Clare footballers make no mistake second time round against Waterford

WATERFORD 0-12 CLARE 3-11 A week on from almost letting the game slip from their hands, Clare provided enough firepower to see off a battling Waterford side, who were left to rue two early black card decisions.

Clare managed 14 scores, all from play, but 16 wides ought to worry Colm Collins’ before their Munster semi-final date with Kerry.

Midfielder Gary Brennan was irrepressible and landed 1-2 operating as the channel between defence and attack.

Sent to the stands

Shane Aherne had curbed Brennan’s influence in the drawn fixture, but on Saturday night the Waterford talisman was sent to the stands with barely 90 seconds on the clock.

The Stradbally club man was deemed to have come in high on Martin McMahon and was replaced by Wayne Hutchinson.

Despite the early setback, Waterford had four points on the scoreboard by the 11th minute. Paul Whyte struck an early free off his left to open proceedings in the first minute, and the full forward added two more scores before JJ Hutchinson was set up to for a grandstand point from distance.

Waterford enjoyed the majority of possession early on, rushing forward time and again with intent.

But too much of a good thing can be bad and Waterford’s forward forays became the starting block for Clare’s breakaways, and with space to exploit they found their running game.

Seán Collins was a nimble presence in the half-forward line, the dual-star kicking three points, with the highlight coming in the 43rd minute after typical Gary Brennan dominance under the kick-out and swift passing upfield.

The home side went 30 minutes without a score before and after half-time, the period when Clare put the game to bed.

Brennan initiated this purple patch when his marauding run was picked out by Shane Hickey, and the Clare captain weaved past the tackles to slot the ball under Stephen Enright in the 24th minute.

Quick points

Brennan’s midfield partner Shane McGrath added two quick points and Clare found themselves ahead, Collins tagging on another before Waterford’s challenge hit its second stumbling block.

Tommy Prendergast joined his midfield partner Aherne in the stands after his trip on McGrath was deemed cynical by referee Maurice Deegan.

Three points to the good at half-time, Clare kicked on.

Brennan pointed, as did Collins and Jamie Malone. Now six points to the good, Clare made it nine in the 48th minute. Shane Brennan was the first to react when his brother Gary struck the post with an effort from distance, and he finished to the net from close range.

Declan Allen stemmed the tide for Waterford in the 52nd minute, and while they never gave up the ghost, they were chasing a lost cause.

Rory Donnelly put wing-back Ciarán Russell through for a point to make it 2-11 to 0-9 on the hour mark. The resultant kick-out fell to Eoin Cleary, and his pass found Donnelly in space and hecooly slotted the ball past Enright for Clare’s third goal.

Liam Ó Lionáin struck twice late on, and JJ Hutchinson brought his tally to four as Waterford were left to rue what might have been.

CLARE: J Hayes; D Ryan, K Hartnett, M McMahon; S Hickey, G Kelly, C Russell (0-1); G Brennan (1-2), S McGrath (0-3); S Collins (0-3), E Coughlan, B Hartnett; M O'Leary, S Brennan (1-0), D Tubridy (0-1). Subs: J Malone (0-1) for Hartnett (25 mins), R Donnelly (1-0) for Coughlan (55 mins), E Cleary (59 mins), L Healy for McMahon (62 mins), P McMahon for Collins (65 mins), S McNelis for Hickey (65 mins). WATERFORD: S Enright; D Crowley, T O'Gorman, M O'Gorman; C Phelan, S Briggs, O Keevers; S Aherne, T Prendergast; M O'Gorman, L Ó Lonáin (0-2), T Ó hUallacháin; B Wall, P Whyte (0-5), JJ Hutchinson (0-4). Subs: W Hutchinson for Aherne (3 mins, bc), D Allen (0-1) for Prendergast (32 mins, bc), M Curry for Hutchinson (35 mins), C O'Keeffe for Phelan (45 mins), D Grey for Hutchinson (69 mins). Referee: M Deegan (Laois)