Clare's challenge is blown away

Limerick 2-15 Clare 0-12: AS A SNAPSHOT of where the two counties stand, yesterday's Allianz National Hurling League Division One B match in the Gaelic Grounds was a good likeness.

Clare, sifting through what's available as Michael McNamara tries to blend a team, needed to take their chances in front of the 4,800 in attendance to put pressure on a Limerick team still effectively reassembling after last summer's adventures.

Having got the use of a stiff breeze in the first half, the visitors had every opportunity to follow the above prescription but, despite leading by 0-6 to nil after the first quarter, Clare frittered away the chances that could have given them a useful total going in at the interval and allowed Limerick a recovery that positioned Richie Bennis's team nicely for their windassisted second half.

It was Limerick's strongest team of the campaign to date, including 11 of the side that reached last September's All-Ireland final. Fitfully they found a rhythm of sorts and, with Clare's challenge atrophying completely, the home side clicked into action, shooting over a succession of longrange points to run out comfortable winners in a match that should effectively put them into the league quarter-finals.

"Playing against the breeze helped us settle because Clare didn't put up a big score," said Bennis afterwards. "I think we utilised the breeze to good effect in the second half and I think Clare accepted the result as they started to bring in subs at random whereas we genuinely wanted to win that match and from here in we'll try to win every match.

"It was a good team performance. I'll say no more about that but whatever players needed to do they did it."

They took their time though and for most of the first half Clare looked the sharper side in winning ball and moving it forward. Captain Brian O'Connell covered energetically, dropping back to the half backs to supplement the defence and up front, bit by bit the scores mounted but so did the inaccuracies and free-taker Mark Flaherty had a particularly frustrating afternoon, supplying five of the 16 wides.

It took Limerick until the 21st minute to set the scoreboard rolling but they had threatened at various stages only to be thwarted by some snappy defending andpoor finishing.

Philip Brennan had made a good save and recovery to deny Ollie Moran and then Seán O'Connor a goal. At the other end the hard-working Jonathan Clancy burst through the middle after a deft pick-up, soloed in on goal but of the three options - point, pass to Barry Nugent or go for goal - he took the third and shot tamely at Brian Murray.

The score that probably most influenced the match came a couple of minutes before the break when Andrew O'Shaughnessy's shot was blocked and O'Connor struck home the rebound for the first goal.

Leading by only two at halftime, 0-7 to 1-2, Clare looked vulnerable and so it proved. They lost the second half 0-5 to 1-13. Ten minutes after the restart Ollie Moran did well to gather possession and attack along the endline, sending over a well-flighted pass that O'Shaugnessy was able to drill into the net and push Limerick ahead 2-3 to 0-8.

Thereafter a home win never looked in doubt. It was embellished by some fine, longrange point taking. Mark Foley hit a couple of monsters, including a free from his own 45 and Paudie O'Dwyer landed a couple of long frees of his own. Replacement Donie Ryan hit an equally remarkable point, somehow tapping over the empty net from close range having rounded the goalkeeper in the 55th minute.

"For all practical purposes we've a mountain to climb," was Clare manager Michael McNamara's reaction."We knew that coming in and we know it  now. There's going to be days like this.

"When you shoot 16 wides it's a matter of concern rather than an area we should be proud of. If you shoot 16 wides something's happening right but some of those wides were at vital times and a couple of frees that were bread and butter to our free-taker went wrong on the day."

He said he felt there was a nervousness about the team and acknowledged his options were limited and that the league had to be used to strengthen the summer challenge.

"Tony Carmody was playing today after a major operation and irrespective of how he plays or how he looks on the day we need him in June so we take our chances."

Bennis, when asked was he happy with progress, was positive: "Very much so. We said we wanted four points after the first three matches and we have that and results today may help. If we qualify we'll be happy. That was our aim at the very beginning."

LIMERICK: B Murray; D Reale, S Lucey, S Hickey; M O'Brien, P O'Dwyer (0-2, frees), M Foley (capt; 0-2, one free); D O'Grady (0-1), M O'Brien; M Fitzgerald (0-1), O Moran (0-1), S Lavin; A O'Shaughnessy (1-2, point a free), S O'Connor (1-1), P Tobin. Subs: M O'Riordan for Maurice O'Brien (24 mins), N Moran (0-2) for Lavin (25 mins). D Ryan (0-1) for Tobin (47 mins), W McNamara (0-1) for Mike O'Brien (54 mins), B Foley (0-1) forFitzgerald (64 mins).

CLARE: P Brennan; T Keogh, F Lohan, G O'Grady; P Donlon, T Holland, J McInerney; C Lynch (0-1), B O'Connell (capt); J Clancy (0-2), D Barrett (0-1), T Carmody (0-2); N Gilligan (0-3, one free), B Nugent, M  Flaherty (0-3, frees). Subs: B Bugler for McInerney (30 mins).

Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).