Overwhelming win for Clare

A 20-point victory, irrespective of the opposition, has to be a pleasing outcome at any time and so it was for all involved with at Cusack Park on Saturday.
Team manager Ger O’Loughlin was pleased with his side’s tally of 6-23 but he didn’t hide his concern over conceding 1-18 and warned this is something that will have to change if the county is to get back to Division 1.
Clare had the league points secured long before the final whistle. There was a lot more urgency evident in Clare’s display on this occasion and this was clear from the outset.
Colin Ryan converted a 50m free in the opening minute to give the home side a lead they would hold throughout. Seán Collins raced through from midfield in the second minute for the opening score from play before Clonlara’s John Conlon had the game’s opening goal in the third minute.
The team vice-captain was particularly sharp in this tie and his second goal, in the 11th minute, following a good move with Seán Collins, led to Kerry boss John Meyler making a number of changes to his defence.
It was 2-9 to 0-4 at the end of the opening quarter when Clare were forced into a change to the attack. Racing to win possession in front of the Northern stand, Colin Ryan picked up an ankle injury which ended his involvement in the tie and he was replaced by Darach Honan.
Six unanswered points in as many minutes saw the home side bring their tally to 2-15 with five minutes still to play in the half.
In the final minute of normal time at the end of the half, John Egan goaled for Kerry and the Clare defence should be disappointed with the concession of this score. The home side’s response was emphatic, with two goals in a minute from Nicky O’Connell and Diarmuid McMahon to leave the half time score at 4-15 to 1-6.
Kerry were back on the pitch quickly, which suggested that they might put a bit of pressure on Clare but within five minutes of the resumption any slim hopes they might have entertained of improving their position had disappeared.
In the third minute of the second half, Clare won a penalty but James McInerney’s powerful strike was deflected over the bar by Bernard Rochford who went on to make a couple of great saves in this half.
He somehow turned a Darach Honan effort over the bar in the fifth minute but he could do nothing to prevent Diarmuid McMahon’s second goal a minute later when the Kilmaley man rattled the net from close range following good work by John Conlon.
From here on the same urgency didn’t appear to be in Clare’s play and they conceded some rather easy frees which Darragh O’Connell converted. The Kerry corner forward scored 11 points from frees and eight of these came in the second half.
There was, however, never any danger of Clare losing the tie from here and they finished off their scoring two minutes from the end of normal time when Caimin Morey’s effort from a 23m free went to the net via the hurley of Kerry goalie Rochford.
Brendan Buglar, Cian Dillon, Seán Collins and John Conlon were always prominent for the winners in this tie.

Clare: Donal Tuohy; Pat Vaughan, (captain), Conor Cooney, Domhnaill O’Donovan; Brendan Bugler, James McInerney, Cian Dillon; Nicky O’Connell, Seán Collins; John Conlon, Fergal Lynch, Jonathon Clancy; Colin Ryan, Diarmuid McMahon, Conor McGrath.
Subs: Darach Honan (0-3) for Ryan (inj 17 minutes); Pat Donnellan for McInerney (48 minutes); Cathal McInerney for McMahon (51 minutes); Caimin Morey for Lynch (57 minutes); Liam Markham for O’Connell (64 minutes).
Scorers: Diarmuid McMahon (2-2); Nicky O’Connell (1-4, 0-1f, 0-1 ’65); John Conlon (2-1); Seán Collins, Jonathon Clancy, Conor McGrath (0-1f); Darach Honan (0-3 each); Caimin Morey (1-0f); Colin Ryan (0-2f); James McInerney (0-1f); Fergal Lynch (0-1).
Frees for: 13; wides: 9; ‘65s: 1
Bookings: Brendan Buglar, James McInerney, Seán Collins, Conor McGrath, Fergal Lynch.
Kerry: Bernard Rochford; Eamonn Fitzgerald, Tom Murnane, Colin Harris; Padraig O’Grady, Mike Conway, Adrian Royle; Paud Costello, Darren Dineen; Shane Nolan, Liam Boyle, Darren Wallace; Darragh O’Connell, Ronan Kenny, John Egan.
Subs: Jason Casey for Royle (11 minutes); Thomas Moloney for Wallace (48 minutes); James Flaherty for Kenny (48 minutes) David Fitzell for Costello (62 minutes).
Scorers: Darragh O’Connell (0-11f); John Egan (1-1); Shane Nolan (0-3); Ronan Kenny; Mike Conway (0-1f); Colin Harris (0-1);
Frees for: 22; wides: 10.
Bookings: Mike Conway, Padraig O’Grady, Tom Murnane.
Referee: Pat Green, Galway.

Injured Ryan to miss Laois tie

Clare travel to O’Moore Park in Portlaoise on Saturday to play Laois at 5pm.
Laois’ hopes of getting to the Division 2 league final took a severe battering in Down last week when the Northern county caused a surprise by winning 3-15 to 3-11, a result that has almost certainly ended the midlanders hopes of contesting the decider.
Had Laois recorded a victory as expected in Down, then everything would hinge on the outcome of this Saturday’s meeting as to who will qualify to play unbeaten Limerick in the final.
There is no doubt but that Clare will want to continue their winning run while Laois will be keen to bounce back from last week’s loss and this should ensure a lively contest.
Colin Ryan is almost certainly out of the Clare side for this outing having picked up an ankle injury early in last week’s game. Darach Honan, who replaced the Newmarket man against Kerry, and Cathal McInerney will both be challenging for a place in the starting line up this time out.
While the Clare defence and particularly the full back line, experienced some anxious moments last week, the expectation is that this section will be unchanged for this week’s tie.