2023 Allianz Hurling League Division 1 – Clare 4-27 Westmeath 0-14

Clare defeated Westmeath 4-27 to 0-14 in Round 1 of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 on Sunday February 5th at Cusack Park Ennis.

Mark Rodgers double leads Clare to comfortable win over Westmeath https://t.co/WpdO8oWy9r

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) February 5, 2023

Mark Rodgers double leads Clare to comfortable win over Westmeath

Clare 4-27 Westmeath 0-14

Report by Joe Ó Muircheartaigh for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Two stunning first-half strikes by Mark Rodgers gave Westmeath a rude awakening to Division 1 hurling as the hugely talented inside forward provided the platform for Clare to canter to a facile 25-point victory before 3,523 at Cusack Park.

It will get harder from here for Brian Lohan’s charges but as opening gambits go it was impressive, as they won this as they pleased with Rodgers, Aidan McCarthy, Davy Conroy and Ian Galvin catching the eye in the attack, while league debutant in 2022 Harty Cup winner Adam Hogan stood out in defence.

On the day, a fast start did for Clare as they had five different scorers inside the first ten minutes in bossing this contest from the off before killing it off with a half to spare with Rodgers’ explosive strikes on 26 and 32 minutes for a 2-10 to 0-7 interval lead that was only going to go one way.

Killian Doyle’s first-half tally of 0-6 ensured it wasn’t totally one-way traffic, but last year’s Division 2A champions were overwhelmed after the change of ends as a merciless Clare side piled on the scores throughout the half.

The goals coming from Ian Galvin and Aron Shanagher on 49 and 68 minutes respectively, while McCarthy, who missed all of last year due to injury, brought his tally to double figures by the end as Clare limbered up for next Saturday night’s trip to the Gaelic Grounds to face Limerick with this dominant display.

Scorers for Clare: A McCarthy (0-10, 5f), M Rodgers (2-2), I Galvin (1-3), D Conroy (0-5), A Shanagher (1-0), D Fitzgerald (0-3), B O’Connell (0-1), D Ryan (0-1), G O’Grady (0-1), S Morey (0-1).

Scorers for Westmeath: K Doyle (0-8, 4f, 1 ‘65), C Doyle (0-2), J Boyle (0-1), J Galvin (0-1s), R Greville (0-1), D Glennon (0-1).

Clare: E Quilligan; S Morey, C Cleary, A Hogan; D Ryan, D McInerney, B O’Connell; C Malone, J Kirwan; D Fitzgerald, D Conroy, P Duggan; A McCarthy, M Rodgers, I Galvin.
Subs: G O’Grady for Rodgers (48), C Nolan for Hogan (50), C Galvin for Ryan (55), K Smythe for Duggan (57), A Shanagher for Galvin (60).

Westmeath: N Conaty; C Shaw, D Egerton, T Doyle; J Galvin, K Regan, A Craig; S McGovern, S Clavin; J Boyle, N O’Brien, R Greville; E McCabe, K Doyle, D Glennon.
Subs: E Keyes for Clavin (Half-Time), C Doyle for McCabe (46), M Cunningham for McGovern (52), J Bermingham for Shaw (52), J Dillon for O’Brien (60).

Referee: P O’Dwyer (Carlow).

Team News

Clare side and replacements to take on Westmeath in this Sunday’s opening round of the Allianz Hurling league . Throw in at Cusack Park is at 2:00pm pic.twitter.com/fWFOwywOVT

— Clare Gaa (@GaaClare) February 3, 2023