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WITH just three fixtures left to play in division 3 of the NFL, Clare took a huge stride towards promotion with a comprehensive win over Westmeath in Ennis on Sunday.
They now sit joint second in the table, along with Tipperary. The Munster teams are two points behind Kildare, who have won all four of their games to date. Clare travel to O’Connor Park in Tullamore next Sunday, where they play Offaly who are currently on four points.
Cathal O Connor of Clare in action against Paul Sharry of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Enda Coughlan of Clare in action against Frank Boyle of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
David Tubridy of Clare in action against a leaping John Egan of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Kevin Maguire of Westmeath in action against Cathal O Connor of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Sean Malone of Clare in action against James Dolan of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Shane Dempsey of Westmeath in action against Kevin Harnett of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Denis Corroon of Westmeath in action against Gary Brennan of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
John Connellan of Westmeath in action against Martin Mc Mahon of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Gordon Kelly of Clare in action against John Heslin of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
David Tubridy of Clare in action against Kevin Maguire of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Enda Coughlan of Clare in action against John Heslin and Callum Mc Cormack of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Enda Coughlan of Clare in action against Frank Boyle of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Keelan Sexton of Clare in action against Paddy Holloway of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
John Heslin of Westmeath in action against Gary Brennan of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Clare manager Colm Collins with selector David O Brien on the sideline during their league game against Westmeath in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Clare selector David O Brien on the sideline during their league game against Westmeath in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
John Heslin of Westmeath in action against Cathal O Connor of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Gary Brennan of Clare in action against Killian Daly of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Sean Collins of Clare congratulates team mate Enda Coughlan on a score during their league game against Westmeath in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Denis Corroon of Westmeath in action against Cian O Dea of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
David Tubridy of Clare in action against Kevin Maguire of Westmeath.
Photograph by John Kelly.
Eoin Cleary. Photograph by John Kelly.
Keelan Sexton of Clare in action against Paul Sharry of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Jamie Malone of Clare in action against Kevin Maguire of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Paul Greville of Westmeath in action against Pearse Lillis of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Paul Sharry of Westmeath in action against Jamie Malone of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Cian O Dea of Clare in action against Shane Flanagan of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Denis Corroon of Westmeath in action against Gary Brennan of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Cathal O Connor of Clare in action against John Heslin of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Pearse Lillis of Clare in action against Paul Greville of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
John Connellan of Westmeath in action against Martin Mc Mahon of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
James Dolan of Westmeath in action against Gary Brennan of Clare during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Jamie Malone of Clare heads for goal as Frank Boyle and Denis Corroon of Westmeath trail behind during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Jamie Malone will have a key role to play for Clare on Sunday in Killarney. Photograph by John Kelly.
Graham Kelly of Clare in action against Kevin Maguire of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Graham Kelly of Clare in action against Shane Flanagan of Westmeath during their league game in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Pat Burke of Clare during their league game against Westmeath in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Westmeath manager Tom Cribbin heads to congratulate Clare manager Colm Collins following their league game against Clare in Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.
Clare blitzed Westmeath who were completely off the pace, particularly in the first half. Such was Clare’s dominance they led 0-7 to 0-0 after 23 minutes with David Tubridy, Eoin Cleary, Pearse Lillis and Cathal O’Connor putting over those early points.
Westmeath, who reached the 2015 Leinster final and were expected to at least contend for promotion, didn’t kick their first point until eight minutes before half time when substitute Shane Dempsey scored. They did come within four points of Clare, four minutes before the interval but a trio of points from two Cleary frees and a fisted Seán Collins effort, left Clare 0-10 to 0-3 ahead after 35 minutes.
Playing much slicker football than Westmeath and patiently holding onto the ball, until an opportunity opened up, Clare remained in control throughout the second half, extending their lead, 0-15 to 0-9, eight minutes from time. Two minutes later Jamie Malone put away his second goal of the campaign, holding off Denis Corroon and Frank Boyle before firing home a superb goal.
Malone, Cleary and Seán Haugh added three further points in the closing minutes.
Clare: Joe Hayes; Seánie Malone, Kevin Harnett, Martin McMahon; Cian O’Dea, Gordon Kelly, Jamie Malone; Gary Brennan (captain), Cathal O’Connor; Seán Collins, Eoin Cleary, Shane McGrath, Enda Coughlan, David Tubridy, Pearse Lillis.
Subs: Keelan Sexton for Shane McGrath (half-time), Dean Ryan for Cian O’Dea (52), Pat Burke for Enda Coughlan (53), Graham Kelly for Seánie Malone (65), Seán Haugh for Pearse Lillis (66), Alan O’Neill for Seán Collins (69).
Scorers: Eoin Cleary (0-6, 0-4f), David Tubridy (0-5, 0-1f, 0-1 45), Jamie Malone (1-1), Pearse Lillis, Cathal O’Connor, Seán Collins, Gordon Kelly, Enda Coughlan, Seán Haugh (0-1 each).
Wides: 14
Frees: 22
45s: 2
Westmeath: Darren Quinn; Killian Daly, Frank Boyle, Kevin Maguire; Jamie Gonoud, Kieran Martin, Alan Stone; Denis Corroon, Ray Connellan’ James Dolan, Callum McCormack, Paul Sharry; John Connellan, John Heslin, John Egan.
Subs: Shane Dempsey for Alan Stone (20), Paddy Holloway for Ray Connellan (22), Paul Greville for Callum McCormack (44), Shane Flanagan for Jamie Gonoud (48), Ronan Foley for Shane Dempsey (59).
Scorers: John Heslin (0-6, 0-5f), Shane Dempsey, Ronan Foley, Kieran Martin, John Connellan (0-1 each).
Wides: 2
Frees: 27
Yellow cards: Callum McCormack, Paul Sharry, Denis Corroon, John Connellan.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.
