Clare end Waterford's unbeaten start

Clare 1-13 Waterford 0-9, Cusack Park

Waterford lost for the first time in this season's National Hurling League as a workmanlike Clare side deservedly earned a 1-13 to 0-9 win over the Deise at Cusack Park today.

Justin McCarthy's men led 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time but had no answer to a dominant Clare side after the break. Newtown clubman Bernard Gaffney slotted home a late 1-1 to guide the hosts home.

Intriguingly, there is now a four-way tie at the summit in Division 1A with Clare taking top spot ahead of the Deise by virtue of a better scoring difference, +23.

Waterford has the assistance of a gusty wind in the opening half but it was Clare who put down an early marker, moving into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead with Niall Gilligan (0-2) and Fergal Lynch on target.

As the rain poured down, Dan Shanahan opened the Deise's account in between those Clare scores, and Stephen Molumphy and Seamus Prendergast soon levelled the tie at 0-3 apiece.

Both goalkeepers, Waterford's Clinton Hennessy and Clare stopper Philip Brennan were called on top stop potential majors. Hennessy dived low to the left to bat away a drilled effort from Gaffney.

Brennan, the man who has benefited the most from Davy Fitzgerald's withdrawal from the Clare panel, showed excellent reactions to deny Eoin Kelly late in the first half.

Kelly knocked over two frees to push Waterford into the lead and a Ken McGrath '65' took the visitors' tally to 0-6. Barry Nugent and Gilligan, with his third point of the half, raised white flags in response to make it a one-point game at the break.

Gaffney and Nicky Jacob swapped points on the restart before Clare lifted their game, and with a great sense of urgency, Nugent, Tony Carmody and Kevin Dilleen all shot over.

Hailstones came and went but Clare remained on top and corner forward Gaffney, who, at 20, could be one of young players of the season, made certain of the win with his late scoring burst.

He swooped on a long ball and turned off his left to beat Hennessy with a powerful 68th-minute shot. He tagged on a free as Clare, who had skipper Frank Lohan back from injury, recovered well from their defeat to Wexford last time out.