February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Waterford built a 2-7 to 0-5 halftime lead on the back of a goal from each of their inside forwards, Aiden Sweeney and Noel Lonegran. Joe Walsh opened the scoring with a 70 and followed with a free as Waterford struck first.
The Deices stretched their lead to 0-4 to 0-1 before they pounced for their first goal. Midfielder Jamie Duggan found Lonegran behind his marker and Lonegran finished superbly.
Jamie Duggan did the hard work to set up the second Waterford goal, fighting off two defenders before transferring possession to Lonegran. Lonegran turned playmaker, finding his fellow forward Aiden Sweeney and Sweeney shook the twines for a 2-5 to 0-1 lead.
It didn’t look good for Clare but they began to climb back with two points from Gearoid O’Halloran. The teams traded points and the halftime score was set at Waterford 2-7 to Clare 0-5.
The Banner opened the second half in determined fashion, pointing seconds after Fergus Daly’s throw in. Liam Kilkenny was the scorer and Clare kept applying pressure on the Waterford citadel. Waterford keeper Ian Duggan bravely threw his body in the path of a Clare goal effort as Waterford suddenly found themselves back on their heels.
Clare wingback Liam O’Donoghue was playing a fine defensive match and he got into the scoring act with a point to put the difference at 0-6.
It might have been closer but Clare suffered a spell of poor shooting. On the other hand, Waterford were also misfiring on their chances. Clare midfielder Mike O’Halloran was exerting a lot of influence on the Banner’s behalf and now he began showing up on the scoresheet.
O’Halloran notched Clare’s next 0-3, two from frees, countered only by Roy Henley’s pointed free for Waterford. Clare center back Brian McMahon was moved into the forwards and with 19 minutes gone, and that move paid big dividends, when McMahon punished a poor Waterford clearance and struck for Clare’s only goal.
That goal narrowed Clare’s deficit to the barest of margins and when Ger O’Halloran lashed over a point Clare had leveled. Henley set up Tomas Maher and Waterford edged back in front with 7:30 to go.
From there on it was all Clare. Points from McMahon, Cathal Brennan, and Kilkenney finished the scoring and tigerish defensive work closed out Waterford. John Kennedy, Seamus Pender, Liam O’Donoghue, and Liam Briody (switched to a defensive role) were unsurpassed as Clare locked up an impressive comeback victory.
Man of the Match: Mike O’Halloran
Clare: Stephen O’Hara, Owen McInerney, John Riordan, Seamus Pender, Brian McMahon (1-1), Liam O’Donoghue (0-1), John Kennedy, Mike O’Halloran (0-4, one free), Liam Briody, Ger O’Halloran (0-4, one free). Liam Kilkenney (0-3), Cathan Brennan (0-1), Dan Liddy. Sub: Sean Sullivan.
Waterford: Ian Duggan, Colin Ruth, Ray Duggan, Tomas Maher (0-1), Pat Coleman, David Coleman, Roy Henley (0-3, 1 free), Jamie Duggan, Joe Walsh (0-2, one free, one 70), John Geraghty (0-1), John Redmond (0-1), Aiden Sweeney (1-0), Noel Lonegran (1-1). Subs: Kevin O’Connor, Aiden Whelan, Dermot Henley, Ken Geary.