*Brian McNamara of Cooraclare. Photograph: Natasha Barton
Clare moved a step closer to a place in the Liam O’Connor under 20 football cup final when they comfortably accounted for neighbours Limerick this Saturday afternoon.
Clare 2-14
Limerick 0-5
Venue: Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
On top throughout, they had the victory secured long before the final whistle, adding to their first round win over Offaly a week earlier. They will travel to Tipperary to play the Premier County in their final group game in two weeks time (March 4).
There will be added interest in that game as the sides will meet in the Munster championship quarter final in Thurles on April 10.
Before a good attendance at Quilty, Clare made the better start and dominated the exchanges with Brian McNamara and James Curran ruling the midfield exchanges.
The opening ten minutes were scoreless but then Clare kicked five unanswered points and they could have had a few more scores in this period.
Limerick had to wait until the twentieth minute for their opening score and in truth, they were fortunate to be just four points adrift when the half time whistle sounded with the score at 0-7 to 0-3 in Clare’s favour.
The home side continued to dominate on the changeover and they hit four points in the opening seven minutes of the new half.
At the midpoint of the half Clare struck for the game’s opening goal, midfielder James Curran providing the finish following good work by Connor Meaney.
With a twelve point lead going into the final quarter, Clare emptied the bench and from here they made nine changes in addition to two made earlier.
Brian McNamara, James Curran, Liam Culligan, Connor Meaney and Mikey Kelleher were particularly prominent for the home side.
Scorers Clare: James Curran (1-2); Liam Culligan (1-0), Joe Rafferty (1 free), Mikey Kelleher, Tom Curran (0-2) each; Thomas Collins (free\), Joshua Guyler, Brian McNamara, Connor Meaney, Paul Frawley, Sean McMahon(0-1) each
Scorers Limerick: David O’Shaughnessy (0-2, 1free); Sean Ryan, Bobby Smith, Wayne Kearns (0-1|) each
Clare:
Thomas Collins (Lissycasey)
Aaron Kelly (Wolfe Tones)
Eoghan Casey (Wolfe Tones)
Dara Rouine (Ennistymon)
Liam Cotter (Ennistymon)
Liam Culligan (Killimer)
Joshua Guyler (Ennistymon)
Brian McNamara (Cooraclare)
James Curran (St. Josephs Doora/Barefield)
Conor Meaney (Lissycasey)
Cillian McGroary (Corofin)
Mikey Kelleher (Killimer)
Paul Frawley (St Joseph’s Miltown)
Joe Rafferty (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
Sean McMahon (Banner)
Subs:
Tom Curran (St. Joseph’s, Doora/Barefield) for McGroary (inj. 13),
Odhran Cunningham (Killimer) for Kelly (half time)
Sean Neylon (St Joseph’s Miltown) for Meaney (45)
Cian Corry (Killimer) for Collins(47)
Dara Killeen (Lissycasey) for Frawley (49)
James Cullinan (Ennistymon) for Rouine (49)
Nikki Hardiman (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for McMahon (50)
Gary Dnnellan (Cooraclare) for Casey (52)
Joshua Vaughan (Ennistymon) for Kelleher(52)
Thomas Roche (Ml. Cusacks) for J. Curran (55)
Evan Flynn (Clondegad) for Culligan (55)
Limerick:
Craig Macinnes (St Kieran’s)
Tadhg Hourigan(Pallasgreen)
Frank Corcoran (Mungret St. Pauls)
Jamie Behan (Ballybrown)
Bobby Smith (Ballybrown)
Diarmuid Buckley (Fr. Caseys)
Sean Ryan (St. Kierans)
Padraic McMahon (Ballysteen)
Ciaran O’Sullivan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon)
Mike Molloy (St. Kierans)
Darragh Murray (Monleen)
Diarmuid Ryan (Feenagh- Kilmeedy)
Aaron Neville (NewcastleWest)
Zach McCarthy (Galtee Gaels)
David O’Shaughnessy (Ballysteen)
Subs:
Oisin Moss (Mungret St. Pauls) for Behan (HT)
Ciaran Uwatse (Mungret St. Pauls) for O’Sullivan (HT)
Darragh Bridgeman (Mungret St. Pauls for Mc|Mahon (HT)
Shane Geraghty (NewcastleWest) for S. Ryan (45)
Wayne Kerins (Na Piarsaigh) for D. Ryan (47)
Shane Cross (St. Patricks) for McCarthy
Referee: James Regan (Cork)
