Waterford's strength in depth proves key

Waterford 0-22 Clare 1-15: FOR A while it appeared as if this Munster hurling semi-final was about to expand on the underdog narratives of the weekend. Clare, trying to mobilise half of their All-Ireland-winning under-21s while coping with the environmental disadvantages of a spring in Division Two, raised their game, while Waterford struggled for a long time to meet the challenge.

The convergence of the teams’ respective graph lines delivered an absorbing contest, featuring some terrific long-range shooting, in drab conditions with little more than 11,000 turning out on a monochrome Bank Holiday Monday in Thurles.

In the end Waterford’s advantages in experience and especially on the bench told and last season’s Munster runners-up advanced to this year’s provincial final where they will face Cork, a late scoring burst bringing their winning margin to four after they had finally overhauled the challenge of their persistent opponents in the last 10 minutes.

Six of the winning total of 22 points came from the bench and fortified by the strong performances of the Prendergast brothers, Declan in particular, who chose yesterday to announce himself as a sharpshooter after years of less conspicuous toil in the Waterford defence, the team raised its game when required for the second 35 minutes, outscoring Clare by eight after half-time.

The first half however was a different story. Hustled by the relentlessly industrious Clare youngsters, Waterford were unable to maintain a strong opening and fell away as their opponents’ hard-running half forwards began to open gaps in the defensive barriers.

Seán Collins and Jonathan Clancy scored twice and John Conlon – dispossessing Brick Walsh – added another as the scoreboard started to click away from Waterford. At times Clare were too eager and Colin Ryan’s 11th-minute decision to try for a goal off a close-in free ended in a save and clearance when a point would have doubled the lead.

As Waterford did in the second half, Clare also hit a heap of wides, eight, that undersold their superiority. Last year’s under-21 star Darach Honan added some deeper penetration when switched to full forward and he struck for goal in the 33rd minute just when it appeared as if Waterford were recovering. Seconds previously he had lost possession under pressure from Liam Lawlor but when Conlon managed to dig out a loose ball from a ruck the big Clonlara player was on to it and he rifled in the goal. Ryan added a point and the margin was now a substantial six with half-time looming.

In the last couple of minutes before the break Waterford partially retrieved the situation with two points from frees – one a massive Eoin Kelly hit into the wind and the second from a quick ball to Kevin Moran, who pointed.

Davy Fitzgerald, taking on his own county for the first time in championship, and the Waterford selectors would have had some hard thinking to do at this stage. Shane O’Sullivan was playing well at centrefield and Noel Connors and Eoin Murphy hurled expertly at corner back but not a great deal else was working.

The attack threatened in fits and starts but Cian Dillon kept a tight grip on the veteran Dan Shanahan as did Conor Cooney on John Mullane and Clare’s Pat Donnellan had been mopping up a lot of ball at wing back.

On the other side of the interval Moran struck again and was followed by Molumphy to start the comeback. Declan Prendergast came in at wing back and added some thrust to their attack by getting forward and striking three excellent points.

Waterford’s comeback was undermined by some poor shot selection and inaccurate finishing but they had momentum. Séamus Prendergast came off the bench on 50 minutes and also added some poke on the right hand side, scoring two points, even if he ended up in the unusual position of being outscored by his brother.

Clare kept in touch but the general sense was of Waterford getting ready to pull away. But from the time Mullane equalised in the 44th minute, the sides were level on four occasions until the winners finally got on top in the final crucial 10 minutes.

While the match oscillated there were some excellent scores taken. Kelly equalised in the 56th minute with a huge shot from his own 45-metre line.

Clare’s replacements also played a part. The O’Donovan twins freshened up the attack and Cormac got on the scoresheet. David Barrett drew the sides level for the last time in the 59th minute before the match turned decisively towards the pre-match favourites.

Declan Prendergast restored the lead, bending a great shot over the bar. Cooney unfortunately fouled the ball on the ground and gave Kelly a simple free for a two-point lead for the first time since the fourth minute.

A big cheer greeted the arrival of injury victim Ken McGrath for the final six minutes and a bigger cheer erupted when he swung over a point in the 70th minute.

Séamus Prendergast rounded off the scoring in what was a merited victory even if Clare were a little betrayed the eventual four-point winning margin.

WATERFORD:1 C Hennessy; 4 N Connors, 3 L Lawlor, 2 E Murphy; 5 T Browne, 6 M Walsh, 7 J Nagle; 8 S O'Sullivan, 9 R Foley; 11 K Moran (0-2), 15 M Shanahan (0-2), 12 S Molumphy (0-3); 13 J Mullane (0-3), 10 D Shanahan, 14 E Kelly (0-6, four frees). Subs: 18 D Prendergast (0-3) for Nagle (half-time), 22 S Prendergast (0-2) for M Shanahan (50 mins), 23 S Walsh for D Shanahan (60 mins), 21 K McGrath (0-1) for Moran (64 mins), 24 E McGrath for Molumphy (72 mins).

CLARE:1 D Tuohy; 2 P Vaughan, 3 C Dillon, 4 C Cooney; 5 B Bugler, 6 D McMahon, 7 P Donnellan; 8 B O'Connell, 9 N O'Connell 0-3 (two frees); 10 S Collins (0-2), 11 J Conlon, (0-1), 12 J Clancy (0-3); 14 D Honan (1-3), 13 F Lynch, 15 C Ryan (0-1). Subs: 19 C O'Donovan (0-1) for Ryan (45 mins), 18 D O'Donovan for B O'Connell (52 mins), 20 D Barrett (0-1) for Lynch (57 mins), 21 A Markham for Clancy (66 mins). Yellow Cards: Waterford – Lawlor (53 mins), D Prendergast (72 mins). Clare – Honan (37).

Referee:Brian Gavin (Offaly).