Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 4:
Clare 3-31
Waterford 2-22
Waterford’s championship season has come to an end.
The Déise were defeated comprehensively by Clare at Cusack Park while Cork were comfortable victors against Tipperary - meaning it is the Rebels who head on to the All-Ireland series at their neighbour’s expense.
With Liam Cahill having rung the changes, Waterford started like a side who seemed somewhat hungover from last weekend’s defeat to Cork.
Clare, while they in theory had nothing but pride to play for, weren’t feeling all too welcoming toward their visitors.
David Reidy popped over the opening score on 37 seconds from the right flank, before two fine efforts from the unmarked Shane O’Donnell brought the Banner three to the good after three minutes.
The Déise’s zonal marking invited Clare players to run into space and when Tadhg De Burca was forced off on four minutes - one would have been forgiven to think it was going to be one of those days.
Shane McNulty entered the field as Cathal Malone’s great score from an acute angle made it 0-4 to no score.
Clare had tried their luck seven times by the time Waterford made any scoring effort, the Déise’s first point coming from close range via the stick of Dessie Hutchinson.
Peter Duggan then showed stunning skill to point Clare’s fifth and his first, before David McInerney caught Shaun O’Brien’s puckout and sent it right back where it came from over the black spot.
David Fitzgerald and David Reidy were then both allowed to point with the freedom of Cusack Park as the Déise were seven points behind on eight minutes, and beginning an inquest into how.
To add insult to injury, Jamie Barron’s quad soon gave way to lead to change number two on ten minutes, with Stephen Bennett entering the fray.
Credit to Liam Cahill’s men, they found a rhythm soon after and reeled off the next four points to bring themselves right back into contention.
Peter Hogan hit a sweet strike from the right hand sideline before Patrick Curran pointed his first dead ball when Jack Prendergast was felled by Cathal Malone. Championship debutant Mark Fitzgerald then picked out Ballygunner man Pauric Mahony to split the posts, before Curran again provided the punishment when Jack Browne was called for over carrying.
Clare landed their first score in nine minutes with an Ian Galvin point - though that could have been worth thrice as much. Conor Cleary sent a searching ball into the square which Duggan got a flick onto, with O’Brien diving down to his left to keep the sliotar out of the net. Galvin was on hand to pop over the rebound.
Duggan then brought the Banner into double figures with a free from distance before Shane O’Donnell, who seemed to be thriving further out the field, sidestepped past Mahony to slot over his third from play and restore a six point cushion.
Calum Lyons landed a distant free for the Déise, who looked to impose their running game upon Clare, but when possession was lost - Brian Lohan’s men worked the ball up field and Waterford were caught cold, Ian Galvin squaring to Reidy who batted past O’Brien from a matter of inches for the game’s opening goal. 1-11 to 0-6 on 24 minutes.
Stephen Bennett pointed on the spin moments later, but David McInerney was afforded space moments later and provided due punishment to leave eight between the teams on the half hour.
It could well have been eleven soon after, but Waterford would have gladly settled for nine - Duggan letting fly but his effort was bravely blocked over the bar by Conor Gleeson.
Jack Fagan became the third Déise player to make way within the half hour when he was replaced by Kieran Bennett.
Dessie Hutchinson was on target having been picked out by Mahony, before Duggan twisted Conor Gleeson and gunned for goal only to be denied by a second superb stop of the afternoon by O’Brien.
Duggan tacked on two frees either side of another Hutchinson point, before the Déise suffered a cruel fate right at the cusp of half time which arguably put the game to bed before the interval.
Neil Montgomery bore down on goal but his effort was cleared off the line by a combination of Rory Hayes and Éibhear Quilligan - and one minute later, Shane O’Donnell picked out the onrushing David Fitzgerald to essentially walk the ball into the Waterford net.
2-15 to 0-9 in favour of Clare at half time, and Cork leading by eight in Tipperary - it wasn’t a team talk that Waterford needed, it was a miracle.
It would have been somewhat of a frightful thought that the Banner had twelve wides as well as Shaun O’Brien making two wonder stops in the opening 35 minutes. Despite what Cork were doing, Waterford now had the breeze and needed to seize the impetus and put their best foot forward.
Patrick Curran sent a free wide early on, and when the ball was turned over three minutes later, David Reidy popped a low ball into the lone David Fitzgerald who bulldozed in his second goal and Clare’s third. Shane Golden then hit over a super score from 60m and suddenly Waterford were 17 points down and had another half hour to face into.
Calum Lyons’ second point brought Waterford’s tally to ten, before the Déise finally got that coveted green flag on 44 minutes when Dessie Hutchinson slammed to the roof of the net from 20 metres.
Ryan Taylor grabbed his first point off the short grip, before Shane O’Donnell was infallible in grabbing his fourth to restore a 15-point advantage. David Fitzgerald added further insult to Waterford’s wounds - as you’d be forgiven to think it was Clare who needed the win.
A Peter Duggan free brought Clare’s tally to 30, with 3-16 of that coming from play by the 49th minute.
Waterford’s pride and confidence looked shattered beyond recognition, as Shane Meehan, Peter Duggan and Cathal Malone pushed Clare into a 19 point mauling.
A Stephen Bennett free proved Waterford’s first score in nine minutes but with Malone again untracked, Clare were again on song. O’Donnell then picked out substitute Robin Mounsey for his first score, before Cathal Malone and Shane O’Donnell showed their class either side of a Curran effort to push the gap out to 20.
The atmosphere was more characteristic of a funeral than a Munster Championship match, as the Déise longed to hear the whistle and draw the curtain down on a disappointing campaign.
Robin Mounsey added to Waterford’s misery, before Bennett was on target for another consolation point. His brother Kieran then added another when a goal looked more likely before another white flag from Curran.
Hutchinson was on target again from midfield, as was Kieran Bennett as Waterford hit a purple patch far too late.
There was no let up from Clare as Ryan Taylor added their 40th score. Austin Gleeson hit a mammoth point in vain on 68 minutes, as a sigh of relief sounded at the sight of just two minutes of additional time.
Patrick Curran’s late goal added gloss to the scoreline, but it was likely the least important one the Dungarvan man will ever score.
Full time - Clare 3-31 Waterford 2-22.
A sobering defeat for the Déise, who have all summer to soul search. League champions on April 2nd, and out of the championship 50 days later.
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Rory Hayes, Conor Cleary, Cian Nolan; Jack Browne, Aaron Fitzgerald, David McInerney; David Fitzgerald, Shane Golden; Cathal Malone, David Reidy, Shane O’Donnell; Ian Galvin, Peter Duggan, Ryan Taylor
Subs: Shane Meehan for Ian Galvin (43); Robin Mounsey for David Reidy (49); Adam Hogan for Rory Hayes (53); Darragh Lohan for Aaron Fitzgerald (55); Eamonn Foudy for Éibhear Quilligan (59)
Waterford: Shaun O’Brien; Ian Kenny, Conor Gleeson, Mark Fitzgerald; Jack Fagan, Tadhg De Burca, Calum Lyons; Jamie Barron, Peter Hogan; Jack Prendergast, Austin Gleeson, Patrick Curran; Dessie Hutchinson, Pauric Mahony, Neil Montgomery
Subs: Shane McNulty for Tadhg De Burca (4); Stephen Bennett for Jamie Barron (10); Kieran Bennett for Jack Fagan (30); Michéal Harney for Pauric Mahony (HT); DJ Foran for Neil Montgomery (57)
Referee: Paul O’Dwyer (Carlow)
