Another lucky break for the Banner

Clare: 1-9
Carlow: 1-11

CLARE are still unbeaten and leading the way in Division 2 of the National Hurling League but those who witnessed their latest display at Dr Cullen Park in Carlow on Sunday will find it difficult to understand how they are in this position.

For the second week in succession, Lady Luck smiled on Clare and they were extremely fortunate to come away from the Leinster venue with the maximum points.
This was one of the poorest performances from a Clare side for quite some time and there will have to be a huge improvement if they are to get back into the premier division.
With a team that showed five changes in personnel and a number of positional switches from the previous week in Antrim, Clare went into action well warned about Carlow’s wins over Down and Wexford in the previous two rounds.
Three of the changes were forced on the management team, with Pat Vaughan and Darach Honan out due to injury and Fergal Lynch an absentee due to his sending off in the game against Antrim. The mentors opted to give Donal Tuohy his chance to impress in goals ahead of Philip Brennan, while the other change saw John Conlon return after injury. His inclusion meant David Barrett lost out. Pat Vaughan, the star of the side in Casement Park, was due to play but he was withdrawn after the warm-up due to a groin injury, which resulted in Conor Cooney’s inclusion at corner-back. Eamonn Glynn started his first league game at wing-back, while Cormac O’Donovan and Barry Nugent, both of whom were introduced in Antrim, were in from the start.
When Cormac O’Donovan fired over the opening point after 30 seconds, there was nothing to suggest that Clare were going to have a major battle on their hands but things changed in the next few minutes as the Carlow men dictated the play.
Two long-range frees from full-back Shane Kavanagh had them in front by the third minute and as they piled on the pressure, Clare were fortunate not to concede more scores. In the sixth minute, corner-forward Andrew Gaule saw his effort rebound off the upright before another huge free from Kavanagh caused problems in the Clare square and Donal Tuohy had to be alert to save the danger.
It was 0-4 to 0-1 by the 14th minute after Carlow converted another two frees. A minute later, Clare were awarded their first free and by this time, Carlow had been awarded seven by the Wexford official Seán Whelan, some of whose decisions were difficult to understand and clearly annoyed Clare players and officials. While Whelan did not have a good outing, it would be unfair to blame him for Clare’s poor performance.
Colin Ryan kept Clare in touch with a 60m free but another brace for the home side, the second from Andrew Gaule, which proved to be the game’s first score from play and which came after 19 minutes, stretched their advantage to five points. Clare had the last two scores of the half, points from Seán Collins and Colin Ryan (free) and this left them just two adrift, 0-5 to 0-7, when the half-time whistle sounded.
The introduction of Jonathon Clancy for the final 10 minutes of the half clearly improved things for Clare and the Clarecastle man went on to play a leading role in their victory. He went in at midfield, with Brendan Bugler going to wing-back to the exclusion of Eamonn Glynn.
Carlow returned with all guns blazing and it took an excellent save from an alert Donal Tuohy to prevent a goal two minutes into the second half. The umpire signalled a wide ball despite protests from Carlow. Tuohy clearly deflected the effort from Paudie Kehoe behind and it should have been a 65’.
Clancy closed the gap to the minimum when he pointed in the third minute but the home side quickly responded with a Paudie Kehoe point from a free.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, a great run by Cormac O’Donovan resulted in a Clare 20m free in front of goal. Colin Ryan crashed the ball to the net and Clare were back in front for the first time since the opening minute.
Carlow came storming back and when Brendan Bugler was penalised for an illegal hand pass, Shane Kavanagh converted the 60m free to tie up the scores.
Clancy put Clare back in front with 12 minutes to go but, straight from the puck-out, Damian Roberts struck for the home side to level the game again. Substitute Denis Murphy converted a 55m free to give Carlow the lead with seven minutes still to play and there were no signs of Carlow buckling, as some had suggested.
Two Clare points, within a minute, from John Conlon, now operating at full-forward, swung the game in Clare’s favour. The second came after he won possession from a James McInerney delivery with just four minutes to play.
In the remaining time, Carlow piled on the pressure but the Clare defence held firm. Two minutes of injury time were signalled but the game had gone into the third minute when the match official signalled for a free for the home side. Full-back Kavanagh, who scored 0-5 in this tie, was entrusted with the effort but the ball drifted wide of Donal Tuohy’s right hand upright and this time referee Whelan did signal the end.
With the exception of one puck-out, which went astray in the opening half, Crusheen man Tuohy had a fine outing in goal. His clubmate Cian Dillon again got through an amount of work at full-back and made some vital interceptions. Overall, the defence battled hard throughout.
The introduction of Clancy certainly played a key part in the victory, as the Clarecastle man caused huge problems for the home side as, indeed, did Cormac O’Donovan, who got through some excellent work in the tie.
The forward line, however, disappointed and this is reflected in the fact that three of the starting six failed to score, while only two managed to score from play.

Clare: Donal Tuohy; Gerry O’Grady, Cian Dillon, Conor Cooney; Eamonn Glynn, James McInerney, Pat Donnellan; Brendan Bugler, Cormac O’Donovan; Seán Collins, John Conlon, Alan Markham, Diarmuid McMahon, Barry Nugent, Colin Ryan.
Subs: Jonathon Clancy for Glynn (25 minutes); Martin Ogie Murphy for Nugent (44 minutes) and Mark Flaherty for Markham (56 minutes).
Scorers: Colin Ryan (1-3), all frees; Jonathon Clancy, John Conlon (0-2) each. Cormac O’Donovan and Seán Collins (0-1) each.
Frees for: 13; wides: 11.
Bookings: Cormac O’Donovan (17 minutes) and Ogie Murphy (53 minutes).
Carlow: Kevin Kehoe; Alan Corcoran, Shane Kavanagh, Des Shaw; Edward Coady, John Rogers, Richard Coady; Damian Roberts, Eoin Nolan; Eddie Byrne, Mark Brennan, Craig Doyle; Andrew Gaule, Robert Foley, Paudie Kehoe.
Subs: Denis Murphy for Byrne (half-time), Ruairi Dunbar for P Kehoe (55 minutes) and Alan Brennan for Gaule (61 minutes).
Scorers: Shane Kavanagh (0-5), all frees; Paudie Kehoe (0-2), both frees; Denis Murphy (free) Craig Doyle, Andrew Gaule and Damien Roberts (0-1) each.
Frees for: 19; wides: 13; 65s: 2.
Bookings: Damian Roberts (42 minutes), Edward Coady (51 minutes), Paudie Kehoe (55 minutes).
Referee: Seán Whelan, Wexford.