin O’Brien (Kilmallock) for Waters (39)
18: Sean Fitzgerald (Murroe/Boher) for Carroll (41)
19: Diarmuid Crowe (Doon) for Thompson (46)
24: Alex Kearns (Na Piarsaigh) for O’Keeffe (57)
Referee: Seaghan Walsh (Waterford)
