Liam Cahill’s Waterford continue to impress — and progress — as Clare left deflated

All-Ireland SHC quarter-final: Clare 3-18 Waterford 3-27

Waterford’s graph continues to curve upwards, with a comprehensive win over Clare last Saturday evening the latest instalment in a season of consistent performances.

Waterford raced to an early lead and were reeled in before easing the accelerator to the floor in the second half and pulling away: only a late Clare point prevented a double-digit victory.

Their reward is an All-Ireland semi-final next weekend against Kilkenny and with their industry and intelligent distribution, Cahill’s side will fancy their chances after hitting 3-27 last Saturday.

“This is what I dreamed of happening, the vision I had,” said Cahill afterwards.

“That’s not to sound arrogant in any way. I feel these players are capable of playing at this level, these big days and big occasions.

“Maybe a little bit flattered to be doing it so soon but the opportunity is here now so we have to grab it and see where it takes us in seven days.”

They certainly grabbed their opportunities on Saturday night. Dessie Hutchinson had two goals in the opening four minutes for Waterford while Clare talisman Tony Kelly was getting treatment for an ankle injury.

Clare boss Brian Lohan said later that Kelly had already turned his ankle in the warm-up, and though he resumed play Kelly was restricted to the full-forward slot and didn’t have the influence he had in previous outings.

With Stephen Bennett in good scoring form and Tadhg de Burca dominating at centre-back, Waterford looked set fair until Aron Shanagher struck for two goals inside a minute after the water-break, pushing Clare 2-9 to 2-8 ahead.

On the stroke of half-time Hutchinson found Jack Fagan with a sumptuous pass: Fagan’s goal put Waterford 3-10 to 2-10 ahead at the break.

In the second half the sides swapped points with neither seizing the initiative, though Waterford were able to stay in front. However, Clare were energised when Aidan McCarthy collected a great Shanagher pass to hit a fine goal after the water-break. Now the game was level again, 3-15 apiece.

Waterford hit the next four points in a row and Clare seemed to flag in this, their third outing in as many weekends: from there to finish the winners picked off their points at ease, though Stephen O’Keeffe had to look sharp to deny Aaron Cunningham a goal that might have revitalised the Banner. Nine points was a fair reflection of the winners’ superiority.

In the Clare corner Brian Lohan acknowledged those three first-half goals were a huge blow.

“Waterford had great energy all over the field, unfortunately we gifted them two goals at the start, and then a third goal — to concede three goals in 35 minutes of hurling like that, it’s always going to be a tough struggle. It’s tough.

“We did well to get back into it again, we were happy enough at half-time the way we were. The second half we maybe didn’t get the return we were hoping for.

“Aaron Cunningham came on and had a shot, Stephen O’Keeffe produced a brilliant save and they went straight down the field for a point — a four-point swing. That really put us under pressure.”

Liam Cahill was glad his side had refocused after losing the Munster final to Limerick the previous weekend: “You’d always have a little worry coming down, that this moral victory from the Munster final would play in players heads, that it was okay.

“So to get a reaction like that and performance was very pleasing, to say the least.

“Players want to hurl. That was a tough game in Thurles last Sunday and guys were physically sore. We’ve a good team around us in Waterford at the moment, we have good support. The players know what they have to do to get themselves right.”

Cahill and his selectors left with plenty to work on: Aron Shanagher’s goals gave Clare a foothold in the game, said the manager.

“It looked like a big lapse in concentration especially for the two goals in the first half when we looked to be in control of the game early on.

“Then to allow that to happen and to go in at half-time, really in a dogfight ... We really have to shore it up at the back if we’re to have any chance of progressing.”

Kilkenny will ask those questions next weekend, and Waterford have a week to prep for a searching test. As Liam Cahill noted, the stripey men are accustomed to Croke Park and to the big occasion. It will also be Waterford’s third weekend in a row, and teams such as Dublin, Cork, and Tipperary can attest to the toll that takes on a team, particularly in the closing stages of a tight battle

Saturday night’s tally and work rate will stiffen the sinews for Croke Park, however. Expect another battle.

The 60-second report

IT MATTERED

Waterford’s two-goal burst from Dessie Hutchinson in the opening minutes. For a Clare side facing their third game on consecutive weekends, chasing a game was a tall order. They fought back to lead briefly in the first half, but Waterford never lost the self-belief generated by Hutchinson’s early brace.

CAN’T IGNORE

The Clare No.9. Tony Kelly came into Saturday’s game on Hurler of the Year form after some outrageously good performances. He went down with a leg injury early on and moved to full-forward: though he seemed to be moving freely he wasn’t able to range around the middle and make the bursts that marked his display against Wexford.

SIDELINE SMARTS

Small consolation though it may be, Brian Lohan started Aron Shanagher at full-forward and the Wolfe Tones man validated the decision by scoring one goal and providing the pass for Clare’s third. On the Waterford side Liam Cahill’s ability to get his side to buy into their high-energy pressing game remains a huge plus, while he also got a return of five points from the substitutes he introduced..

MAIN MAN

A lot of candidates from the Waterford side — Tahdg de Burca, Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron — but one man shone all through. “Dessie Hutchinson is a really good player, everyone knows that,” said Liam Cahill. “He’s shown that with his club Ballygunner. Until you do it on the big scene at inter-county level, question marks will always be there. This man tries so hard on training and he’s always trying to improve himself. Really delighted for him today, getting on the end of a couple of scores to boost his confidence.”

PHYSIO ROOM

After the match Brian Lohan addressed the issue of Tony Kelly’s leg injury: “Tony went over on an ankle in the warm-up, actually, but played the game. He just damaged ligaments in the warm-up, so he was just under pressure. We left him on, and in fairness to Tony he produced what he always produces, 100%.”

MAN IN BLACK

Could Paud O’Dwyer of Carlow have given Waterford a first-half advantage at one stage that could have resulted in a goal chance? If that’s the only quibble it’s an indication of how well he handled the game.

WHAT’S NEXT

Waterford take on Kilkenny next week in the All-Ireland semi-final, while Clare must plan for 2021.

Scorers for Clare: A. Shanagher (2-1); T. Kelly (0-8, 0-6 frees); A. McCarthy (1-0); C. Malone (0-4); S. O’Donnell (0-2); D. Reidy, R. Taylor, D. McInerney (sideline) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Waterford: S. Bennett (0-10, 0-7 frees); D. Hutchinson (2-2); J. Fagan (1-1); K. Bennett (0-3); A. Gleeson, C. Gleeson, J. Barron (0-2 each), N. Montgomery, C. Lyons, P. Curran, T. de Burca, D. Lyons (0-1 each).

CLARE: E. Quilligan; R. Hayes, C. Cleary, S. Morey; P. O’Connor, S. O’Halloran, J. Browne; A. McCarthy, D. McInerney; J. McCarthy, T. Kelly, C. Malone; S. O’Donnell, A. Shanagher, R. Taylor.

Subs: D. Fitzgerald for Browne (HT); D. Ryan for J. McCarthy (52); A. Cunningham for McInerney (56); D. Reidy for Fitzgerald (55); C. McInerney for Taylor (61).

WATERFORD: S. O’Keeffe; I. Kenny, C. Prunty (c), S. McNulty; C. Lyons, T. de Burca, K. Moran; J. Barron, J. Dillon; J. Fagan, K. Bennett, S. Bennett; D. Hutchinson, A. Gleeson, J. Prendergast.

Subs: N. Montgomery for Prendergast (HT); D. Lyons for Dillon (45); P. Curran for Fagan (60); C. Gleeson for A. Gleeson (66); C. Kirwan for Hutchinson (70).

Referee: P. O’Dwyer (Carlow).