Waterford blow Munster hurling championship wide open with big win over Clare

Tony Kelly was absent through sickness and he was sorely missed on a day when Stephen Bennett’s two second-half goals gave Waterford a second consecutive opening win.

Sun, 27 Apr, 2025 - 15:46

John Fogarty, Walsh Park

WATERFORD 2-23 CLARE 0-21

If the Munster championship wasn’t already open, it’s gaping now after Waterford downed the Tony Kelly-less All-Ireland champions in Walsh Park this afternoon.

The Clare captain was absent through sickness and he was sorely missed on a day when Stephen Bennett’s two second-half goals gave Waterford a second consecutive opening win after surprising Cork in their first provincial outing last year.

In front of 12,078, it didn’t feel like Waterford’s 0-13 to 0-10 advantage after half time would be enough having played with a breeze but they were to score more in the second half.

Bennett’s penalty goal nine minutes after the turnaround sent them into a six-point lead. Adam Hogan was found to have upended substitute Mikey Kiely as he made his way towards the Clare goal.

Patrick Curran tagged on a point to restore a seven-point advantage Waterford had enjoyed just over midway through the first half but it proved to be a target for Clare to chase.

Billy Nolan did brilliantly to keep out an Ian Galvin goal attempt in the 48th minute but Clare grew closer with a flurry of scores, David Reidy posting a brace of them. With 15 minutes of regulation time, Duggan landed his fourth to make it a one-score game and then Bennett struck again.

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The Ballysaggart man followed Patrick Fitzgerald’s short point attempt, broke free of his marker and caressed the ball low to the net.

The score ruptured Clare who conceded six of the next seven points and were 11 behind going into additional time. Shane Meehan and Reidy twice picked off points but purely for score difference purposes. Their race on this day was well and truly run.

Waterford buzzed into a 0-10 to 0-3 lead by the 19th minute. Darragh Lyons, who had three points to his name by that time, was dominating and Jamie Barron’s free role was causing Clare plenty of headaches.

In defence, Mark Fitzgerald had the early measure of Duggan and at the other end Hogan and Darragh Lohan were having some hairy moments. Lohan could have been punished heavier for a foul on Bennett in the 12th minute. A goal-scoring chance was denied but referee Chris Mooney was right to keep him on the field as it was not one of the prescribed infringements.

Bennett sent over the resultant free to push Waterford 0-7 to 0-3 clear. It was the second of five Waterford scores without reply as Clare were struggling to make the ball stick in the Déise half.

A converted Duggan sideline cut stopped the rot for The Banner but the margin returned to six points when Nolan landed a long-range effort in the 27th minute. However, it was the last Waterford score for eight minutes as Clare finally found the feet.

Ryan Taylor and Duggan were to the fore in bringing the visitors within a score before Barron added his third only for Meehan’s second of the game and Clare were within three at the break. They thought they were close. Not close enough.

Scorers for Waterford: S. Bennett (2-8, 1-0 pen, 0-4 frees); J. Barron (0-4); D. Lyons (0-3); P. Curran, D. Hutchinson (0-2 each); M. Fitzgerald, B. Nolan, P. Fitzgerald, M. Kiely (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clare: D. Reidy (0-6, 2 frees); P. Duggan (1 sideline), R. Taylor, S. Meehan (0-4 each); C. Malone (0-2); M. Rodgers (0-1).

WATERFORD: B. Nolan; I. Kenny, C. Prunty, I. Daly; M. Fitzgerald, T. de Búrca, P. Leavey; D. Lyons, K. Bennett; J. Prendergast, D. Hutchinson (c), J. Barron; K. Mahony, S. Bennett, P. Curran.

Subs: M. Kiely for K. Bennett (h-t); P. Fitzgerald for P. Curran (53); Shane Bennett for K. Mahony (57); S. Walsh for D. Lyons (70+1); A. Gleeson for J. Prendergast (70+3).

CLARE: E. Quilligan; D. Lohan, A. Hogan, C. Leen; C. Galvin, J. Conlon, D. McInerney (c); R. Taylor, C. Malone; D. Fitzgerald, D. Reidy, P. Duggan; S. Meehan, A. McCarthy, M. Rodgers.

Subs: A. Shanagher for D. Fitzgerald, I. Galvin for A. McCarthy (both 47); R. Hayes for C. Leen (65).

Referee: C. Mooney (Dublin).