Clare 2-33
Waterford 4-21
Where to start is the question after this pulsating opening game in this season’s Munster Senior Hurling Championship.
Let’s begin with the arithmetic. At Cusack Park, Ennis, we had 60 scores over the 70-odd minutes in front of an attendance of 18,338. We also had 16 wides, shared between Waterford (nine) and Clare (seven). Throw in a man-of-the-match performance from Stephen Bennett, who hit 3-12 which was 64% of his team’s total and still ended up on the losing side. When all the totting up was completed, Clare took the precious two group points with a six-point winning margin.
While the sides were level ten times in the opening half, the flow of the game always felt like Waterford were chasing their hosts, with timely green flags keeping Peter Queally’s men in touch. Two late first-half frees from Mark Rogers sent Clare to the interval leading by the minimum. A dominant third quarter by the Banner helped swell this margin to nine points by the 55th minute. However, further goals and a Déise fightback reduced the margin to just three points in injury time. It required a fine save from Eibhear Quilligan to deny Patrick Curran an equaliser before substitute Shane Meehan finally settled the issue with a last-gasp goal.
For anyone who favours fast and loose hurling, this was Mecca. Stephen Bennett was first on the scoresheet with a pointed free, which was matched by Mark Rogers. Both respective free-takers returned a 100% success rate on a perfect afternoon for hurling in April sunshine. Former Hurlers of the Year Shane O’Donnell and Tony Kelly were soon making an impact, with newcomer Seán Rynne another in saffron and blue to shine.
For Waterford, the opening-half goals were crucial in staying within touching distance. After 10 minutes, when Stephen Bennett’s first goal effort was parried, the rebound somehow made its way back to the Ballysaggart star, who promptly blasted to the net (1-3 to 0-4). The Clare response was immediate, with Tony Kelly, Rogers (free), and a monster point from Diarmuid Ryan all raising white flags.
Another Déise goal arrived on cue to break this momentum. Billy Nolan’s long free was gathered by the gargantuan Seán Walsh. As the Fourmilewater man was grounded in the large parallelogram, referee Shane Hynes arrived on the scene with his arms outstretched. Stephen Bennett calmly dispatched the resulting penalty (2-3 to 0-7) with 17 minutes played.
Predictably, it was the effervescent Tony Kelly with the instant response, pointing on the run before another Mark Rogers free tied things up again. Clare threatened green flags too—Peter Duggan kicked the ball over the crossbar when he really should have found the net. Billy Nolan also produced heroics to deny Mark Rogers a certain goal on 24 minutes.
Dessie Hutchinson, who was largely operating in the half-forward line at this stage, found the space to shoot two fine points of his own. Rogers’ late frees in first-half injury time gave Clare a slender 0-15 to 2-8 half-time lead.
On resumption, a long diagonal delivery from Darragh Lohan allowed Mark Rogers to beat Ian Kenny on the spin, drawing the cover and providing the assist for Peter Duggan to find the net from close range (1-17 to 2-9) with 37 minutes on the clock.
If Clare have an Achilles’ heel, it’s a frailty in dealing with the high ball on their own square. Cathal Malone opted to bat another long ball goalwards, only for the vigilant Stephen Bennett to promptly finish to the net for his and Waterford’s third goal (1-18 to 3-9) on 41 minutes.
Austin Gleeson was then thrown into the fray, pointing a beauty underneath the covered terrace. The score roused the Waterford faithful in attendance; however, it was the Clare players who now appeared inspired. Six points on the bounce from the hosts and Clare were in danger of streaking away (1-27 to 3-12 after 54 minutes). Scores flowed at either end as Clare successfully kept Waterford at arm’s length. A diving Billy Nolan save denied Shane O’Donnell a certain goal before the Ennis man was replaced by Shane Meehan.
Queally’s men, however, were going nowhere. Seán Walsh had a fourth goal following good work by Hutchinson and Calum Lyons, and it was game on again (1-30 to 4-17 after 63 minutes). Substitute Diarmuid Stritch and Darragh Lohan both hit crucial points in the run to the finish to match Stephen Bennett frees.
With just a goal in it in injury time, Quilligan stopped Patrick Curran’s low drive. The referee was already playing advantage, with Bennett pointing, and the margin was just two. As ever from the puck-out, it was Tony Kelly swivelling and bisecting the posts to ignite the Clare roar. When a last-ditch attempt for an equalising goal broke down, Waterford were caught short-handed at the back. Ian Galvin set up a fellow substitute to rifle to the roof of the net. Game, set and match.
This was another case of close but no cigar for Waterford. Stephen Bennett produced one of his all-time great performances, while on another day it might well have been Billy Nolan taking home the crystal. Clare may have the best forward division in the competition, so you could sympathise with the challenge presented.
Calum Lyons did improve matters when switched to half-back in an under-pressure sector. Seán Walsh is quickly becoming a pillar in attack and may have scored another goal in the opening half if the advantage rule had been applied correctly. Dessie Hutchinson scored four fine points, but at times it felt as if the Ballygunner star was on the periphery. Both Peter Hogan and Austin Gleeson made an impact off the bench and may feature from the start this Sunday.
Clare had five star performers in Seán Rynne, Shane O’Donnell, Tony Kelly, Mark Rogers and Diarmuid Ryan.
All roads lead to Walsh Park this Sunday, where Waterford face All-Ireland champions Tipperary at 4pm.
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Rory Hayes, Conor Cleary, Adam Hogan; Diarmuid Ryan, Niall O’Farrell, Cathal Malone; Ryan Taylor, Darragh Lohan; Tony Kelly, David Reidy, Seán Rynne; Mark Rogers, Shane O’Donnell, Peter Duggan.
Subs: Diarmuid Stritch for David Reidy (49), Conor Leane for Rory Hayes (57m), Shane Meehan for Shane O’Donnell (62m), Ian Galvin for Seán Rynne (65m), Ronan Gilroy for Adam Hogan (67m).
Scorers: Mark Rogers (0-11, 0-10f, 0-1 ’65), Seán Rynne (0-5), Shane O’Donnell and Tony Kelly (0-4), Peter Duggan (1-1), Diarmuid Stritch (0-3), Shane Meehan (1-0), Diarmuid Ryan and Darragh Lohan (0-2).
Waterford: Billy Nolan; Aaron O’Neill, Mark Fitzgerald, Ian Kenny; Jack Fagan, Paddy Leavey, Shane Bennett; Calum Lyons, Darragh Lyons; Michael Kiely, Jamie Barron, Dessie Hutchinson; Stephen Bennett, Seán Walsh, Jack Prendergast.
Subs: Peter Hogan for Shane Bennett (40m), Austin Gleeson for Michael Kiely (46m), Kevin Mahony for Darragh Lyons (53m), Patrick Curran for Jamie Barron (67m).
Scorers: Stephen Bennett (3-12, 0-12f, 1-0 pen), Dessie Hutchinson (0-4), Seán Walsh (1-0), Jamie Barron and Austin Gleeson (0-2), Peter Hogan (0-1).
Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway)
