By Seamus Hayes

Clare 2-20 Limerick 1-14

A strong second half showing helped defending Munster and All-Ireland champions Clare to a merited win over Limerick in the opening round of the Munster under 21 hurling championship at the Gaelic grounds on Wednesday evening.

In a game played before an attendance of 6,063, the favourites took a while to settle but they were always in control in the second half. In the semi-final on July 16, Clare will take on Tipperary at Cusack Park

“Limerick were always going to put it up to us. I saw them annihilate Kilkenny two weeks ago in a challenge game in Nowlan Park. We paid them huge respects coming in here in terms of how we prepared, particularly in terms of mental preparation. In the first half we weren’t that fluent at times. We were struggling to string passes together and quite fortunate not to concede a goal or two”, joint manager Donal Moloney said after the game.

“They are hard working lads and some of them are their own worst critics. At half time there was a lot of stuff to be sorted and they got it sorted and we opened it up a bit in the second half”, the Scariff native said.

There were fears for Clare in some quarters at the half way stage when their lead was just two points after playing with the aid of the fresh wind. However, Clare dominated the second half and goals from Aaron Cunningham and Peter Duggan put paid to Limerick’s hopes of an upset.

The Shannonsider’s goal came in the third minute of ‘injury time’ and too late to cause problems for the holders.

Of huge concern for Clare, however, is another injury to forward Aaron Cunningham who had to be stretchered from the pitch five minutes from the end of the tie. Not long back from a serious shoulder injury, the Shannon man appeared to suffer a knee injury on this occasion.

Clare’s first goal came ten minutes from time when Cunningham finished after receiving a pass from Bobby Duggan.

Two minutes before that goal Limerick had a Shane Dowling goal from a quickly taken free disallowed and this together with the Clare goal proved decisive on the night. Peter Duggan’s goal sealed the win for the Claremen on a night when Seadna Morey, Jamie Shanahan, Conor Cleary, Colm Galvin, Tony Kelly, and Bobby Gleeson were prominent.

Scorers;–Clare;–Bobby Duggan (0-8); Peter Duggan (1-1) Aaron Cunningham (1-1) Tony Kelly (0-3) Shane Gleeson, Colm Galvin Jamie Shanahan (0-2) each; Seadna Morey (0-1)

Limerick—Shane Dowling (0-8) Kevin O’Brien (1-0) Mark Carmody, Dan Morrissey, Mike Fitzgibbon, Pat Ryan, Cian Lynch, Darragh O’Donovan (0-1) each

Clare;Keith Hogan (Clooney-Quin); Jarlath Colleran (St. Josephs), Jack Browne (Ballyea), Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge); Gearoid O’Connell (Ballyea), Conor Cleary (Miltown St. Josephs), Jamie Shanahan (Sixmilebridge); Colm Galvin (Clonlara), Eoin Enright (Kilmaley); Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin); Tony Kelly (Ballyea), Captain, Shane Gleeson (Cratloe); Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones), David Reidy (Eire Og), Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle);

Subs;–Shane McGrath (Feakle) for Gleeson(54 minutes); Shane Taylor (Broadford) for Cunningham (inj. 57 minutes) Shane O’Brien (Clonlara) for Colleran (57 minutes); Niall O’Connor (Newmarket) for O’Connell (60 minutes); Stephen Ward (Clarecastle) for Kelly (61 minutes)

Limerick;–Darragh Stapleton; Mark Callaghan, Ritchie English, Shane Irwin; Mark Carmody, Diarmuid Byrnes, Dan Morrissey; William O’Donoghue, Cian Lynch; Shane Dowling, David Dempsey, Mike Fitzgibbon; Liam O’Sullivan, Kevin O’Brien, Pat Ryan;

Subs;–Darragh O’Donovan for O’Donoghue (37 minutes); Dean Coleman for L.O’Sullivan (41 minutes);

Referee—Johnnie Ryan, Tipperary;