Déise’s three-play drama

Both Clare and Waterford deserve massive credit for the effort and commitment on display in Thurles on Sunday.

The experience of John Mullane, Eoin Kelly and Seamus Prendergast in attack, Stephen Molumphy in midfield and the clever substitutions by manager Michael Ryan, which had a huge impact down the stretch, saw Waterford home against a young Banner outfit who had five players wearing distance measuring GPS systems and whose high work rate never lapsed.

No one at the game could have quibbled with a draw. But ultimately this game was decided by three plays – Waterford’s two goals in the first half and the brilliant save by Stephen O’Keefe from Clare’s Conor McGrath in the closing minutes. If Clare had a plan to negate ‘Brick’ Walsh’s influence it wasn’t clear to me. Forcing him to clear the ball under pressure, without fouling, should have been the first port of call in terms of tactics. The long delivery which led to the Waterford penalty came from a free awarded for a high tackle by Sean Collins on Walsh.