Malone the ace in facile Clare victory
The home side punished their opponents with goals in either half by midfielder and senior star Jamie Malone.
Clare had the better of the opening half exchanges, going in 1-4 to 0-2 ahead at the break.
Yet, if possession had been capitalised on, they would have been much further ahead.
But poor shooting from distance, plus a number of wides ensured that only five separated the sides.
Waterford, for their part, couldn’t find the target until the 21st minute when full-forward Jason Gleeson shot over the bar.
At this stage, the Banner had three points on the board thanks to two frees by Keelan Sexton and an Eimhin Courtney effort. The Clare goal arrived when Jamie Malone fisted to David Whitty’s net. Courtney andWaterford’s Conor Murray exchanged points before the half-time whistle.
Waterford’s woes continued in the second-half began, conceding a goal and a point inside the opening four minutes.
Full forward and man-of-the-match Keelan Sexton got onto a superb pass by Dale Masterson and slotted over the crossbar before Malone was in again for Clare’s second goal of the night. The Corofin clubman gained possession on the 45m line and waltzed through the Déise defence before unleashing a low shot to the back of the net.
That made it 2-5 to 0-2 and
Clare added points by Sexton (twice), Malone, Eimihin Courtney and sub Conor Cleary before Waterford eventually registered a third, this time through midfielder Seamus Keating.
Scorers for Clare: J Malone (2-1), K Sexton (0-6) 3 f’s, E Courntey (0-2), C Cleary & P O’Malley (f) (0-1) each.
Waterford scorers: J Gleeson, C Murray & S Keating (0-1) each.
CLARE: K Normoyle (Lissycasey), C O’Mahoney (Doonbeg), J O’Dea. (Kilfenora), C Brennan Capt. (Éire Óg), D Nagle (Liscannor), C O’Brien (St. Joseph’s Doora-Barefield), C O’Dea (Kilfenora), D Walsh (Éire Óg), J Malone (Corofin), L Corry (Éire Óg), P O’Malley (Éire Óg), D Masterson (St. Breckan’s), M O’Leary (Kilmihil), K Sexton (Kilmurry-Ibrickane), E Courtney (Éire Óg).
Subs: E Hanrahan (St, Joseph’s D/B)for Walsh (half-time), M Byrne (St Breckans) for Corry |(37), C Cleary (St Josephs Miltown) for Masterson (39), C McNelis (Clondegad) for C O’Dea (47), J Downes(O Curry’s) for Sexton (54), E O’Connor (Coolmeen) for Malone (58).
WATERFORD: D Whitty Capt. (Gaultier), S Dalton (De La Salle), C Walsh (Rathgormack), J De Barún (An Rinn),J Mullaney (Stradbally), T Devine (Modeligo), J Fenton (Bunmahon), D Ryan (Nire), S Keating (Ardmore), M Curry (Rathgormack), F Ó Cuirrín (An Rinn), J Curry (Rathgormack), C Murray (Rathgormack), J Gleeson (Rathgormack), C Gleeson (Nire).
Subs: L Mulligan (Rathgormack) for Fenton (42), P O’Connor (Clashmore Kinsalebeg) for J Curry (44), B Looby (Ballinacourty) for Mullaney (47) B/C, C McGuire (Gaultier) for J Gleeson (52), M Troy (Modeligo) for Ó Cuirrín (59), K Brazil (Nire) for Murray (59).
