Wexford end Clare’s winning run

Wexford 0-20 Clare 1-13

A physically stronger Wexford ended Clare’s unbeaten run in this season’s Allianz hurling league at Wexford park this Sunday afternoon where they emerged as deserving winners.

A powerful third quarter where they outscored Clare 0-8 to 0-1 proved decisive for the home side as they bounced back from last week’s loss to Tipperary.

Clare played with the aid of the breeze in the first half and went to the break with a point point lead, 0-8 to 0-7.

There was a key moment midway through the opening half when Colm Galvin suffered a heavy knock which led to his withdrawal from the game just before half time and this loss was a blow to Clare

At the end of a first half in which no quarter was asked or given, Clare led by a point. Wexford made the brighter start and raced two points clear after three minutes but a brace from John Conlon had the teams level by the seventh minute.

Clare went in front in the tenth minute through Peter Duggan who landed the first of his four first half scores.

Wexford hit four unanswered points in the opening six minutes of the second half to take a lead they would hold to the finish. The visitors managed just one point in the third quarter at the end of which Wexford led by six points.

The goal Clare needed didn’t come until the final minute of normal time when Peter Duggan drilled a 20m free low to the corner of the net but it was too late to prevent Davy Fitxgerald’s outfit from claiming the points and sealing their division 1 A status for next season. Clare had already sealed their 1 A status priod to today’s game

Clare.; Donal Tuohy (Crusheen); Jack Browne (Ballyea), Conor Cleary (Miltown, St Josephs), Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona); Mikey O’Malley (Kilmaley), David McInerney (Tulla), Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge); Colm Galvin (Clonlara), Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge); Niall Deasy (Ballyea), John Conlon (Clonlara), David Reidy (Éire Óg); Shane O Donnell (Éire Óg ) Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin) Podge Collins (Cratloe)

Subs; Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin) for Galvin (35 minutes);Darragh Corry|(Tulla) forDeasy (half time); Gearoid \o’Connell\(Ballyea)for McCarthy (55 minutes); MikeyO’Neill(Kilmaley) for Collins (59 minutes); Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe) for Morey|(70 minutes)

Wexford; Mark Fanning; Damian Reck, Liam Ryan, Conor Firman; Paudie Foley, Matthew O’Hanlon, Diarmuid O’Keeffe; Kevin Foley, Shaun Murphy; Aidan Nolan, Daivd Dunne, Jack O’Connor; Paul Morris, Lee Chin, Conor McDonald

Subs; Rory O’Connor for Chin\(inj., half time); Cathal Dunbar for \morrid57 minutes); Harry Kehoe for Dunne(59 minutes); Aarin Maddock for Murphy(65 minutes)

Referee; Colm Lyons,Cork;

By Seamus Hayes