Three red cards as Clare dismiss Offaly in a thriller

Clare 2-21 Offaly 0-15

Despite challenging gallantly for much of the opening half, Offaly still succumbed by twelve points in the end to Clare, in an opening game of the Allianz Hurling League played at Cusack Park, Ennis on Sunday.

The visitors lead by 0-6 to 0-4 after 21 minutes of play and with 11 minutes remaining to the break, the sides were level. But from then until the whistle Clare hit 1-7 to take a 1-13 to 0-7 lead at half time.

Banner boss Davy Fitzgerald was happy with the win when he said, “The result is great. We won it by twelve in the end so we can’t complain.” He went on to add, “I thought the 13 or 14 minutes coming into half-time, I though, that was the Clare I know. They really played well in that patch. We did ok. I know it’s early yet so we won’t dwell on the victory.”

Clare’s Colin Ryan opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a point from play and immediately Offaly wing-forward Paddy Murphy replied with an equaliser.

The Faithful County matched their vastly experienced opponents score for score early on and when Shane Dooley sent over a free on 21, he gave his team the lead. Another free, this time by Conor Doughan, with a long range effort, opened up a 0-6 to 0-4 gap.

But Clare hit five scores on the trot through David Reidy, John Conlon and Colin Ryan on three occasions, to overturn the advantage. Yet another Dooley free left his side two behind but a late flurry by Fitzgerald’s charges before the break paved the way for victory.

Peter Duggan collected a John Conlon pass and ran at the Offaly defence for a well taken goal and then points by Conlon, Colin Ryan (two) and centre-back David McInerney, left Clare 1-13 to 0-7 in front at the whistle.

John Conlon and Dooley exchanged points immediately after the interval and by the 48th minute both sides were reduced to 14 as Offaly’s Conor Doughan and Clare’s Peter Duggan were red carded for an off the ball incident.

Offaly were further reduced to 13 when corner back Paddy Rigney was also dismissed on a second yellow card. A Shane Dooley penalty, saved by Clare goalkeeper Pa Kelly also didn’t help. Substitutes Bobby Duggan and youngster Aaron Shanagher added to the potency of the Clare attack when introduced and deep into injury-time Shanagher’s tenacity was rewarded when fired to the net from close range.

Scorers – Clare: Colin Ryan (0-9) 7 f's, P Duggan (1-0), A Shanagher (1-0), J Conlon (0-3), D McInerney (0-2), B Duggan (0-2) 1 f, C Cleary, C Dillon, D Reidy, C Galvin, S O'Donnell (0-1) each. Offaly: S Dooley (0-8), 6 f's, 1 '65, P Camon (0-3), P Murphy (0-2), S Kinsella, C Doughan (0-1) each.

CLARE: P Kelly, P O'Connor, C Dillon, P Flanagan, C Cleary, D McInerney, Conor Ryan, D Reidy, C Galvin, J Conlon, Colin Ryan, P Duggan, S O'Donnell, D Honan, C McGrath. Subs: A Cunningham for Honan inj. (35), A Shanagher for Conlon inj. (38), B Duggan for Colin Ryan (49), D Fitzgerald for McGrath (55), J Browne for Conor Ryan (63).

OFFALY: J Dempsey, N Wynne, C McDonald, P Rigney, P Camon, C Doughan, S Gardiner, P Guinan, S Kinsella, P Murphy, S Dooley, J Bergin, J Sampson, C Egan, J Mulrooney. Subs: J O'Connor for Guinan (31), S Quirke for Sampson (35), S Cleary for Mulrooney (62), B Murphy for Bergin (65).

Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).