Dominant Banner blitz Antrim for second league win

Mark Rodgers top-scored with 12 points for Clare

Darragh Lohan of Clare in action. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

NHL Division 1B: Antrim 1-19 Clare 2-30 

Clare enjoyed a huge victory in their second outing in the National Hurling League this season after a 14-point win over Antrim on Sunday afternoon.

Clare dominated the opening half as they led by nine points, despite registering double digits for wide efforts.

Both sides exchanged scores when Mark Rodgers notched his first of eight first-half scores with a great effort from a dead ball, but Seaan Elliot matched that with one of his own to level proceedings in the opening minutes.

Rodgers and Reidy showed a level above their opposition when the pair managed to strike consecutive points from play, with Clare’s fourth point of the afternoon coming when the Scariff forward struck the ball perfectly from the far-left wing for a white flag.

Tony Kelly of Clare with Paddy Burke of Antrim. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

Antrim did respond when Sean McKay found his first score of the afternoon after he zipped an effort from the middle of the park before Elliot got a chance to draw his side closer with another free.

Mark Rodgers was truly a sight to behold in the opening half, proving to be deadly for the Munster side from long range, but the first goal of the afternoon looked to have put the nails in the coffin for Antrim.

David Fitzgerald intercepted a ball and drove at the Saffron back line as he poised for the shot but showed quick hands to snap the ball into Shane Meehan, who despite dropping the ball, managed to recover and drill his effort home.

Clare were denied twice in heroic fashion by Cormac McFadden who had a stellar first start for Antrim in goal.

Joe Maskey and Seaan Elliot found scores for Antrim as the half tailed, but Mark Rodgers’ point saw the referee sound his whistle for the half.

Antrim did show a lot more fight in the second period as Seaan Elliot’s free was sent over in response to Shane Meehan’s opening score of the second half.

Despite that Clare looked the superior side and when David Fitzgerald found himself in exactly the same position as the first half, this time he opted to shoot as he slapped down his effort beyond the Antrim net minder McFadden.

Antrim did find the net when Conal Cunning managed to escape a tussle with the ball and his lightning quick pace saw him within 13-yards as he blasted the ball into the net.

The game would end with a terrific point-scoring finale from Tony Kelly, as the Clare captain would find tight angled scores with ease. Mark Rodgers added three more frees to his side's tally for a resounding victory.

ANTRIM: Cormac McFadden; Ruairi McCormick, Eoin McFerran, Paddy Burke; Stephen Rooney, Sean McKay 0-1, Joe Maskey 0-1; Ryan McCambridge 0-1, Eoin O’Neill; Scott Walsh, Paul Boyle, Seán Duffin 0-1; Seaan Elliot 0-10 (0-10fs), James McNaughton, Conal Cunning 1-1 

Subs: J McLaughlin on for S McKay (25’), J McCloskey (0-2) on for E O’Neill (51’), K McCann on for S Walsh (54’), C Johnston on for P Boyle (48’), K Molloy (0-2) on for R McCambridge (51’) 

CLARE: Eamonn Foudy; Dylan McMahon 0-1, Conor Cleary, Rory Hayes; Diarmuid Ryan 0-1, John Conneally, Cathal Malone; Darragh Lohan 0-1, Ryan Taylor 0-3; Peter Duggan, Tony Kelly 0-5, David Fitzgerald 1-1; Shane Meehan 1-3, David Reidy 0-1, Mark Rodgers 0-12 (0-7fs) 

Subs: R Hayes on for J Conneally (35’) C Leen on for R Hayes (50’), J Kirwan on for D Reidy, S Dunford 0-1 on for S Meehan (54’), S O’Donnell on for P Duggan 0-1 (57’)