Lady Luck smiles on the Banner

Clare 0-13
Antrim 1-9 Clare 0-13
Antrim 1-9

AS the Clare hurlers made their way onto the pitch at Casement Park on Sunday for Round 4 of the National Hurling League (Division 2), there was a noticeable lack of urgency.
And so it proved as the Banner outfit spluttered their way to an unconvincing one-point win over the Ulster side, a result which keeps them at the top of the league table and on course for a return to Division 1.
Most sports people will agree that a certain amount of luck is required to win any title and Lady Luck certainly smiled on Clare in their latest outing. Antrim had plenty of chances to win this tie, a fact acknowledged by their manager, Tipperary’s Dinny Cahill, after the game.
While it was anything but an impressive performance by Clare, one must give them credit for the manner in which they battled to the end for the victory which, for much of the game, didn’t look likely.
The win takes Clare to the top of the league table, a point ahead of Laois and Carlow with Wexford a further point back in fourth spot. This Sunday, Clare travel to play Carlow and a win here would go a long way towards securing qualification for the Division 2 final.
Hit with injuries to a number of key players, the Clare management team were forced to make six changes in personnel from the side which drew with Wexford seven days earlier, for their latest outing.
Nicky O’Connell (hip), Domhnaill O’Donovan (hand), Jonathan Clancy (back), John Conlon (thumb) and team captain Brian O’Connell (back) were all ruled out due to injury. Fifteen minutes into Sunday’s tie, Darach Honan had to leave the action after picking up a hamstring injury.
Gerry O’Grady, Brendan Bugler, Aonghus O’Brien, Fergal Lynch, David Barrett and Alan Markham all came into the team on a day when Pat Vaughan was outstanding at corner-back with his Crusheen clubmate, Cian Dillon, also having a fine hour at full-back.
Clare took the lead inside the first minute when Fergal Lynch pointed but Antrim replied with the game’s only goal in the second minute when Neil McManus crashed a penalty to the net after referee Barry Kelly adjudged that Conor McAllister had been fouled.
By the 13th minute, Clare were back on terms after points from Colin Ryan (free), Fergal Lynch and Diarmuid McMahon. Shane McNaughton and Barry Nugent, who had just been introduced for the injured Honan, swapped points before Nugent edged Clare in front only for Antrim to level through their best forward, McManus with eight minutes to go to half-time.
Nugent fired over his third before Colin Ryan followed with a brace from frees to put the visitors three clear with a minute of normal time remaining. Antrim finished the half strongly with a brace from McManus to leave the minimum between the sides at the break, when the score was 0-9 to 1-5.
It took a smart reflex save from Philip Brennan to deny the home side a goal in the opening minute of the second half.
The sides exchanged points twice in the third quarter when Antrim had a couple of great chances but failed to find the target.
Clare were then reduced to 14 men when Fergal Lynch was harshly red carded. Indeed, most would agree that a yellow card would have been harsh.
Seán Collins extended Clare’s lead to two points before Philip Brennan made an excellent save with his right hand as a deflected effort from Antrim substitute Aaron Smylie looked to be on the way to the net.
Ten minutes remained when Colin Ryan landed a 100m free to put Clare three clear but they weren’t to score again and spent much of the remaining time on the defensive as Antrim piled on the pressure.
The margin was down to two with five minutes remaining after a Paul Shields effort and four minutes later, it was down to the minimum after a Colm McFall point.
The home side piled on the pressure and Pat Vaughan, captain in the absence of Brian O’Connell, cleared off the line in the second minute of injury time.
Vaughan was outstanding at corner-back and was Clare’s best player on the day while Cian Dillon had another impressive outing at full-back in front of Philip Brennan who made a couple of important saves. Elsewhere, Clare struggled with the half-backs guilty of many misdirected clearances which, more often than not, found opponents rather than team-mates.

Clare: Philip Brennan; Pat Vaughan (captain), Cian Dillon, Gerry O’Grady; Brendan Bugler, James McInerney, Pat Donnellan; Seán Collins, Aonghus O’Brien; Diarmuid McMahon, David Barrett, Fergal Lynch; Darach Honan, Alan Markham, Colin Ryan.
Subs: Barry Nugent for Honan(inj,15 minutes); Cormac O’Donovan for O’Brien (25 minutes); Mark Flaherty for Markham (47 minutes), Ogie Murphy for Barrett (65 minutes); Eamonn Glynn for Donnellan (65 minutes).
Scorers: Colin Ryan (0-5), all frees; Barry Nugent (0-3), Diarmuid McMahon, Fergal Lynch (0-2) each; Seán Collins (0-1).
Frees for: 11; wides: 12.
Bookings: Seán Collins (60 minutes).
Sent off: Fergal Lynch (52 minutes).
Antrim: Gareth McGee; Aaron Graffin, Cormac Donnelly, Martin Scullion; Neil McAuley, Karl McKeegan, Ciarán Herron; Paul Shields, PJ O’Connell; Simon McCrory, Neil McManus, Shane McNaughton; Barry McFall, Colm McFall, Conor McAllister.
Subs: Aaron Smylie for C McAllister (half time); Thomas McCann for Scullion (47 minutes), Darren Hamill for McCrory (53 minutes), James McKeague for B McFall (65 minutes), Eddie McCloskey for O’Connell (68 minutes).
Scorers: Neil McManus (1-3), 1-0 penalty; Paul Shields (0-3) Shane McNaughton, Colm McFall, Aaron Smylie (0-1) each.
Frees for: 8; wides: 11.
Bookings: Karl McKeegan (8 minutes); Paul Shields (66 minutes).
Referee: Barry Kelly, Westmeath.