Clare fend off Waterford challenge in Minor Hurling Championship

Marc O'Brien of Clare.

Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 1: Clare 0-22 Waterford 0-13 

Despite only three survivors from last year’s squad, Clare’s minor class of ’24 picked up where their Munster and All-Ireland winning predecessors left off by keeping Waterford at arm’s length in front of 1,309 in Cusack Park, Ennis.

Waterford, who began both halves in blistering fashion, were ultimately unable to sustain that intensity against a far more balanced home side who could boast ten scorers and utterly dominated their opponents’ restarts.

Two of last year’s provinical and All-Ireland winners Marc O’Brien (0-8) and Harry Doherty (0-3) combined for half of the home side’s tally but there were excellent performances too from excellent centre-back James Cullinan, the lively Liam Murphy, Sean McNamara, Dara Kennedy, Graham Ball and Matthew Corbett.

Cormac Spain and chief marksman Mark Hartley set a scorching pace within the opening minute and it took a four point unanswered burst, three from O’Brien, to finally settle the Banner at 0-5 to 0-3 by the ninth minute.

With that, Clare began to lay siege on the visitors half and would only increase their tally by the break as excellent braces through Harry Doherty and Liam Murphy helped their side to a 0-13 to 0-7 cushion.

The introduction of Jack Power at half-time would reignite Waterford’s challenge as he along with Gearoid O’Shea halved the deficit to just three within two minutes of the restart.

That was as good as it would get for the Deise though as Clare quickly re-established control with six of the next seven points as Graham Ball, Doherty, Darragh McNamara, Dara Kennedy and two more O’Brien frees effectively put the result beyond doubt entering the final quarter at 0-12 to 0-11.

True to form, Waterford inevitably rallied but successive attempts from Hartley and Shane Power were superbly repelled by home goalkeeper Matthew Crotty as the Banner completed their sixth consecutive minor championship victory over the Deise.

Scorers for Clare: Marc O’Brien (0-8, 7f); Harry Doherty (0-3); Liam Murphy, Graham Ball, Dara Kennedy (0-2 each); Matthew Corbett (f), Patrick Finneran, Darragh McNamara, Jerry O’Connor, Rian Mulcahy (f) (0-1 each). 

Scorers for Waterford: Mark Hartley (0-6, 4f); Jack Power (0-3); Gearoid O’Shea, (0-2); Cormac Spain, Jamie Shanahan (0-1 each). 

CLARE: M Crotty (Scariff); D Moroney (Éire Óg), S McNamara (Clooney-Quin), S Óg Kilkenny (Bodyke); D Kennedy (Ballyea), J Cullinan (Ruan), R Mulcahy (Éire Óg); G Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), M Corbett (Clooney-Quin); D McNamara (Clooney-Quin), P Finneran (Clooney-Quin), H Doherty (Clarecastle); C Ralph (Clarecastle), M O’Brien (Cratloe), L Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills). 

Subs: J O’Connor (Clooney-Quin) for Finneran (45), R Hayes (Tulla) for Ball (47), P Rodgers (Scariff) for D. McNamara (55), D Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Ralph (58), M Vaughan (Broadford) for Corbett (62). 

WATERFORD: B Murphy (Tallow); A Furlong (Roanmore), F Cooney (Ballygunner), J Twomey (Affane/Cappoquin/Tourin); T Kennedy (Mount Sion), J McDonnell (Tallow), T Corcoran (Mount Sion); C Lynch (St Oliver’s), O Fives (Ballygunner); G O’Brien (St Molleran’s), S Power (De La Salle), J Shanahan (Erin’s Own); M Hartley (Ballygunner), B Cummins (Lismore), C Spain (Ballygunner). 

Subs: J Power (Ballygunner) for Lynch (HT), C Power (De La Salle) for Kennedy (36, inj), C Reville (Roanmore) for Cummins (43), E Burke (Roanmore) for Fives (57), R Jacob (Passage) for Spain (59). 

Referee: C O’Donovan (Tipperary).