Late goal robs Clare of win

Clare 0-20 Wicklow 1-17

The footballers’ Division 4 campaign wound up in Aughrim last Sunday with a draw against the home county. A very late Leighton Glynn goal rescued a point for Wicklow, who drew four league games in total and only lost one.
Prior to the equalising goal, Joe Hayes made a number of top-class saves to keep Clare ahead until Glynn eventually found a way beyond the Lissycasey goalkeeper.
After eight games, Clare finished up on seven points, ahead of Kilkenny, London and Leitrim, who still have to play London. If they win that game, they will overtake Clare, leaving Micheál McDermott’s team third from the bottom of Division 4.
Clare played some excellent attacking football in Aughrim with David Tubridy firing five points, four from play, while Gary Brennan continued his excellent scoring form, kicking four points from midfield.
Clare led by four points, 0-11 to 0-7, at half-time and held that lead for all but a couple of injury-time second-half minutes.
Despite kicking 20 points against decent opposition, Clare will start 2012 still in division 4. It will be the county’s fifth successive year playing league football in the bottom league tier.

Clare: Joe Hayes; Barry Duggan, Laurence Healy, Mark Tubridy; Kevin Hartnett (0-1), Gordon Kelly (captain, 0-1), Martin McMahon; Niall Browne, Gary Brennan (0-4); Graham Kelly (0-2), David Tubridy (0-5, 0-1f), Cathal O’Connor (0-1); Conor Ryan (0-1), Ger Quinlan (0-1), Alan Clohessy (0-3).
Subs: John Hayes for Barry Duggan (half time) and Michael Foran (0-1) for Conor Ryan (40 mins).
Wicklow: J Flynn; C Hyland, A Byrne, P Higgins; P Dalton, B McGrath, D Hayden; J Stafford, R Finn; T Hannon (0-3), A O’Malley (0-4), D Siney; D Odlum (0-1), S Furlong (0-8), L Glynn (1-1).
Subs: S Kavanagh for D Siney, P Burke for D Odlum (both half-time) and M McLoughlin for C Hyland (51 mins).
Referee: Keith O’Brien (Tipperary).