2024 Allianz Football League Division 3 – Clare 0-15 Antrim 0-12

Clare defeated Antrim by 0-15 to 0-12 in Round 6 of the Allianz Football League Division 3 on Saturday March 16th at Cusack Park Ennis.

Despite another fadeout, Clare maintain promotion hopes

Allianz FL Division 3: Clare 0-15 Antrim 0-12

Report by Eoin Brennan for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Clare’s promotion push for an immediate return to Division 2 gained further credence when keeping Antrim at arm’s length to record their fourth successive victory in Cusack Park, Ennis.

Leading from start to finish, a less than spectacular finish from the hosts did lessen the satisfaction of their fifth win in six outings. However, despite letting an eight-point cushion slip to just three by the relieving sound of the final whistle, Mark Fitzgerald’s side, who even had a numerical advantage for over half the tie, now head to Down next weekend with something tangible to play for in the promotion stakes alongside their hosts and Westmeath.

An early trio of Ciaran Downes frees opened up an early gap for the Banner at 0-4 to 0-1 but the real drama was saved for the last ten minutes of the half. An off-the-ball knee on marker Gavin Murray brought a clear red card for Antrim midfielder Colm McLarnon. That was sandwiched by a sequence of home points as Cormac Murray, Aaron Griffin, Mark McInerney and Dermot Coughlan boosted Clare to a seemingly unassailable 0-9 to 0-3 interval advantage.

Visiting goalkeeper Michael Byrne kept Antrim’s slim comeback hopes alive by keeping out an early Joe McGann shot but he did point the rebound before earning a free for Mark McInerney to convert and power the hosts to an 0-11 to 0-3 lead by the 40th minute.

It should have been game over but typifying the majority of their previous encounters, Fitzgerald’s side inexplicably took their foot off the gas. It allowed a Patrick McBride-inspired Antrim to somehow creep back into contention.

Three McBride points began the rousing rally that ended up outscoring their hosts by 0-9 to 0-3 in the last 30 minutes, with impact substitute Ryan McQuillan scoring two points. He could easily could have snatched a late goal, only for his 69th-minute effort to clear the crossbar.

All well that ends well for Clare who despite their inconsistency within games, have managed to dig out results. But they will need one more in Newry next weekend in order to complete their rehabilitation.

Scorers for Clare: M. McInerney (0-4, 3f); C. Downes (0-3, 3f); Aaron Griffin (0-3) C. Murray (0-2); D. Coughlan, J. McGann, G. Murray (0-1 each)

Scorers for Antrim: P. McBride (0-3); R. McQuillan (0-2, 1f); P. Shivers (f), M. Jordan, J. Finnegan, D. McAleese (m), E. McCabe, D. Lynch, R. McCann (0-1 each)

CLARE: S Ryan; M Garry, R Lanigan, M Doherty; I Ugwueru, A Sweeney, D Walsh; G Murray, B McNamara; D Coughlan, A Griffin, C Downes; M McInerney, C Murray, J McGann
Subs: J Stack for McGann (44), C Rouine for Ugwueru (47), D Nagle for Garry (62), T Kelly for McInerney (67), S Griffin for C. Murray (68, in)

ANTRIM: M Byrne; K Keenan, D McNicholl, D Lynch; D McAleese, J Finnegan, R Boyle; C McLarnon, C Hand; E McCabe, P McBride, R McCann; M Jordan, P Shivers, D McEnhill
Subs: B. Kelly for Shivers (HT), R McQuillan for McEnhill (52), E Hynds for Hand (53), C McGettigan for Keenan (62), N. Burns for McCabe (67)

Referee: D. O’Mahoney (Tipperary)