*Ronan Lanigan at Éire Óg v St Joseph’s Doora Barefield match.
McGrath Cup Round 1: Clare 3-10 Waterford 0-11
A new-look Clare under a new-look management defied the icy conditions and arduous journey to Dungarvan to eke out a fully merited winning start to 2026 over Waterford in the McGrath Cup. With a healthy blend of familiar and fresh faces, the assimilation process under Paul Madden did take a while to ignite but once it did, Clare were clearly the dominant force that controlled all the main sectors of the park.
Three timely goals proved decisive but while they might have garnered six, the fact that the Banner got better as the tie developed can only be a positive to warm Madden and Co.’s inevitably frostbitten torsos.
The opening two goals, both from debutantes in Joe Rafferty and Caoilfhionn O’Dea, were essential to keep Clare’s noses in front in a much more com native opening half that saw Waterford
grow in confidence amidst some frustrating cobweb-blowing in terms of decision-making. Brendy Rouine was instrumental in initiating the first score of 2026 after only 90 seconds when picking up an interception in his own half and playing a one-two with Eoin Cleary before offloading to Mark McInerney to convert.
Waterford not only hit back through James Walsh but quickly added points from Stephen Curry and Aaron Ryan to open up a 0-3 to 0-1 lead by the eleventh minute. It would be short-lived though as the obstinate visitors had regained full parity two minutes later when first a double dummy from Michael Nash teed up Cleary for a point before Manus Doherty won the resulting kick-out resulting in a goal; chance for Mark McInerney that just shaved the top of the crossbar at 0-3 to 0-3. The breakthrough goal arrived only two minutes later as a poor clearance was gifted to McInerney to pass inside to Dermot Coughlan who unselfishly took out advancing goalkeeper with a pass to Joe Rafferty to flick to an empty net at 1-3 to 0-3.
A right-footed Eoin Cleary point boosted the Banner to a four point cushion by the end of the opening quarter but they would fail to score for the next twelve minutes, by which time the home side had levelled matters.
Best player Conor Murray pointed, Adam Crawford would had a subsequent goal chance blocked before Stephen Curry cleared the crossbar with the rebound while Clare would be caught napping in the 27th minute when a quick Curry free to goalkeeper Joe Sheridan was arrowed over for an inspirational two-pointer at 1-4 to 0-7.
Madden’s side did admirably respond though as less than two minutes later, Caoilfhionn O’Dea started and finished a move from a Waterford kick-out to blast a low shot to the bottom left corner of Sheridan’s net at 2-4 to 0-8 by the break.
With time to regroup and re-arm, Clare were a far more authoritative side on the turnover and ended up outscoring their hosts by 1-6 to 0-2 in an much more impressive half hour (only 30 minutes per half in McGrath Cup).
Playmaker Dermot Coughlan was superb throughout but particularly so to clinch the opening points as it was his two-pointer at the three-quarters mark that put clear daylight between the sides albeit aided by a goalkeeping flick more akin to the AFCON than the McGrath Cup.
The versatile Kilmurry Ibrickane clubman also teed up Eoin Cleary for a goal chance that would be impressively repelled at point blank range by replacement goalkeeper Paudie Hunt in the 50th minute.
James Curran, now at midfield, scored a brace and dominated the home restarts with the ever-impressive Brian McNamara while Alan Sweeney, Manus Doherty, Ronan Lanigan and Mark McInerney all demonstrated their experience to close out the contest.
Coughlan looked to be through on goal, only to be held for a free that Mark McInerney converted to make it a six point game before the icing on the ice came in the 58th minute with a final goal through substitute Stack.
Coughlan and McInerney combined to play in Cormac Murray who centred for Cillian Brennan. The defender simply couldn’t make space to get a shot away so inside offloaded to Jamie Stack to roof to the net and complete a winning start for new manager Paul Madden.
Waterford were even denied a goal of their own in injury-time when Liam Mulligan was adjudged to have been in the square as he caught and played in Stephen Curry to find the net.
However, it would only have been a consolation as Clare now look to test their fresh-faced squad against All-Ireland champions Kerry in Clarecastle next Tuesday evening (7pm).
A win for Clare would put them through a first McGrath Cup Final in seven years.
Scorers for Clare:
Mark McInerney 0-4 (2f), Joe Rafferty 1-0, Caoilfhionn O’Dea 1-0, Jamie Stack 1-0; Eoin Cleary 0-2, Dermot Coughlan 0-2 (1tp), James Curran 0-2
Scorers for Waterford:
Stephen Curry 0-3 (1f), Aaron Ryan 0-3, Josh Sheridan 0-2 (1tp), Conor Murray 0-2, James Walsh 0-1
Clare:
1: Tristan O’Callaghan (St. Breckan’s)
4: Morgan Garry (Clondegad)
3: Ronan Lanigan (Éire Óg)
2: Alan Sweeney (St. Breckan’s)
5: James Curran (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
6: Cillian Brennan (Clondegad)
7: Manus Doherty (Éire Óg)
8: Brian McNamara (Cooraclare)
9: Michael Nash (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
12: Brendy Rouine (Ennistymon)
11: Dermot Coughlan (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
10: Caoilfhionn O’Dea (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
13: Eoin Cleary (St. Joseph’s Miltown)
14: Mark McInerney (Éire Óg)
15: Joe Rafferty (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
Subs:
21: James Killeen (Doonbeg) for Nash (HT)
20: Cormac Murray (St. Joseph’s Miltown) for Rafferty (39)
17: Jamie Stack (St. Breckan’s) for O’Dea (39)
26: Mikie Tubridy (Doonbeg) for Garry (49)
19: Gavin Murray (Éire Óg) for Cleary (54)
24: Evan Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for McNamara (56)
Waterford:
1: Josh Sheridan (Roanmore)
2: Liam Mulligan (Rathgormack)
3: Adam Crawford (Shamrocks)
4: Billy Hynes (Shamrocks)
5: Donie Fitzgerald (Kilrossanty)
6: Glen Power (Rathgormack)
7: Tommy Martin (Gaultier)
8: Daragh Ó Cathasaigh (An Rinn)
9: James Walsh (Modeligo)
10: Darragh Walsh (Kilrossanty)
11: Conor Murray (Rathgormack)
12: Conor Ó Cuirrín (An Rinn)
17: Colin Foley (Ballinacourty)
14: Stephen Curry (Rathgormack)
15: Aaron Ryan (The Nire)
Subs:
13: David Butler (Colligan) for Foley (41)
21: Caoimhin Walsh (Kilrossanty) for Power (47)
19: Darragh Jacob (St. Saviour’s) for Fitzgerald (48)
16: Paudie Hunt (Rathgormack) for Sheridan (48)
24: Adam Murray (Rathgormack) for Butler (54)
18: Conor Fennell (Stradbally) for Crawford (54)
Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick)
