Munster SHC S-Final – Waterford 0-22 Clare 1-15

Waterford through to Munster final

From the GAA.ie web site

Monday, June 07, 2010

Waterford are through to the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship final after a 0-22 to 1-15 defeat of Clare at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Monday afternoon. Davy Fitzgerald’s side trailed by four points after playing into the wind in the first half, but a much-improved second-half display, inspired by the excellent Tony Browne and the Prendergast bothers, Seamus and Declan, saw them produce a blistering finish that a young Banner side could not handle. The Déise will play either Limerick or Cork in the Munster final next month at the same venue. Waterford nudged two points clear in the opening stages, as Stephen Molumphy and John Mullane were on target. Clare looked nervous and there were fears that they would be over-run by a far more experienced side. However, Clare soon found their feet and three points in a two-minute spell gave them the confidence they needed. John Conlon ensured all of the Banner’s half-forward line were on target in the first ten minutes.

Clare’s pace in the half-forward line was causing serious problems for the Déise in the opening quarter, with Sean Collins (two) and midfielder Nicky O’Connell hitting the target three times for Ger O’Loughlin’s side in that spell, nudging them 0-7 to 0-3 ahead after 20 minutes. Waterford were clearly struggling to win any possession in the middle of the field and were it not for four points from Eoin Kelly – three of which came from frees – they might have been even further in arrears. As the half wore on, Davy Fitzgerald, the Waterford boss, switched Maurice Shanahan and Mullane and the ploy worked as both players were on target to reduce the deficit to two points, 0-9 to 0-7, just before the break.

However, the Banner engineered a goal in the 34th minute as Darrach Honan won a breaking ball in the full-forward line and the rangy number 14 unleashed a rocket past Clinton Hennessy, the Waterford goalkeeper. Colin Ryan added a point in the next attack and the underdogs led by four, 1-10 to 0-9, at the break. Kevin Moran and Kelly tagged on late scores for Waterford to reduce the damage done in the first half.

Moran gave Waterford the perfect start with a point on the resumption of play and Molumphy added his second of the afternoon to halve the lead Clare took into the break. Honan responded with a point for Clare, but Declan Prendergast and Maurice Shanahan soon had the gap down to a minimum. Clare were coming under increasing pressure playing into the breeze and their half-back line began to exert their influence in the opening stages of the second half. Mullane levelled the game for the third time in the 44th minute as the intensity of the game gradually cranked up. Waterford resumed the lead for the first time in 38 minutes when Molumphy knocked over his third of the afternoon to give his side a 0-16 to 1-12 advantage with 21 minutes left on the clock.

Honan, the star of Clare’s U21 All-Ireland triumph last year, was causing Waterford full-back Liam Lawlor all sorts of problems, and he brought his total to 1-3 for the afternoon with 16 minute left to edge O’Loughlin’s men into the lead once again. But the lead changed hands with great regularity in a thrilling contest, with Kelly levelling the game with a fine point from play from inside his own half. Seamus Prendergast, just on as a sub, had Waterford ahead once again. Waterford’s senior players, including the always inspirational Browne, came into their own and they scored the last three points of the game to secure a place in the Munster final. Clare had an opportunity to level the game from a free, but once again they were punished for a poor wide when Kelly scored his sixth point of the game and Ken McGrath, who came on as a second-half substitute, hit a point before Seamus Prendergast delivered the insurance score in injury time.

Nothing dull about Déise as Clare show signs of life

Waterford 0-22 Clare 1-15

By Diarmuid O’Flynn for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

A DULL afternoon in Thurles yesterday, cold and drizzly, dense and low-lying grey clouds enveloping the whole area; reflective of those conditions, out in Semple Stadium a pitiful crowd of just over 11,000 to witness a fixture which, only a few years ago, was one of the glamour clashes on the GAA calendar. And yet, defying both the weather and an absence of any kind of atmosphere, the hurlers of Waterford and Clare combined to give us a wonderful contest, a game that was decided only in the final ten minutes, Waterford scoring four points without reply to just deservedly take the honours.

Clare came to Thurles as complete underdogs; a Division Two team beaten out for promotion by Wexford in this same ground a few weeks ago in the league final on a day when they couldn’t find the posts, a young side with a rookie manager and with seven championship debutants. A four-point half-time lead (1-10 to 0-9), however made a nonsense of that, and in fact had Clare not suffered a repeat of their league final shooting yips (eight first-half wides), they would have been even further ahead. All over the field Clare were on top, Waterford making only occasional isolated stands. Inside, where Waterford opted for a two-man full-forward line, Cian Dillon was handling the size and threat of former hurler-of-the-year Dan Shanahan, while youngster Conor Cooney was doing a decent damage-limitation job on the ever-dangerous John Mullane (held him to two points from play and two more from very softly awarded frees, both notched by Eoin Kelly).

The Clare half-back line of Brendan Bugler, Diarmuid McMahon and Patrick Donnellan were also on top, Nicky O’Connell was the pick of the four midfielders (though Shane O’Sullivan was doing well for Waterford), while pacy wing-forwards Seán Collins and Jonathon Clancy picked off two fine points apiece. Inside, however, was where Clare really had Waterford in trouble, the lanky frame of Darach Honan causing major problems for first Eoin Murphy, then Liam Lawlor. U21 again next year, the Clonlara youngster isn’t just about height and a telescopic catching arm, he also has sublime skills, and his goal in the 33rd minute was a score of real quality, a power shot from about 20m off his left side over Clinton Hennessey’s left shoulder. With that goal, and a subsequent Colin Ryan point, Clare took a six-point lead and as half-time approached, a shock was certainly on the cards. Two softly conceded frees just before the interval, however, both of them from distance but both pointed by the lethal Eoin Kelly, threw Waterford a lifeline, reduced that deficit to four.

With the strong wind now at their backs, the second-half was dominated by Waterford, supersub Declan Prendergast with three fine points from wing-back, his older brother Seamus – another sub – with another two, while Ken McGrath put an exclamation mark on his late cameo appearance with a long-ranger from halfway. Some contribution from the bench, all of whom, it appeared, felt they had something to prove. “I’ve been criticised in Waterford, written off, but I proved a point today, scored three points,” said Declan; “I didn’t come on to do any scoring, I came on to defend, but the ball ran for me, I put them over the bar.”

It wasn’t just those three, however; corner-back Noel Connors was prominent all through, Tony Browne now thundered into the game as did Brick Walsh at centre-back, and together with Declan Prendergast, this trio formed a wall across the 45m in this half. Team captain Stephen Molumphy came in with two fine points, John Mullane was still busy, the Shanahan brothers Dan and Maurice – though both were eventually taken off – also contributed, while Eoin McGrath came up with the score of the game, perhaps even the point of the championship, a missile from just outside his own 45m line. For Clare, Darach Honan remained a threat up front, added two points, and the O’Donovan twins, Cormac and Domhnall, along with David Barrett, impressed on their introduction. The wise old heads (on and off the pitch) were the difference eventually, won it for Waterford, but mark this down: this Clare side will be heard from again.

Waterford: C Hennessy; N Connors, L Lawlor, E Murphy; T Browne, M Walsh, J Nagle; S O’Sullivan, R Foley; K Moran (0-2), M Shanahan (0-2), E Kelly (0-6, 4f); J Mullane (0-3), D Shanahan, S Molumphy (0-3). Subs – D Prendergast (0-3) for Nagle (h.t.), S Prendergast (0-2) for M Shanahan (50), S Walsh for D Shanahan (60), K McGrath (0-1) for Moran (64), E McGrath for Molumphy (70+2)

Clare: D Touhy; P Vaughan, C Dillon, C Cooney; B Bugler, D McMahon, P Donnellan; B O’Connell, N O’Connell (0-3, 1f); S Collins (0-2), J Conlon (0-1), J Clancy (0-3); F Lynch, D Honan (1-3), C Ryan (0-1). Subs – C O’Donovan (0-1) for Ryan (45), D O’Donovan for B O’Connell (52), D Barrett (0-1) for Lynch (57), A Markham for Clancy (66).

Ref: Brian Gavin (Offaly)

Team News

Donal Touhy, Cian Dilon, Conor Cooney, Nicky O Connell, Sean Collins, John Conlon and Darach Honan make their championship debuts on Monday next against Waterford in the Munster Championship semi final.

Also 7 of last years All-Ireland Under 21 team line out. Conor Cooney was u.21 captain in 2008.

Brian O Connell continues as Captain with Pat Vaughan as Vice Captainn

Clare Senior Hurling Team v. Waterford

Munster Hurling Championship 2010

1. Donal Touhy (D.O.Tuathaigh) Crusheen
2. Pat Vaughan (P.O.Beachain) Crusheen
3. Cian Dillon (C.O.Diolion) Crusheen
4. Conor Cooney (C.O.Cuana) O’ Callaghans Mills
5. Brendan Bulger (B.O.Buiglir) Whitegate
6. Diarmuid McMahon (D.O.MacMathuna) Kilmaley
7. Patrick Donnellan (P.O.Donalain) O’ Callaghans Mills
8. Brian O Connell (B.O.Conaill) Wolfe Tones na Sionna (Capt).
9. Nicky O Connell (N.O.Conaill) Clonlara
10. Sean Collins (S.O.Coilean) Cratloe
11. John Conlon (S.O.Conallain) Clonlara
12. Jonathan Clancy (S.O.MacLannchaidh) Clarecastle
13. Fergal Lynch (F.O.Lionsigh) Clooney-Quin
14. Darach Honan (D.O.hEoghanain) Clonlara
15. Colin Ryan (C.O.Riain) Newmarket on Fergus
16. Philip Brennan (P.O.Braoinin) Tulla
17. Mark Flaherty  ( M.O.Flaitheartaigh) Killanena
18. Domhnall O Donovan (D.O.Donnabhain) Clonlara
19. Cormac O Donovan (C.O.Donnabhain) Clonlara
20. David Barratt (D.O.Bairead) Newmarket on Fergus
21. Alan Markham (A.O.Marchain) Kilmaley
22. Martin ”Oige” Murphy (M.O.Murchu) Cratloe
23.  Michael Scanlon  ( M.O.Scealain) Scariff
24. Gerry Quinn (G.O.Coinn) Corofin
Manager: Ger O Loughlin
Selectors: Danny Chaplin
Liam Doyle

First Aid : Dr Padraic Quinn

Chartered Physio : Shane O Regan

Kit Man : Michael Colins

Liasion Officer : Pat Fitzgerald

WATERFORD named their team and it is as follows –

Clinton Hennessey

Eoin Murphy

Liam Lawlor

Noel Connors

Tony Browne

Michael Walsh

Jamie Nagle

Shane O’Sullivan

Richie Foley

Dan Shanahan

Kevin Moran

Stephen Molumphy – Capt.

John Mullane

Eoin Kelly

Maurice Shanahan