FOOTBALL: O’Connell hat-trick sinks Clare U-20s in Dungarvan

Munster U-20 Football Championship Quarter-Final
Waterford 4-5
Clare 1-9

A BELOW par performance by a Clare U-20 side that many thought had the potential to reach the Munster Final saw Michael Neylon’s charge dumped out the championship at the first hurdle, reports Michael O’Connor.
A hat-trick of goals by Waterford full-forward Tom O’Connell was instrumental in this Deice’s win as they grew in confidence and finished the second-half the better.
Clare senior Emmet McMahon opened the scoring with an 45 metre effort in the second minute as John Murphy operated as the sweeper with Cillian Rouine slipping back to wingback. Cillian McGroary added a second point just before Cillian Rouine was inches wide for a fifth minute goal chance.
The first attack by Waterford ended in a free, sent wide by their captain Niall McSweeney, which Clare’s Mark McInerney matched from play from the resultant kickout. The entire Clare half-forward line were on the scoresheet by the ninth minute as Ryan Barry was on target. Within one minute the game was turned on its head as the home side kicked 1-1. Firstly, Padraig Fitzgerald opened the Deice account before a long ball in from Liam Fennell caused consternation in the Clare full-back line and Tom O’Connell worked hard to get it over the line as Waterford went ahead by the minimum.
Clare were reeling again four minutes later when O’Connell kicked to the net when DJ Kiely floated in a speculative effort that O’Connell caught and finished with aplomb. Just before the water break Niall McSweeney kicked over a free to leave a heavily fancied Clare 2-2 to 0-3 in arrears at the end of the opening quarter.
Mark McInerney settled the nerves somewhat with a powerful solo point straight after the resumption and added a second effort three minutes later to reduce the deficit to a goal. Emmet McMahon sent over a 23rd minute free as Clare were apparently back in control of their own destiny as Brian McNamara replaced Tom McDonald. The final score of the half went to Brian McNamara to leave Clare 2-2 to 0-7 in arrears at the break. Indeed, Waterford did not score in the second quarter and it appeared that the Clare defence was now a lot more organised.
Clare needed a positive start as Emmet McMahon was inches wide before Mark McInerney levelled proceedings with a great left-footed effort three minutes into the new half.
McMahon was upended in the Waterford square by Keelan Taylor and the resulting penalty was dispatched past Ben Kirwan in the goal by Mark McInerney as Clare were once again three clear, 1-8 to 2-2. Niall McSweeney responded with a close range free in the 38th minute for the home side’s first score in 22 minutes.
Amazingly Waterford’s full forward Tom O Connell had his hat trick in the 42ns minute as a Oisin O’Loughlin short kick to John Murphy was intercepted and sent to the net by O’Connell and Clare were down by the minimum for a minute until Emmet McMahon sent over the equalising free in the 44th minute and it stayed at Clare 1-9 to 3-3 at the second water break.
A vital save by Oisin O’Loughlin straight after the restart from Tom O’Connell kept Clare in the game as once again they were carved open by determined Waterford running with the ball. Waterford centre-back Colin Foley sent over a great score as the game entered the final eight minutes of regulation time as Clare missed a goal scoring chance when Jamie Stack lost possession. As the game entered the final two minutes Tom O’Connell sent over a free and now the Banner men required a goal to win this game as two points looked a bridge too far to attain. This became academic as for not the first time Clare lost the ball with ease and Seamus Fitzgerald raced in with the ball. His effort at a fisted point dropped short but Henry Griffin punched to the net. To rub salt into the wounds Sean Walsh won a penalty and Aaron Ryan could afford the luxury of seeing the ball hit the post then Oisin O’Loughlin and out for a 45 and with that Clare’s stay in the championship was short and bitter sweet as they failed to score in the final quarter.

CLARE: Oisin O’Loughlin (St Breckan’s), Ciaran McMahon (Ennistymon), Micheal Garry (Cooraclare), Manus Doherty (Éire Óg), John Murphy (Ennistymon), Tadhg Lillis (Doonbeg), Gavin D’Auria (Éire Óg), Eoin Rouine (Ennistymon), Tom McDonald (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield), Cillian McGroary (Corofin) (0-1), Emmet McMahon (Kildysart) (0-3), Ryan Barry (Ennistymon) (0-1), Cillian Rouine (Ennistymon), Mark McInerney (Eire-og, Inis) (1-3), Cian O’Mahony (St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay). Brian McNamara (Cooraclare)(0-1) for McDonald, James Stack (St Breckan;s) for O Mahony, Fionn Kelleher (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield) for McGroary, Stephen Casey (Clondegad) for D’Auria, Diarmuid Fahy (Ennistymon) for Stack

WATERFORD: Ben Kirwan, Sean Boyce, Keelan Taylor, Liam Fennell, Aaron Ryan, Colin Foley (0-1), Ronan Elliffe, Oscar Geoghegan, Caoimhin Walsh, Padraig Fitzgerald (0-1), Niall McSweeney (0-2), Tom Dalton, Seamus Fitzgerald, Tom O’Connell (3-1), DJ Kiely. Subs: Sean Walsh for Kiely, Henry Griffin (1-0) for Geoghegan, Aidan Behan for McSweeney,

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry)