Clare finally get past Waterford

BANK OF IRELAND MUNSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL:

Clare 2-14 Waterford 2-10

2,379 Cusack Park supporters watched Clare eventually pull clear of a sticky Waterford side in today's Munster SFC meeting, for a four-point win at the finish.

Enda Coughlan nipped in for a crucial goal on 68 minutes, eluding the Deise rearguard to all-but-ensure the Banner men's path through to a semi-final clash with Cork next month.

Waterford, to their credit, erased an early 0-04 to 0-02 home lead as Gary Hurney goaled on 21 minutes, following a neat set-up from former Under-21 starlet Liam O Lionnain.

Clare shook off that disappointment to square things up at 0-07 to 1-04 by the break, with Odhran O'Dwyer, Coughlan and Rory Donnelly on target in the half's closing stages.

Clare powered into a 1-09 to 1-06 lead early in the second half - the aforementioned Donnelly, who top-scored with 1-06 in all, struck for their opening goal.

On 47 minutes, Niall Curran goaled for the visitors and they, somewhat surprisingly, squared things up a 1-12 to 2-09 before Clare's final flourish.

Coughlan swept home the deciding score and with that, Clare's hopes of a first Munster senior crown since 1998 remained intact.