Waterford suffered a one point defeat at the hands of a sharper Clare outfit in this afternoon's Munster Senior hurling Championship opener in front of 11,012 at a sun-drenched Walsh Park.
The winners laid the foundations for victory before the break and hung on gallantly in the end as a battling Waterford side finished with real intent.
A dominant second-quarter display saw the visitors assume a commanding 1-13 to 0-10 interval advantage, with the goal coming from John Conlon early on.
Waterford did settle into the game and Austin Gleeson, Jamie Barron and a couple of scores from Stephen Bennett kept them in touch but the visitors were full value for their six point interval advantage.
Stephen Bennett posted two Waterford points when the action resumed but Colm Galvin and Duggan (free) replied as the gap stayed at six. A run of points from Bennett (‘65’, free) and Gleeson halved the Waterford deficit (1-15 to 0-15 with 20 minutes to go) but another Duggan free offered Clare some breathing space.
Kelly struck off Bennett’s eighth point and substitute Aidan McCarthy made an instant impact as he split the posts within seconds of his introduction. After five tense minutes without a score, Bennett’s free was cancelled out by Kelly, leaving Clare five to the good with 64 minutes gone.
Points from Bennett (free) and Maurice Shanahan set up a tense finale, injury-time strikes from Bennett (free) and Gleeson suddenly leaving just one point between the sides. Substitutes Ryan Taylor and Tommy Ryan swapped points in the third of five additional minutes and Clare held on for the win in a dramatic, frenetic finale.
It ended Clare 1-20 Waterford 0-22, Waterford will have to pick themselves up for a second round tie away to Tipperary next weekend, Clare have a Bye.
Crucial decision goes against Waterford in injury time. The sliothar last touches Clare's David McInerney, but the Banner get the sideline call. A big moment in a one-point game
Watch match highlights of @GaaClare and @WaterfordGAA on @rte2 tonight at 9.30pm pic.twitter.com/oxwq31C0jf— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 12, 2019
In the curtain raiser Waterford Minor hurlers came up just short after a tight and tense battle against Clare
The Banner forwards showed a little bit more up front, as they prevailed by 0-17 to 0-15.
