CLARE got their second win of the National League against Wexford in an excellent display for 50 minutes before allowing Wexford back into the game having been 12 points clear with 20 minutes remaining.
Wexford started quickly with two fast points but Clare settled soon after and once they put their noses in front, they looked to have Wexford in trouble all over the field.
Podge Collins opened Clare’s scoring with a fine point from an acute angle before Peter Duggan added two frees to put Clare ahead. Tony Kelly both added gorgeous points while Wexford relied on three Ian Byrne frees to keep them in touch.
Scores were coming from all over the field for Clare and John Conlon, Colm Galvin, Shane Golden and David Fitzgerald all got their names on the scoresheet. As half-time loomed, Clare got 1-6 in 12 minutes, the goal coming from John Conlon after excellent play from David Fitzgerald saw him bare down on goal before passing across to Conlon who blasted to the net.
Clare compounded Wexford’s misery after the restart with 1-1 in four minutes to see them go 11 clear.
Duggan got the goal from a penalty after he was dragged down as he went through on goal and he made no mistake – blasting the ball low and into the bottom left corner. Kelly got the opening score of the half.
Then came the Wexford comeback. Rory O’Connor got three in a row, one from a free, before Diarmuid O’Keefe and Jack O’Connor chipped in with two points.
Things started getting jittery in Cusack Park and when Shaun Murphy got a goal for Wexford, the gap was somehow only four points.
Clare rallied with points from Duggan, Collins and Ian Galvin to ensure they took the two points in a pulsating game in Cusack Park.
Read a comprehensive match report, interviews and analysis only in this week’s Clare Champion.
Clare: Donal Tuohy; Rory Hayes, David McInerney, Jack Browne; Patrick O’Connor, Conor Cleary, David Fitzgerald; Shane Golden, Colm Galvin; Peter Duggan, Tony Kelly, Diarmuid Ryan; Ian Galvin, John Conlan, Podge Collins.
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Liam Ryan, Darren Byrne, Shane Reck, Paudie Foley, Matthew O’Hanlon, Shaun Murphy; Diarmuid O’Keefe, Kevin Foley; Aidan Nolan, Liam Og McGovern, Ian Byrne; Cathal Dunbar, Lee Chin, Rory O’Connor.
David Fitzgerald, Wexford manager, acknowledges the crowd before their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Donal Moloney, Clare Joint Manager, before their Allianz NHL round 4 game against Wexford at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Patrick O Connor of Clare before their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Paudie Foley of Wexford in action against Diarmuid Ryan and John Conlan of Clare during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.referee John Keenan of Wicklow during the Clare V Wexford Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Diarmuid Ryan of Clare in action against Liam Og Mc Govern and Paudie Foley of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Jack Browne of Clare in action against Lee Chin of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Peter Duggan of Clare in action against Shane Rock and Matthew O Hanlon of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Peter Duggan of Clare in action against Matthew O Hanlon of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Darren Byrne of Wexford in action against John Conlan of Clare during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Lee Chin of Wexford in action against Shane Golden of Clare during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Podge Collins of Clare in action against Darren Byrne of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.David Fitzgerald, Wexford manager, watches the first half from the TV box during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Tony Kelly of Clare in action against Aidan Nolan of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Lee Chin of Wexford in action against David Fitzgerald of Clare during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Lee Chin of Wexford in action against Peter Duggan of Clare during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Tony Kelly of Clare in action against Shaun Murphy of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Peter Duggan of Clare is brought down for a penalty by Matthew O Hanlon of Wexford watched by Mark Fanning of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Mark Fanning of Wexford fails to block Peter Duggan’s penalty shot during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.John Conlan and Ian Galvin of Clare in action against Shane Rock of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Peter Duggan and John Conlan of Clare in action against Darren Byrne of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Rory Hayes of Clare in action against Cathal Dunbar and Paul Morris of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.John Conlan of Clare in action against Darren Byrne and Mark Fanning of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Diarmuid Ryan of Clare in action against Paudie Foley of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Diarmuid O Keeffe of Wexford in action against Colm Galvin of Clare during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Podge Collins of Clare in action against Ian Byrne of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Good Sport…Peter Duggan of Clare helps opposition player Kevin Foley of Wexford with a cramping leg during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.David Fitzgerald, Wexford manager, on the sideline during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Podge Collins, John Conlan and Ryan Taylor of Clare watch the ball with opposition player Paul Morris of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.John Conlon of Clare goes over on his left ankle while in action against Darren Byrne of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.John Conlan of Clare is treated for an injury late during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.John Conlan of Clare is taken off with an injury late during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Aidan Mc Carthy of Clare in action against Matthew O Hanlon and Harry Kehoe of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Jack O Connor of Wexford in action against Rory Hayes of Clare during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Aidan Mc Carthy of Clare in action against Paudie Foley and Darren Byrne of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Conor Cleary of Clare in action against Jack O Connor of Wexford during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Donal Moloney, Clare Joint Manager on the sideline during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Wexford’s final chance of an equalising goal is not to be during their Allianz NHL round 4 game against Clare at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.David Fitzgerald, Wexford manager, reacts as his team’s final chance of a score to equalise the game goes wide during their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Donal Moloney, Clare Joint Manager, chats with a defeated David Fitzgerald, Wexford manager, following their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Peter Duggan of Clare mingles with fans following their Allianz NHL round 4 win over Wexford at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.Clare fan Emily Blake was content enough to read her book on the hallowed turf of Cusack Park as many of her peers hunted for autographs, played ball or let off steam following the Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.David Fitzgerald, Wexford manager, mingles with fans following their Allianz NHL round 4 game at Cusack Park Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
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