Bord Gais Energy All Ireland Under 21 Hurling Championship Semi Final – Clare 4-28 Antrim 1-10

Clare defeated Antrim by 4-28 to 1-10 in the Bord Gais Energy All Ireland Under 21 Hurling Championship Semi Final on Saturday August 23rd at Semple Stadium Thurles.

All-Ireland U21: Clare humble Saffrons in semi

BGE ALL-IRELAND U21 HURLING SEMI-FINAL: CLARE 4-28 ANTRIM 1-10

Report from GAA.ie

Clare’s bid for three All-Ireland U21 titles in a row remains firmly intact after they recorded a massive 27-point victory in the semi-final over Antrim at a sun-kissed Thurles on Saturday. They will face Wexford in the final on September 13, after the Model County defeated Galway in the second semi-final on Saturday

The champions of 2012 and 2013 were operating on a different level to their northern opponents, and the match was simply not a contest as Clare’s experience and class proved utterly overwhelming for Antrim. Full-forward Aaron Cunningham plundered 3-3 for Clare, while Tony Kelly struck the other goal in what turned into a total rout. Clare will face either Wexford or Galway in the All-Ireland final on Saturday, September 13.

Clare led by 18 points at the end of an extremely one-sided first half. Antrim started reasonably well, but points from David Reidy (2), Colm Galvin and Bobby Duggan had Clare 0-5 to 0-0 ahead on 10 minutes. Then, Cunningham pounced for his side’s first goal on 13 minutes and the floodgates opened thereafter. Cunningham flicked home after Ciarán Butler had saved a Peter Duggan shot, and that goal was followed by points from Reidy and Shane O’Donnell to leave Clare 10 clear.

In a rare moment of Saffron inspiration on 19 minutes, Ciarán Clarke burned towards goal from the right wing, and crossed for Seán McAfee, who put the sliotar past Keith Hogan in the Clare goal. It was a very brief moment of respite for Antrim though, as Clare totally dominated the remainder of the half. Cunningham fired home a sweet second goal on 21 minutes, while Kelly, Galvin and Bobby Duggan all found their range as Clare had 2-16 on the board by the interval.

Antrim hit the first points of the second half through McAfee and Clarke, but a beautifully struck goal from Kelly on 39 minutes put a renewed gallop in Clare. Antrim’s second half challenge was much greater than it had been in the first half, but Clare continued to find their range, with Kelly, Cunningham and substitute Cathal O’Connell all raising white flags. Cunningham completed his hat-trick with 10 minutes to go with a controlled finish, and while Antrim continued to battle and pick off scores, it was all a mere formality at that stage as Clare surged into the final.
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Scorers for Clare: A Cunningham 3-3, T Kelly 1-3, C O’Connell 0-6 (5f), B Duggan 0-5 (3f), D Reidy 0-3, C Galvin 0-2, S O’Donnell 0-2, E Enright 0-1, J Shanahan 0-1, N Deasy 0-1, S Gleeson 0-1

Scorers for Antrim: Stephen McAfee 0-3, Seán McAfee 1-0, C Clarke 0-2, C Burke 0-2, D McKernan 0-1, S McCaughan 0-1, M Bradley 0-1

CLARE: Keith Hogan; Jarlath Colleran, Jack Browne, Seadna Morey; Gearóid O’Connell, Alan O’Neill, Jamie Shanahan; Colm Galvin, Eoin Enright; Bobby Duggan, Tony Kelly, Peter Duggan; Shane O’Donnell, Aaron Cunningham, David Reidy. Subs: Cathal O’Connell for Reidy (31), Niall Deasy for B Duggan (HT), Shane O’Brien for Morey (46), Shane Gleeson for Galvin (46).

ANTRIM: Ciarán Butler; Michael Dudley, Paddy Burke, Michael Bradley; Ryan McCambridge, Jackson McGreevy, Tomás Ó Ciaráin; Eoghan Campbell, Stephen McAfee, Darragh McGuinness; Daniel McKernan, Seán McAfee, Ciarán Clarke. Subs: Conor Burke for Seán McAfee (29), Saul McCaughan for Daniel McCloskey (HT), James O’Connell for McKenna (38), Maol Connolly for McCambridge (44), Éamonn McCaughan for Seán McAfee (52).

Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow)
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Report: Arthur Sullivan

Clare crush Antrim in under-21 semi-final

CLARE 4-28 ANTRIM 1-10

Report from RTE.ie

Clare’s quest for a third All-Ireland under-21 hurling title in a row continued apace with a 4-28 to 1-10 win over Antrim at Semple Stadium this afternoon.

Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor’s charges were never behind during this game, with the Banner County giving a solid performance throughout. With senior stars, such as last year’s Hurler of the Year Tony Kelly, Aaron Cunningham and Shane O’Donnell to the fore, Clare powered to a 2-16 to 1-01 interval lead.

Eight players were on target for the Munster champions before the break, including Cunningham, who fired 2-01, his goals coming in the 13th and 20th minutes. Antrim worked hard on the restart, with the likes of Ciaran Clarke, Stephen McAfee and Ryan McCambridge on target. However, Kelly bagged Clare’s third goal in the 39th minute, and the Banner County stormed to victory with Cunningham completing his hat-trick 10 minutes from time.

22 points separated the sides when they met in last year’s All-Ireland decider, and Clare were even more impressive this time around, with 27 points to spare at the full-time whistle. The Banner County looked like emulating this from the off, with Antrim under huge pressure defensively in the opening stages, and after 17 minutes, Clare led by 1-07 to 0-00.

Points flowed freely for the Banner County in the opening minutes, with Colm Galvin, David Reidy and Bobby Duggan on target to ensure a 0-05 to 0-00 lead after nine minutes. Clare pressed hard, but Antrim goalkeeper Ciaran Butler worked tirelessly between the posts.
The MacUilin’s clubman denied Jarlath Colleran in the 12th minute, and followed up by denying Peter Duggan’s goal-shot soon after.

However, Cunningham smashed the ball to the net for Clare’s first goal on the follow-up. 10 points clear, Clare were in firm command, but Antrim finally broke their scoring deadlock in the 18th minute. Ciaran Clarke set off on a bursting run, and crossed the ball, for Sean McAfee to tap the ball to the net to ensure a 1-07 to 1-00 score-line.

Clare responded with quick-fire points from Eoin Enright and Bobby Duggan, before Cunningham broke through for his second goal to open up a 12-point gap. The Saffrons answered this with a Daniel McKernan point, but Clare fired seven scores without reply, Cunningham, Galvin, Duggan, Kelly and Jamie Shanahan on target to ensure a 2-16 to 1-01 half-time lead.

Antrim battled bravely on the restart, and indeed the Saffrons outscored their opponents by four points to two inside the opening seven minutes of the half. iaran Clarke, Stephen McAfee and Ryan McCambridge were on target for Kevin Ryan’s charges, but once Kelly pounced for Clare’s third goal there was simply no looking back.

Kelly’s goal started a period which saw Clare score 1-05 without reply in an eight-minute spell. Substitute Conor Burke, Stephen McAfee and Saul McCaughan responded with points for Antrim, but Clare were cruising to victory.

Cunningham’s third goal came with exactly 10 minutes of normal time remaining, and despite the defensive efforts of goalkeeper Ciaran Butler and centre-half-back Jackson McGreevy, Clare stormed to an impressive win, although Clarke and defender Michael Bradley claimed consolation points for Antrim late on.

Clare: K Hogan; J Colleran; J Browne, S Morey; G O’Connell, A O’Neill, J Shanahan (0-01); C Galvin (0-02), E Enright (0-01); B Duggan (0-05, 3f), T Kelly (1-03), P Duggan; S O’Donnell (0-02), A Cunningham (3-03), D Reidy (0-03). Subs: C O’Connell (0-06, 5f) for Reidy (31); N Deasy (0-01) for B Duggan (HT); S O’Brien for Morey (45); S Gleeson (0-01) for Galvin (45); A McGuane for Shanahan (51).

Antrim: C Butler; M Dudley, P Burke, M Bradley (0-01); R McCambridge (0-01), J McGreevy, T Ó Ciaráin; E Campbell, N McKenna; D McCloskey, Stephen McAfee (0-03), D McGuinness; D McKernan (0-01), Sean McAfee (1-00), C Clarke (0-02). Subs: C Burke (0-01) for McGuinness (28); S McCaughan (0-01) for McCloskey (HT); J O’Connell for McKenna (37); M Connolly for McCambridge (44); E McCaughan for Sean McAfee (51).

Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow)