All-Ireland Senior Football Championship QF
Derry 5-13 Clare 2-8
An anti-climactic finish to the Clare footballers memorable All-Ireland Senior Championship adventure as five timely goals eased Ulster champions Derry into the last four.
Despite being Clare’s second outing in Croke Park in the space of three weeks, it was Derry who appeared far more familiar to their new surroundings as the renowned defensive kingpins got to show off their offensive ruthlessness as well.
Two first quarter goals effectively tore up Clare’s gameplan as having frustrated Derry to four early wides, Colm Collins side coughed up two goals in the space of four minutes through Benny Heron and Conor Glass at 2-2 to 0-0 by the 13th minute.
Clare finally got off the mark through an Eoin Cleary free two minutes later but any glimmer of hope flickered out for the Banner just before the break when a Pearse Lillis goal in the 33rd minute was wiped out in injury-time when Paul Cassidy found the net to ease Derry into a 3-6 to 1-3 interval cushion.
The goalfest didn’t stop there however as centre-back Gareth McKinless was allowed to storm up the field and find the net only four minutes into the new half.
Eoin Cleary’s quick feet clawed back a worthy major for a bruised Banner in the 47th minute but much like their first goal, it would be cancelled out almost immediately as from the kick-out man-of-the-match Shane McGuigan raced through for Derry’s fifth goal.
McGuigan would finish with a handsome 1-8 tally while Conor Glass, Conor McCluskey, and Niall Loughlin were others to continuously keep their opponents on the backfoot.
A deflating afternoon in GAA Headquarters for Clare in which they really struggled to contain a rampant Derry was only solaced by captain Eoin Cleary’s 1-5 total as Rory Gallagher’s side march on to meet either Armagh or Galway at the penultimate stage.
A clearly disappointed Keelan Sexton of Clare following their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Colm Collins has been ratified as Clare senior football mnager for a tenth year. Photograph by John Kelly
Colm Collins, Clare Manager, looks on during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Colm Collins, Clare Manager, looks on during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Ben Mc Carron of Derry in action against Manus Doherty of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Gareth Mc Kinless of Derry in action against Brendan Rouine of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Padraig Mc Grogan of Derry in action against Jamie Malone of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Brendan Rogers of Derry in action against Cillian Brennan of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Shane Mc Guigan of Derry in action against Cian O Dea of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Shane Mc Guigan of Derry in action against Cian O Dea of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Shane Mc Guigan of Derry action against Cian O Dea of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Cian O Dea of Clare in action against Ethan Doherty of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Conor Glass of Derry in action against Darren O Neill of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Shane Mc Guigan of Derry celebrates another Derry goal during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Darren O Neill of Clare in action against Niall Toner of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Brendan Rouine of Clare in action against Padraig Mc Grogan of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Benny Heron of Derry in action against Ciaran Russell of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Manus Doherty of Clare in action against Gareth Mc Kinless of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Emmet Mc Mahon of Clare in action against Conor Doherty of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Christopher Mc Kaigue of Derry in action against Cillian Brennan of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Christopher Mc Kaigue of Derry in action against Cillian Brennan of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Eoin Cleary of Clare in action against Padraig Mc Grogan of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Pearse Lillis of Clare celebrates a goal during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Odhran Lynch of Derry in action against Cian O Dea of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Jamie Malone of Clare in action against Niall Loughlin of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Jamie Malone of Clare in action against Niall Loughlin of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Podge Collins of Clare in action against Benny Heron and Conor Doherty of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Cathal O Connor of Clare in action against Padraig Mc Grogan of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Benny Heron of Derry scores his team’s first goal despite Tristan O Callaghan of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Podge Collins of Clare in action against Shea Downey of Derry during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Conor Glass of Derry in action against Cathal O Connor and Darren O Neill of Clare during their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
The Clare team warms up before their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
The Clare team before their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Eoin Cleary of Clare leads out his team for their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Clare fans have a laugh before their SFC All-Ireland Quarter Final at Croke Park. Photograph by John Kelly
Derry: Odhran Lynch (Magherafelt); Conor McCluskey (Magherafelt), Brendan Rogers (Slaughtneil), Chrissy McKaigue (Slaughtneil); Conor Doherty (Newbridge), Gareth McKinless (Ballinderry), Padraig McGrogan (Newbridge); Conor Glass (Newbridge), Shea Downey (Lavey); Niall Loughlin (Greenlough), Paul Cassidy (Bellaghy), Ethan Doherty (Glen); Benny Heron (Ballinascreen), Shane McGuigan (Slaughtneil), Niall Toner (Lavey). Subs: Emmett Bradley (Glen) for Heron (48), Lachlan Murray (Desertmartin) for Loughlin (53), Ben McCarron (Steelstown) for Glass (60), Paul McNeill (Slaughtneil) for Downey (65), Declan Cassidy (Bellaghy) for McGuigan (68) Scorers: Shane McGuigan (1-8, 1f); Conor Glass, Benny Heron, Paul Cassidy (1-1 each); Gareth McKinless (1-0); Niall Loughlin, Conor McClusky (0-1 each)
Clare: Tristan O’Callaghan (St Breckan’s); Cillian Rouine (Ennistymon), Cillian Brennan (Clondegad), Manus Doherty (Éire Óg); Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora), Ciaran Russell (Éire Óg), Jamie Malone (Corofin); Darren O’Neill (Éire Óg), Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen); Podge Collins (Cratloe), Eoin Cleary (St. Joseph’s Miltown), Emmet McMahon (Kildysart); Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare), Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Aaron Griffin (Lissycasey). Subs: Alan Sweeney (St Breckan’s) for Rouine (HT), Brendy Rouine (Ennistymon) for McMahon (42), David Tubridy (Doonbeg) for Griffin (43), Joe McGann (St Breckan’s) for Sexton (52), Gavin Cooney (Éire Óg) for Collins (52). Scorers: Eoin Cleary (1-5, 2f); Pearse Lillis (1-0); David Tubridy (0-2f); Jamie Malone (0-1)
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
