Injury-time winner leaves Clare reeling

Waterford 2-15

Clare 1-17

Clare went into Sunday’s opening game in the National Hurling League as hot favourites to mark their return to the top flight with a victory over Waterford.
The loss of a number of key players due to retirements and work commitments together with suggestions that all was not well in the Waterford camp, allied to Clare’s impressive form in winning the Waterford Crystal Tournament, influenced this view.
That Sunday’s result came as a huge disappointment is without question and the outcome has already sparked speculation that Clare will now struggle to hold onto their Division 1 status.
There is no doubt that there will have to be a big improvement if the Banner men are to get some points on the board and they face a very heavy schedule in March with four games on successive weekends.
On Sunday the Clare forwards failed to make an impression. This was reflected in the fact that three of the starting six failed to get on the scoresheet, while three were replaced during the course of the game.
Another concern was the performance of the halfbacks who experienced huge problems. Prior to the game this would have been seen as one of the stronger areas in the team but all three, all star Brendan Bugler, team captain Pat Donnellan and Patrick O’Connor struggled.
Clare had two league debutantes in the starting line-up, David McInerney at corner-back and Shane O’Donnell in attack. Tulla man McInerney had an impressive outing at left corner-back while O’Donnell, who struggled against the physically stronger opponents, should benefit from this outing.
The winners created the early chances but Padraic O’Mahony failed to find the target from a brace of early frees. The game was six minutes old before Brian O’Halloran, who had an outstanding game, opened the scoring for the eventual winners. A further four minutes went by before Clare drew level through Colin Ryan, who converted a 20m free awarded for a foul on Shane O’Donnell.
Ryan then put Clare in front from a 70m free but O’Mahony replied within a minute to level for the second time. In a two minute spell at the mid-point of the half, Waterford hit a purple patch which yielded 2-1. Seamus Prendergast burst past James McInerney and shot low past Patrick Kelly in the 16th minute. O’Halloran followed with a point before the Clare defence was caught again and Jake Dillon applied the finish.
Stung by these scores, Clare hit back and a brace of points from play by Colin Ryan followed before Tony Kelly found the net when he took a pass from John Conlon and blasted past O’Keeffe in the Waterford goal. It was point for point from here to the break when the visitors were in front by the minimum margin, 2-5 to 1-7.
In an effort to improve matters, Clare returned with Nicky O’Connell in for Patrick O’Connor and Colm Galvin in the attack for Enda Barrett. Waterford also made a change at the mid-point and they brought in Darragh Fives for midfielder Dean Twomey.
The second half was a much tighter affair with little between the teams. In fact they swapped scores quite a number of times and were level on no less than nine occasions.
Clare managed to edge in front five times but they failed to get more than a point ahead and each time they took the lead, Waterford hit back quickly. A share of the spoils looked the likely outcome for much of this half.
Tony Kelly levelled for the home side with a minute of normal time remaining. Two minutes of additional time were signalled and both of these failed to produce a score. As a third minute of injury time came to a close, Waterford attacked and when Brian O’Sullivan won possession, he was fouled by Brendan Bugler.
Jake Dillon cooly converted the resultant 50m free from in front of the posts to the sound of celebrations amongst the visitors, many of whose players embraced each other at the final whistle, clearly delighted with the outcome.
Clare wasted a couple of excellent goal scoring chances. Shortly before half time Paudge Collins shot straight at the Waterford goalie after he was put through by Shane O’Donnell. Twenty minutes into the second half a superb tackle by Stephen Daniels denied O’Donnell who had been put through by John Conlon. In the 10th minute of the second half, Colm Galvin looked to have a goal at his mercy but the visitors managed to put it behind for a 65’.
Jamie Nagle, Michael Walsh and team captain Kevin Moran excelled in the half-back line, particularly in the first half, for the visitors. Brian O’Halloran was outstanding at wing-forward and outplayed a number of opponents while Seamus Prendergast and Jake Dillon were others to cause problems for the Clare defence.
It was a disappointing performance from Clare, whose half-backs struggled throughout. Corner-backs Domhnaill O’Donovan and newcomer David McInerney cannot be faulted as they were the team’s best on the day.
Colin Ryan got through some good work, particularly in the first half while Tony Kelly also had some good moments. Overall, however, despite having some great chances, Clare struggled in too many areas.

Waterford: Stephen O’Keeffe; Shane Fives, Stephen Daniels, Noel Connors; Jamie Nagle, Michael Walsh, Kevin Moran; Shane O’Sullivan, Dean Twomey; Brian O’Halloran, Seamus Prendergast, Padraic O’Mahony 0-3; Brian O’Sullivan, Jake Dillon, Gavin O’Brien.
Subs: Darragh Fives (0-1) for Twomey (half time); Jamie Barron for O’Brien (45 mins) Ray Barry for O’Mahony (56 mins).
Scorers: Jake Dillon (1-5, 0-3f); Brian O’Halloran (0-4), Seamus Prendergast (1-1), Padraic O’Mahony (0-3, all frees); Brian O’Sullivan, Darragh Fives (0-1 each).
Frees: 14; wides: 9.
Bookings: Brian O’Sullivan (11 mins), Jamie Nagle (12 minutes), Gavin O’Brien (36 minutes), Seamus Prendergast (53 minutes).
Clare: Patrick Kelly, Domhnaill O’Donovan, James McInerney, David McInerney; Brendan Bugler, Pat Donnellan, Patrick O’Connor; Seadna Morey, Colin Ryan; Fergal Lynch, Tony Kelly, Enda Barrett; John Conlan, Shane O’Donnell, Paudge Collins.
Subs: Nicky O’Connell for O’Connor (half time), Colm Galvin for Barrett (half time), Aaron Cunningham for Collins (54 mins), Sean Collins for Lynch (57 mins), Jonathon Clancy for Cunningham (inj, 57 mins).
Scorers: Colin Ryan (0-9, 5f, 1 65’), Tony Kelly (1-3), Seadna Morey (0-2), Fergal Lynch, Shane O’Donnell, Colm Galvin (0-1 each).
Frees: 17; wides: 13; 65s: 1.
Bookings: Pat Donnellan (60 minutes) Brendan Bugler (74 minutes).
Referee: J Sexton, Cork.