Limerick stretch Clare in extra time

Limerick 2-16   Clare 2-13 (AET)

LEADING by five points less than five minutes from the end of normal time, Clare conceded 1-2 and allowed Limerick to claim parity and ultimately extra-time victory in Sunday’s McGrath Cup quarter-final in Foynes.

While their tackling was excellent at several stages and Clare’s work rate indicated they were highly motivated, they conceded two soft goals and kicked eleven wides over the 90 minutes. Remember Clare kicked 17 wides in their facile win over LIT. Clearly, they are creating sufficient chances to win most games but most be more ruthless in front of goal.

Alan Clohessy from a late first-half free, Gary Brennan and Chris Dixon from play in the second half all spurned clear, point-scoring chances, which would probably have closed out the result for Clare. David Tubridy and Podge McMahon also kicked ball into Limerick goalkeeper Brian Scanlon’s hands in the opening half.

The starting Clare team showed three changes from the line-out against LIT with wing-back Seán Haugh, full-forward Conor Talty and David Tubridy replacing Enda Coughlan, Joe Dowling and Niall Kelly. 
After 15 minutes of football, Limerick led 0-5 to 0-2. Alan Clohessy scored both of Clare’s early points, the first from a free won by Martin McMahon.

The Limerick full-forward line seriously troubled Clare during that early spell with Ger Collins, Eoghan O’Connor and Ian Ryan all scoring from play. Two Ian McInerney frees, added to by a nicely worked Clohessy score from play left Clare trailing 0-6 to 0-5 come the 22nd minute.

Clare had already lost full-forward Conor Talty to injury. He was replaced by Chris Dunning, with Ian McInerney moving to full-forward from the half-forward line.

Seven minutes from half-time, Podge McMahon deflected an attempted Cathal O’Connor shot to the Limerick net and followed it with a nice point a minute later. Shortly before half-time, McInerney pointed from his third free after a blistering Stephen Collins run, culminated in a foul on Clohessy. Come the interval, Clare led 1-7 to 0-6 having withstood plenty of Limerick pressure early in the opening half.

Clare’s position was solidified in the third minute of the second half when Podge McMahon buried his second goal. Gary Brennan had under hit a point effort which Scanlon spilled into McMahon’s path. Clare were now 2-7 to 0-6 ahead. Over the following 32 minutes, however, they were outscored 2-4 to 0-3.

Brennan and Tubridy (twice) put over those points. Limerick were brought right back into the game 15 minutes from time when Ian Ryan fisted a Seamie O’Carroll 45’ to the Clare net. Dealing with aerial ball is something the Clare full-back line will have to work on.

A brace of Ryan frees pulled Limerick to within a goal of Clare entering injury time. Seamus O’Carroll then took advantage of more hesitancy in the Clare defence and buried the equalising goal, leaving the teams tied at 2-10 each.

The small yet fervent crowd in Foynes went wild. Limerick added four points during the first 10-minute period of extra time with Derry O’Connor responsible for two excellent scores.

Tubridy put over Clare’s two points, the second drawing an excellent save from Brian Scanlon, who deflected the shot over.

Limerick’s two-point lead was extended to four following further points from Eoghan O’Connor and Ian Ryan. Tubridy kicked Clare’s last score from play, following a quickly taken Martin McMahon 45’.

If Clare had won, they would have played Kerry in Miltown on Sunday in the McGrath Cup semi-final. While this is a game they would have ideally liked to close out, management will have picked up far more during the 90 minutes in Foynes than they did against LIT a week beforehand.

On the upside, Martin McMahon was outstanding at wing-back. His reading of the game was top class, while Gary Brennan produced some top-class moments of fielding in the middle of the park. Declan Callinan was also solid in defence, playing much of the game far from his own goal, when his man roamed. Up front, Podge McMahon finished his 2-1 nicely, although he was substituted just after his second goal. Alan Clohessy worked exceptionally hard, while David Tubridy kicked a couple of nice scores from play.

Clare gave the ball away 13 times in the first half alone, while Limerick’s ploy of taking short kick-outs, led to them retaining 21 of their own 24 kick-outs. They played an extra defender in John Riordan for most of the game, thereby giving them the opportunity to employ that tactic. Clare didn’t put sufficient pressure on them when it was clear that short kick-outs was Limerick’s preferred option.

Clare now have three weeks to prepare for their crucial opening NFL Division 4 League game against Waterford in Cusack Park. Waterford beat UL after extra time to quality for a meeting with Tipperary on Sunday in the McGrath Cup semi-final.

Clare: Joe Hayes (Lissycasey); Stephen Collins (St Joseph’s, Doora-Barefield), Chris Dixon (Kilrush), Declan Callinan (Kilmurry-Ibrickane); Seán Haugh (O’Curry’s), Gordon Kelly (St Joseph’s, Miltown), Martin McMahon (Kilmurry-Ibrickane); Gary Brennan (Clondegad, captain), Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen); Shane McGrath (Parnell’s), Ian McInerney (Kilmurry-Ibrickane), Alan Clohessy (Liscannor); Podge McMahon (Clondegad), Conor Talty (Parnell’s), David Tubridy (Doonbeg).
Subs: Chris Dunning (Wolfe Tones) for Conor Talty (14, inj), Mark McCarthy for Podge McMahon (38, inj), Niall Kelly (Lissycasey) for Alan Clohessy (49, inj), Francie Hayes (Lissycasey) for Shane McGrath (65), Thomas Downes (Cooraclare) for Seán Haugh (70), Shane Ryan (Doonbeg) for Mark McCarthy (80), Ger Quinlan (O’Curry’s) for Cathal O’Connor (84).
Scorers: Podge McMahon (2-1), David Tubridy (0-5, 2f), Alan Clohessy (0-3, 1f), Ian McInerney (0-3f), Gary Brennan (0-1).
Wides: 11; Frees won: 29; 45s: 2.
Yellow cards: Chris Dunning, Mark McCarthy, Niall Kelly.
Limerick: Brian Scanlon; Cian Coady, Johnny McCarthy, Mark O’Riordan; Stephen Lavin, Paudie Browne, Pa Ranahan; Tom Lee, Bobby O’Brien; John Riordan, James O’Meara, Seamus O’Carroll; Eoghan O’Connor, Ger Collins, Ian Ryan (captain).
Subs: Derry O’Connor for James O’Meara (half-time), Darragh Treacy for Tom Lee (48), Michael Sheehan for Mark O’Riordan (50), Stephen Kelly for Ger Collins (55), Lorcan O’Dwyer for Cian Coady (65), Danny Neville for Stephen Lavin (81).
Scorers: Ian Ryan (1-7, 0-4f), Seamus O’Carroll (1-3, 2 45’), Ger Collins, Eoghan O’Connor, Derry O’Connor (0-2 each).
Wides: 8; Frees won: 38; 45s: 3.
Yellow cards: Tom Lee, Pa Ranahan, John Riordan, Derry O’Connor.
Referee: Pádraig O’Sullivan (Kerry).