Battling Banner show resilient streak

Clare 0-21   Limerick 1-16

A THIRD successive failure to win promotion to the top division in the hurling league looked to be Clare’s lot when they trailed Limerick by eight points 10 minutes into the second half of the Division 1B final at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday evening.
However, in the last 25 minutes they outscored the home side by 0-12 to 0-2 to secure victory to the delight of the Clare followers in the official attendance of 9,897.
The second half produced plenty of entertainment and some impressive scores as a fitter Clare side took the initiative to maintain their unbeaten run. In addition to securing promotion to Division 1 for next season, Clare will now play Kilkenny in the semi-final of the league proper at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Sunday, April 22 at 2pm.
It was an outcome that appeared to be in doubt for much of the game. Clare struggled throughout the first half and were a little fortunate to be just three points in arrears at the midpoint.
The visitors carried the favourites’ tag into the final but in the lead-up to the game, team mentors warned they expected Limerick “to throw everything” at them. In the first half, in particular, there was a nervousness in Clare’s play that hadn’t been evident in their earlier games and this resulted in a number of mistakes, which saw them lose possession on far too many occasions.
For this outing, Davy Fitzgerald and his fellow selectors, Mike Deegan and Louis Mulqueen, recalled Domhnaill O’Donovan to corner-back in place of Eamonn Glynn and the Clonlara man justifed their decision with a powerful performance. Up front, Enda Barrett was named at wing-forward in place of the suspended Fergal Lynch, while Caimin Morey was on the other wing, instead of Jonathon Clancy.
Points were exchanged twice in the opening minutes before Limerick hit four in-a-row to lead 0-6 to 0-2 by the 10th minute. With Shane Dowling troubling the Clare defence, the visitors went on to open an six-point gap, 0-9 to 0-3, by the midpoint of the half and the signs were worrying for Clare. The position could have been worse for Clare but Patrick Kelly produced an outstanding save from Tommy Quaid in the 13th minute.
In the opening 20 minutes, the game lacked the passion and bite normally associated with meetings of these counties but this changed 10 minutes from the break. The respective managers, Fitzgerald and John Allen, clashed on the sideline, before Limerick midfielder James Ryan was booked by referee Brian Gavin after his challenge on Fitzgerald left the Clareman receiving attention.
These incidents clearly raised the tempo of the game. Clare benefitted and had the better of the exchanges for the remainder of the half. They hit three unanswered points and when the half-time whistle sounded, they were just three behind, 0-8 to 0-11. They could have been on level terms but Sean Collins’ first-time effort from a good position flew wide of the target a minute from the break.
In the last 15 minutes of the half, five yellow cards were produced, four to Limerick players, while the home side lost their captain, David Breen, to injury just before the short whistle.
Clare got the opening score of the second half but they lost their way again and fell behind by eight points, 0-9 to 1-14. Five points in four minutes had the margin back to three with 20 minutes still to play and with the large Clare following urging them on, Clare were clearly growing in confidence.
The introduction of teenager Aaron Cunningham helped greatly as the Wolfe Tones man caused a lot of problems for the Limerick defence. Two Conor McGrath efforts had the margin down to one with 14 minutes remaining and while Limerick got through for one, it failed to break Clare’s momentum.
Nicky Quaid saved, at the expense of a 65’, from John Conlon and Nicky O’Connell converted before Cunningham landed a superb equaliser with eight minutes remaining.
Five minutes from time, Clare took the lead for the first time since the third minute when Conor McGrath pointed after gathering a delivery from Domhnaill O’Donovan. Goalkeeper Kelly saved from Dowling, before Seanie O’Brien levelled matters for the fourth time in all and it looked like extra time would be required.
Two minutes of injury time were signalled and in the second of these Colin Ryan doubled on a huge delivery from Patrick Kelly, only for the umpire to judge that his effort was deflected behind. Nicky O’Connell landed the resultant 65’ to put the visitors ahead again. It was fitting that the final score should fall to Conor McGrath, whose converted 20m free moments later brought his tally for the evening to 12 and sealed Clare’s victory.
Domhnaill O’Donovan and James McInerney dominated in defence, where Patrick O’Connor had a fine second half, having missed the last five minutes of the first half because of a blood injury. Goalkeeper Patrick Kelly made a couple of impressive saves.
Clare struggled at midfield, particularly in the opening half, while up front Conor McGrath showed some great touches and John Conlon received close attention from the Limerick defence. Substitute Aaron Cunningham was quite impressive after his introduction.

Clare: Patrick Kelly; Domhnaill O’Donovan, Cian Dillon, Conor Cooney; Brendan Bugler, James McInerney, Patrick O’Connor; Nicky O’Connell, Patrick Donnellan (capt); Caimin Morey, Sean Collins, Enda Barrett; Colin Ryan, Conor McGrath, John Conlon.
Sub: Aaron Cunningham for Morey (51 minutes).
Scorers: Conor McGrath (0-12, 10f), Colin Ryan (0-3), Nicky O’Connell (0-3, 2 65s, 1f), Patrick Donnellan, John Conlon and Aaron Cunningham (0-1 each).
Frees for: 15; wides: 7; 65s: 2
Bookings: Brendan Bugler (33 minutes), Patrick O’Connor (43 minutes) and Sean Collins (64 minutes).
Limerick: Nicky Quaid; Stephen Walsh, Ritchie McCarthy, Tom Condon; Wayne McNamara, Donal O’Grady, Gavin O’Mahoney; Paul Browne, James Ryan; Shane Dowling, Conor Allis, David Breen (capt); Graeme Mulcahy, Niall Moran, Tommy Quaid.
Subs: Seanie O’Brien for Breen (inj, 35 minutes), Kevin Downes for Moran (half-time), Seanie Tobin for T Quaid (40 minutes) and Mikey Ryan for Allis (61 minutes).
Scorers: Shane Dowling (1-7, 1-5f), Graeme Mulcahy (0-3), Seanie O’Brien (0-2), James Ryan, Niall Moran, Tommy Quaid and Kevin Downes (0-1 each).
Frees for: 11; wides: 6; 65s: 1
Bookings: Wayne McNamara (19 minutes), David Breen (24 minutes), James Ryan (25 minutes), Donal O’Grady (30 minutes), Tom Condon (47 minutes), Ritchie McCarthy (54 minutes) and Mikey Ryan (66 minutes).
Referee: Brian Gavin, Offaly.