Clare claim the spoils against Waterford in Munster SHL clash
The crowd of 884 got an entertaining game in Fraher Field, Dungarvan, with Clare taking the honours in this Munster SHL clash.
Waterford attacked the scoreboard end first but a more experienced Clare side were 0-5 to 0-2 up after eight minutes thanks to Shane Golden and Ben O’Gorman dominating midfield.
The home side had settled by the 14th minute, when Peter Hogan’s powerful ground shot to the net made it 1-4 to 0-6 for Waterford. Hogan struck again seven minutes later, flicking home a clever goal - 2-5 to 0-7.
Clare responded with a Cathal Malone goal from close range on 30 minutes - 1-10 to 2-6. Two minutes later Ben O’Gorman, ghosting in from deep, had Clare’s second goal with a fine strike. A Bobby Duggan free had Clare 2-11 to 2-7 ahead at the half.
Clare had three points to Waterford’s one on the resumption, a Jason McCarthy effort the pick of them, and were 2-14 to 2-8 ahead on 45 minutes.
The game sagged a little then in intensity, with Waterford whittling away at the Clare lead with Nolan frees. When Clare’s Brendan Bugler got a second yellow with quarter of an hour left there were just two points in it, 2-14 to 2-12.
A late run of points made it safe for the visitors, though Waterford sub Billy O’Keeffe’s injury-time goal made them sweat for the win.
Scorers for Waterford: B. Nolan (0-6, frees); P. Hogan (2-0); B. O’Keeffe (1-0); DJ Foran, E. Murphy (0-2); J. Fagan, S. Keating, S. Roche (0-1).
Scorers for Clare: B. Duggan (0-4, frees), C. Malone, B. O’Gorman (1-1 each), J. Conlon (0-4); A. Cunningham (0-3); C. O’Donnell (0-2); P. Duggan, J. Shanahan, J. McCarthy, S. Golden (0-1 each).
WATERFORD: I. O’Regan, C. Chester, S. McNulty, C. Lyons, D. Lyons, MJ Sutton, S. Keating, K. Fitzgerald, E. Madigan, M. O’Neill, DJ Foran, B. Nolan, P. Hogan, J. Fagan, E. Murphy.
Subs: C. Dunford for McNulty, T. Ryan for Fagan (both HT); S. Roche and B. O’Keeffe for Hogan and Foran (both 47); A. Molumby for Roche (inj, 59).
CLARE: P. Kelly, S McNamara, C. Dillon, S. O’Halloran, J. McCarthy, C. Cleary, B. Bugler, S. Golden, B. O’Gorman, J. Conlon, C. Malone, P. Duggan, C. O’Donnell, B. Duggan, A. Cunningham.
Subs: D. Reidy for Conlon (blood, 5-9); D. Reidy for Conlon (18); J. Conlon for Malone (50); C. Galvin for O’Gorman (55); J. Shanahan for P. Duggan (66).
