CLARE were far more convincing winners of this Munster minor hurling semi-final last Friday evening last than the final scoreline suggests.

 

CLARE were far more convincing winners of this Munster minor hurling semi-final last Friday evening last than the final scoreline suggests.
In front of 2,806 people at Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds, the Banner outfit was far superior but they had a number of anxious moments in the second half before booking their place in the final on July 11 when they will take on Cork or Waterford at Thurles.
The second of the semi-finals ended all square after extra time last Saturday with the score at 2-18 for Waterford to 0-24 for Cork. The replay has been set for next Wednesday at Walsh Park in Waterford.
Eight points clear after 17 minutes, Clare failed to press on and the margin was down to a goal when the half-time whistle sounded. Three minutes into the second half, the teams were level but, despite defensive problems, Clare never fell behind and inspired by magnificent points from Tony Kelly and Jamie Shanahan midway through the half, they hit the front again and this time did not relinquish that advantage.
Clare mixed the good with the not so good in this outing when they were guilty of some bad misses while defensive problems led to some Limerick scores and Clare will have to correct these problems if they are to trouble favourites Cork in the final.
The Banner boys started superbly and points from Jamie Shanahan, Dara Keane and a brace from Niall Arthur had them four clear after five minutes.
Limerick settled with the help of a brace from John Fitzgibbon but a David O’Halloran goal in the 10th minute was followed by points from Paudge Collins, O’Halloran and Arthur to leave the winners 1-7 to 0-2 ahead after 17 minutes.
For the remainder of the half, Clare were under pressure and managed to add just one point to their tally while conceeding six and this left the half-time score at 1-8 to 0-8.
The highly rated Declan Hannon was hardly in the game in the opening quarter but he burst into the action after this and he caused a few problems for Clare. He converted two 65s and added one from play as the Shannonsiders closed the gap.
Clare goalkeeper Ronan Taaffe was penalised for stepping outside the square taking a puck out. This resulted in a throw-in on the 20m line which resulted in Shane Dowling winning possession and his effort on goal was ruled to have been deflected behind by Taaffe. The resultant 65’ was converted by Hannon.
Limerick returned for the second half in a very determined mood and within three minutes, they were level thanks to a Michael Ryan goal. One would have to question the wisdom of goalkeeper Ronan Taaffe in coming of his line to challenge for possession. Had he remained on the line, he would have had a much better chance of saving Ryan’s effort.
Points were swapped twice in the next few minutes before Arthur missed an excellent opportunity from a free in the 10th minute.
The Inagh-Kilnamona teenager converted two close in frees before Tony Kelly sent over a superb score to give Clare a three-point advantage at the three-quarter stage. Ard Scoil Rís team mates, Declan Hannon and Jamie Shannon, exchanged excellent points to keep the margin at three with 10 minutes to go. Hannon and Arthur then swapped points to keep the margin at three with five minutes remaining.
Paudge Collins and Arthur stretched Clare’s lead to five with two minutes remaining but in the final minute of normal time, Shane Dowling blasted a 20m free to the net as the sign went up for two minutes of injury time.
Clare fans were on the edge of their seats but the players held firm and were deservingly in front when the final whistle sounded.
Full-back Noel Purcell didn’t have one of his better evenings and, with 12 minutes remaining, the Clare backroom team decided on change. Team captain Paul Flanagan moved to full-back and Haulie Vaughan came in at corner-back. This move tightened up the Clare defence in which goalkeeper Ronan Taaffe also had a few anxious moments.
Midfielders Tony Kelly and Colm Galvin both got through some excellent work at midfield while up front, Paudge Collins got through a lot of work, particularly in the final quarter while David O’Halloran and Shanahan picked off some good scores.
Alan Dempsey, David Murphy, Declan Hannon, Shane Dowling and John Fitzgibbon had their moments for Limerick.

Clare: Ronan Taaffe (Tubber); Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge), Noel Purcell (Sixmilebridge), Paul Flanagan (Ballyea) (captain), Enda Boyce (Cratloe), Kevin Lynch (Sixmilebridge), Stephen O’Halloran (Clarecastle); Colm Galvin (Clonlara), Tony Kelly (Ballyea); Cathal Malone (Ennistymon), Paudge Collins (Cratloe), Jamie Shanahan (Sixmilebridge); Daire Keane (Kilmaley), Niall Arthur (Inagh-Kilnamona), David O’Halloran (Éire Óg).
Subs: Alan Mulready (Sixmilebridge) for Malone (38 minutes), Haulie Vaughan (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Purcell (48 minutes).
Scorers: Niall Arthur (0-8), all frees; David O’Halloran (1-1), Paudge Collins (0-3); Tony Kelly, Jamie Shanahan (0-2) each, Daire Keane (0-1).
Frees for: 15; wides: 12.
Bookings: Stephen O’Halloran (59 minutes).

Limerick: Owen Webb O’Rourke; Brian Murphy, Alan Dempsey, Brian Hannigan; Chris O’Riordan, Kevin O’Donnell, Mark Carmody; Declan Hannon, Sean Kelly; Mike Fitzgibbon, Thomas Ryan, Dan Morrissey; John Fitzgibbon, Shane Dowling, Michael Ryan.
Subs: David Murphy for C O’Riordan (23 minutes), Jake Mulcahy for Kelly (half-time); Brendan O’Connor for Mulcahy (44 minutes), Richard Ryan for T Ryan (51 minutes); Jack Ahern for M Fitzgibbon (56 minutes).
Scorers: Declan Hannon (0-6, 3f); Shane Dowling (1-2), Michael Ryan (1-0), John Fitzgibbon (0-3, 2f); Seán Kelly (0-1).
Frees for: 12; wides: 9; 65s: 3.
Bookings: Alan Dempsey (41 minutes); David Murphy (56 minutes).

Referee: David Copps, Cork.

 

Minors keep their focus in tough semi

CLARE mentor Donal Moloney never doubted that Friday’s Munster semi-final clash with Limerick would be difficult.
“It was always going to be very, very difficult because we were coming in as favourites, which is probably an unusual position for a Clare minor team considering that we haven’t been in a Munster final for a lot of years,” he said, moments after Friday evening’s victory at the Gaelic Grounds.
“It was all about trying to get our focus right. We started brilliantly. We knew Limerick would come back and they sure did. We re-organised at half-time and after that, we missed a few scores but we kept plugging away and eventually we got breathing space,” the Scariff man said.
“The big advantage we have had is that these guys have gone through a learning process that few minor teams have had. The experience in Walsh Park was a tough one. They had to lift themselves to play Kerry and lift themselves to play Tipp. With 12 minutes to go in that game, we were down to 14 men. These guys have been in dark corners and they were never going to lie down. There was no fear of that,” according to Moloney.
Joint manager of the side with Éire Óg’s Gerry O’Connor, Moloney commented, “We got some good scores and it’s difficult on a night like this. Semi-finals are all about getting through. There is going to be an element of nerves and it’s difficult for guys to freely express themselves. We showed enough composure at the right time. We possibly should have put it away a bit earlier but we hung in there.”
Having to prepare the team with the vast majority of the panel sitting the Leaving Certificate exam made things that bit more difficult.
“We had lads that only finished exams today. That was always a battle and we were trying to deal with that all along. We compared notes with all the other counties and we had the most guys doing the Leaving Cert. We had to train right through the exams. These guys are fantastic, going for 400 and 500 points in their Leaving and to come out and do that tonight having only finished exams today. They are incredible young fellas,” he said.
The Munster final is another game, he said. “We have two weeks to the final and we are going to prepare like hell for it. We don’t get to Munster finals often and we need to win it,” Moloney stressed.
Although the win over Limerick guarantees Clare two more championship games, the East Clare man said, “We are only focusing on the Munster final for now”.