Electric Ireland Munster MHC Q-F – Waterford 1-13 Clare 0-11

Waterford defeated Clare by 1-13 to 0-11 in the Electric Ireland Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship Quarter-Final on Wednesday April 9th at Cusack Park Ennis.

Waterford sink Clare with late blitz

By Diarmuid O’Flynn for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Waterford 1-13 Clare 0-11

A sluggish start by All-Ireland champions Waterford to the start of their 2014 campaign in this Munster MHC quarter-final in Ennis yesterday evening but a winning start nonetheless, a late surge of 1-5 without reply enough to edge them past the dogged challenge of the home side.

“We didn’t expect anything less from Clare,” said Waterford manager Derek Lyons. “We had seen them in some of their challenge games and they play a fast-paced game, similar to what their senior team is playing. They gave it their all, we just got a turn on them at a crucial time.”

Unsung even in their own county, little expected of this particular group this year, Clare took the fight to Waterford. From outstanding keeper Jason Loughnane, through a tidy and tough-tackling full-back trio of Jamie Arthur (outstanding), Seamus Downey and Rory Hayes, right up to Aaron Shanagher and Brian Guilfoyle, not one took a backward step.

“The one thing we asked of this panel was honesty,” said Fennessy. “In fairness to the lads, every one of them gave us that. A few things went wrong but we’re not going to blame them for that; they’ll learn from it. We’re still in the championship and okay, we have to go through the back-door but we’ve done that before.” “One positive I’ll take from this tonight, those young fellas will themselves now believe they can do what we as a management picked them to do; they’ve got the ability, all they need is to believe in themselves.” Certainly they have the ability and with Shanagher punishing the many transgressions by the Waterford defence, Clare were full value for their 0-7 to 0-5 half-time lead.

Waterford then turned to play with the wind and courtesy of points from their main score-getter Patrick Curran and team captain Shane Ryan, within two minutes the game was tied, 0-7 each. It was then though that Clare enjoyed what was probably their best spell and driven on by Darragh Walsh at centre-back, Michael O’Malley in midfield, Ian Galvin also doing well on the wing (younger brother of Colm), by the 45th minute they had built a three-point lead for themselves (0-11 to 0-8).

Poor shooting though had cost Clare in the first half (seven wides), and cost them again now, with three more wides on the trot. As noted by Derek Lyons however, those last seven minutes was when Waterford won this game. Sharp-looking sub Eddie Meaney got 1-1 (the goal in the 58th minute), Curran had a beauty to close it out, but Shane Bennett and Darragh Lyons also caught the eye.

“Clare are not out of this yet,” warned Derek. “We could even meet them again in the semi-final and I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if we did — they’re a lovely team to watch. We made it hard on ourselves at times tonight but that was down to the quality of players they have, the quality of the hurling they played.”

Scorers for Waterford: P Curran 0-7 (6f); E Meaney 1-1; P Hogan, S Ryan, E O’Halloran, S Bennett (f), D Lyons, 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: A Shanagher 0-7 (5f, 0-1 65); I Galvin 0-2; M O’Shea 0-2.

WATERFORD: B Nolan; D Prendergast, E Hayden, D Lyons; C Prunty, S Bennett, S Murray; C Gleeson, E O’Halloran; J Allen, C Curran, S Ryan (c); A Molumby, P Curran, P Hogan.
Subs: S Hogan for Allen (25); M Cronin for Molumby (38); J Mullaney for O’Halloran (50); E Meaney for Ryan (50); J Kennedy for Curran (59). Blood: Hogan for Allen (15/17); Kennedy for Lyons (51/53 & 57/59).

CLARE: J Loughnane; J Arthur, S Downey, R Hayes; D Fitzgerald, D Walsh (c), J McCarthy; M O’Malley, G Whyte; I Galvin, M O’Shea, D Chaplin; P McNamara, A Shanagher, B Guilfoyle.
Subs: C Fitzgerald for Whyte (30); C Quigley for O’Shea (52); C O’Halloran for O’Malley (inj. 56).

Referee: J Murphy (Limerick)

Fixture Details

ELECTRIC IRELAND MUNSTER MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER FINAL
Clare v Waterford
An Clár v Portláirge
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis, 6.30pm
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Luimneach)
Extra Time if necessary

When – Wednesday April 9th at 6.30pm

Where – Cusack Park Ennis

Referee – Johnny Murphy (Limerick)

Extra time – (2 periods x 10 minutes only) to be played if sides finish level at the end of 60 minutes

Next Round – the winners will qualify for the Munster semi-final on June 25^th or 26^th where they will play the winners of the second play-off game. The losers will play the losers of Cork v Kerry on Wednesday April 23^rd or 30^th.

Admission Prices –
Adult – €10
Student/OAP with appropriate ID Card – €5
Under 16s are free

PRO Contact Details

Clare PRO Sean O’Halloran – pro.clare@gaa.ie and 087-247 7803

Waterford PRO Emer Barry – pro.waterford@gaa.ie and 087-9506613

Contact Munster GAA PRO Ger Ryan at pro.munster@gaa.ie for more information

Team News

Wateford Minor Hurling team to play Clare on Wednesday next at 6.30pm in the opening game of 2014. Best of luck http://t.co/H59RUaMxR0

— Waterford GAA (@WaterfordGAA) April 6, 2014

Waterford Minor Hurling Team to play Clare in the opening round of the 2014 Munster Minor Championship on Wednesday next in Ennis at 6.30pm

1 Billy Nolan Roanmore
2 David Prendergast Lismore
3 Eddie Hayden Ballygunner
4 Darragh Lyons Dungarvan
5 Conor Prunty Abbeyside
6 Shane Bennett Ballysaggart
7 Shane Murray Cappoquin
8 Conor Gleeson Four-Mile-Water
9 Edmond O Halloran Clashmore/Kinsalebeg
10 Joe Allen Dungarvan
11 Cormac Curran Brickey Rangers
12 Shane Ryan (Capt.) De La Salle
13 Peter Hogan Ballygunner
14 Patrick Curran Dungarvan
15 Andy Molumby Cappoquin

CLARE: Jason Loughnane (Sixmilebridge); Jason McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona), Seamus Downey (Clonlara), Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones); David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona), Darragh Walsh (Eire Og), Ben O’Gorman (Wolfe Tones); Michael O’Malley (Kilmaley), Gavin Whyte (Sixmilebridge); Ian Galvin (Clonlara), Michael O’Shea (Smith O’Briens), Darren Chaplin (Broadford); Paraic McNamara (Kilmaley), Aaron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones), Brian Guilfoyle (St Josephs Doora Barefield).

For the Record

MUNSTER GAA HURLING MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP 2014

First Round

Wednesday April 9^th

@ Páirc Uí Rinn                               Cork v Kerry                                                  @ 6:15pm

@ Cusack Park Ennis                     Clare v Waterford                                         @ 6:30pm

Thursday April 10^th

@ Gaelic Grounds Limerick           Limerick v Tipperary                                    @ 7pm

Play-offs

Dates and Venues to be confirmed depending on results

Wednesday April 23^rd or 30^th

Play-off 1: Loser of Cork v Kerry v Loser of Clare v Waterford

Wednesday April 30^th or May 7th

Play-off 2: Loser of Limerick v Tipperary v Winner of Play-off 1

Semi-Finals

Wednesday June 25^th or Thursday June 26^th

Winners of Limerick v Tipperary v Winners of Cork v Kerry

Winners of Clare v Waterford v Winners of Play-off 2

Final

Sunday July 13^th

Munster Minor Hurling Championship – Odds and Ends

Waterford have won at least 1 match in the Munster Minor Hurling Championship over the last 6 years. Cork and Limerick have the next best consecutive streak with at least 1 victory in each of the last 4 years. Tipperary have won a game in each of the last 3 years. While Clare did not secure a victory last year, they won a game in each of the previous 7 years. Tipperary have the best consecutive streak since 2000 winning a game in each of the ten years from 2000 to 2009 inclusive. 

Limerick are the defending Munster Minor Hurling Champions following a 1-20 to 4-8 victory over Waterford at Semple Stadium in the 2013 final replay. `

Waterford secured their first All Ireland minor hurling title since 1948 when they defeated Galway in the final on September 8^th 2013 by 1-21 to 0-16.

Kerry make a welcome return to the Munster championship this year. In 2012, when they last competed, they lost both their games – the first against Tipperary and the second against Cork. 2013 was a good year for them as they won the All Ireland Minor Hurling B championship defeating Meath by 1-19 to 3-9 in the final.

Cork Coach Mark Landers captained Cork to win the All-Ireland senior hurling title in 1999. Manager Denis Ring guided St. Colman’s College Fermoy to a number of Harty Cup titles. This is a first season in charge for Denis and his team, who were appointed at the end of last season.

Tipperary captain, Brian Hogan, is the son of former TIpperary Senior Hurling goalkeeper and manager Ken. Brian lined out in goal for the Tipperary Minor Hurlers in their two matches last year emulating his father Ken who was the Tipperary Minor Hurling goalkeeper in 1980 and 1981, winning Munster and All-Ireland Minor Hurling medals in 1980.

Clare appeared in 3 Munster minor hurling finals in a row from 2010 to 2012, winning in 2010 and 2011 against Waterford and losing to Tipperary in 2012. Several of their All Ireland senior winning squad of 2013 featured on those minor teams. 

Munster Minor Hurling Championship Roll Of Honour

Tipperary (37) – 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1973, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2012

Cork (32) – 1928, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1951, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1998 , 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008

Limerick (6) – 1940, 1958, 1963, 1965, 1984 , 2013

Waterford (4) – 1929, 1948, 1992, 2009        

Clare (4) – 1981, 1989, 2010, 2011

Munster Minor Hurling Championship – List of Winning Teams

Visit the Munster GAA web site History section to view the complete list of each winning team since the competition began in 1928 – https://munster.gaa.ie/history/mh_teams/

Munster Minor Hurling Cup

There is no name on the Munster Minor Hurling Cup. The cup itself was presented by T.W.A., Shannon Airport in 1946.

All Ireland Minor Hurling Championship

In the Minor Hurling All Ireland Roll of Honour, Tipperary are sedond in the charts with 19 titles behind Kilkenny’s 20 titles. Cork have won 18 titles, Limerick have 3 titles (1940, 1958, 1984) and Waterford joined them on 3 last year (1929, 1948, 2013) while Clare’s only title to date came in 1997.

Of the last 14 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Finals played, the Irish Press Cup has returned to Munster on 5 occasions – Cork (2001), Tipperary (2006, 2007 and 2012) and Waterford (2013). Of the other 9 titles since 1999, Galway have 5 and Kilkenny have captured 4.

Tipperary were All-Ireland Minor Hurling Champions in 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1996, 2006, 2007 and 2012

Cork were All-Ireland Minor Hurling Champions in 1928, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1951, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1995, 1998, 2001