Clare rouse themselves for finishing flourish to see off spirited Wexford
Over the line: Tony Kelly of Clare celebrates after the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Clare and Wexford at the FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Pic: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
A rousing finish from an up-to-then flatfooted Banner — during which Clare outscored their opponents by 1-9 to 0-2 from the hour mark onwards — has secured Brian Lohan’s charges an All-Ireland semi-final clash with Kilkenny.
The winners, who took a hell of a long time to shake the aftereffects of their Munster final endeavours, looked a beaten docket when Wexford pounced for back-to-back goals in the 47th and 50th minute, this green flag brace part of an unanswered 2-2 that left the Model County perfectly placed at 3-11 to 0-14 in front on 54 minutes.
But in a scarcely believable swing of momentum, Darragh Egan’s shell-shocked charges managed only three points between there and the finish.
So crucial to the Clare resurrection was the introduction of Aron Shanagher, the second-half sub finishing with 1-2 from play. His opening point, which also served as the first in a 1-6 Banner burst, was Clare's first from play in 19 minutes.
The same as the belated injection of quality and entertainment in a quarter-final contest that dragged for long periods, Clare’s scoring spree was quintessential feast to famine.
Another Clare sub Shane Meehan was also heavily involved in the unlikely comeback, clipping two points upon his introduction.
Shanagher’s goal arrived in the 66th minute, a mistake from Wexford ‘keeper Mark Fanning presenting the opportunity. Fanning had himself goaled on 47 minutes as a result of a mistake from his opposite number Eibhear Quilligan, this latest error balancing out the respective goalkeeping blunders.
The Shanagher groundstroke moved the beaten Munster finalists 1-20 to 3-12 in front, with Tony Kelly notching his third point in the ensuing play to swell their lead to three.
Six minutes of injury-time meant there was space on the clock for Wexford to lift themselves off the canvas. They were, however, unable to do so, the gap no smaller than two during time added on.
The result extends Wexford’s dreadful quarter-final record, the county stuck on three quarter-final wins since their introduction in 1997.
The first half was a desperately flat affair, neither side managing to get anywhere near the energy levels they had brought to their respective concluding games in the provincial series.
Wexford, to be fair, did hit the ground running with a Jack O’Connor goal within 25 seconds of the throw-in, the half-forward plucking a Rory O’Connor delivery out of the sky and making a beeline for the Banner goal that no Clare defender was able to divert off course.
The last time Kelly had graced Tom Semple’s field, everything the 28-year-old touched turned to gold. There was, however, no magic weaved in the opening stages of this All-Ireland quarter-final as the former hurler of the year struck four wides, three of which were placed-ball efforts.
Peter Duggan was eventually handed dead-ball responsibilities and while he did convert a hattrick of frees, he also contributed two misses to Clare’s first half wides tally of eight.
A pair from Model youngster Oisín Foley helped Wexford stretch four clear - 1-4 to 0-3 - by the 10th minute, but there followed Clare’s sole productive spell of the half.
David Reidy, Diarmuid Ryan, and two Duggan frees brought Lohan’s somewhat lethargic troops level, a brief-lived respite as the sweeping Diarmuid O’Keeffe and Chin (free) returned Wexford in front.
The half’s heavy and cumbersome feel was captured best by the eight-minute spell between the 24th and 32nd minute where neither side managed a score.
Clare’s Ian Galvin put the crowd of almost 35,000 out of their misery when breaking the barren period. Duggan’s third free thereafter saw the teams retreat at half-time tied 1-7 to 0-10.
Spectators finally got value for money in a gripping last half an hour, at the end of which Clare had booked themselves a semi-final date with Cody's Kilkenny.
A Shanagher (1-2); P Duggan (0-5, 0-5 frees); T Kelly (0-4); D Ryan (0-3); D Reidy, S O’Donnell, S Meehan, I Galvin (0-2 each); D Fitzgerald, C Malone (0-1 each).
L Chin (1-8, 0-6 frees); M Fanning (1-0 free), J O’Connor (1-0 each); O Foley (0-2); D Reck, R O’Connor, M Dwyer, D O’Keeffe (0-1 each).
E Quilligan; P Flanagan, C Cleary, R Hayes; D Ryan, J Conlon, D McInerney; R Taylor, C Malone; D Fitzgerald, S O’Donnell, P Duggan; D Reidy, I Galvin, T Kelly.
C Nolan for Hayes (7 mins); M Rodgers for D Reidy (54); A Shanagher for Fitzgerald (59); S Meehan for I Galvin (62).
M Fanning; S Reck, L Ryan, S Donohoe; M O’Hanlon, S Reck, P Foley; C Devitt, L Óg McGovern; R O’Connor, J O’Connor, O Foley; L Chin, C McDonald, D O’Keeffe.
M Dwyer for R O’Connor (14 mins, inj); K Foley for O’Keeffe (62); C Flood for McGovern (63); C McGuckian for S Reck (68); P Morris for D Reck (69).
C Lyons (Cork).
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