Handful impress on Clare bows as Banner canter to victory over Down

Clare beat Down by 29 points in Ennis but what will have pleased Brian Lohan most was impressive first league starts for Senan Dunford, Ross Hayes, Niall O’Farrell and Diarmuid Stritch

Senan Dunford scored five points for Clare against Down in his first National League start. Pic: ©INPHO/Natasha Barton

AHL Division 1B: Clare 3-35 Down 0-15 

A first clash in 15 years wasn’t a classic reunion as Clare cantered to the biggest victory of Division 1B so far against newcomers Down in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis.

Indeed, the fact that two divisions separated the sides 12 months ago was a more accurate reflection of the 29-point chasm as the 2024 All-Ireland champions moved swiftly through the gears to brush aside the Ulster side.

Much more significantly than the result, the most pleasing aspect for home manager Brian Lohan was impressive National League starting debuts for five point hero Senan Dunford, Ross Hayes, Niall O’Farrell and Diarmuid Stritch while U20s Ronan Kilroy and Jamie Moylan made their senior competitive bow off the bench.

In addition, the Banner welcomed back two-time All-Star John Conlon for the first time in 2026 following a freak finger injury while Jack Kirwan, Dylan McMahon and Colm O’Meara gained further senior experience.

Between them, Dunford (5), Stritch (3) and O’Farrell (2) combined for ten points amidst 12 different scorers while on the flip side, the ever-impressive Pearse Óg McCrickard was Down’s talisman with seven points.

The visitors did start brightly, with McCrickard scoring twice as the sides were level three times in the opening nine minutes at 0-4 to 0-4. That was as good as it got for Ronan Sheehan’s side though as Clare garnered the next nine points with Jack Kirwan starting the finishing the blitz while chief marksman Mark Rodgers potted three frees to soar 0-13 to 0-04 clear by the 24th minute.

Such a deflating siege proved detrimental to Down’s early buoyancy as despite a first score in 16 minutes through Pearse Óg McCrickard, they would be punished with another nine-point home haul that saw Rodgers, Shane Meehan and Cathal Malone score braces to power 0-22 to 0-07 in front by the break.

With the result beyond any doubt, the quality did dip on the restart as Clare hit more wides than scores and Down used their bench to ensure a third quarter parity at 0-5 to 0-5 thanks to points from replacements Paul Sheehan and Cathal Coleman at 0-27 to 0-12.

However, Clare upped the ante in the final quarter and punished a warweary Down with three goals in nine minutes as substitute Peter Duggan teed up majors for Mark Rodgers and David Fitzgerald before pulling to the net himself entering the final ten minutes to cap off a comprehensive victory in front of a healthy 4,960 attendance.

Scorers for Clare: M Rodgers 1-9 (6f); S Dunford 0-5; Peter Duggan 1-1; D Stritch, J Kirwan, S Meehan, C Malone 0-3 each; D Fitzgerald 1-0; D Reidy, D Lohan, N O’Farrell, C O’Meara 0-2 each 

Scorers for Down: P Óg McCrickard 0-7 (3f); D Sands 0-3; S Pucci, E Sands, P Sheehan, C Coleman, F Turpin 0-1 each 

CLARE: E Quilligan; R Hayes, C Cleary, D McMahon; C Malone, J Conlon, N O’Farrell; D Lohan, D Stritch; J Kirwan, D Reidy, S Dunford; D Fitzgerald, M Rodgers, S Meehan 

Subs: C Leen for Conlon (ht), C O’Meara for Lohan (ht), P Duggan for Reidy (45), R Kilroy for Cleary (49), J Moylan for Stritch (59) 

DOWN: P Smyth; B Teggart, R McCrickard, T Murray; B Trainor, C Taggart, N McFarland; D Hughes, M Conlon; E Sands, P Óg McCrickard, D Sands; L Savage, R Beatty, S Pucci 

Subs: P Sheehan for Savage (ht), F Turpin for Pucci (43), R Smyth for Murray (45), C Coleman for Beatty (49), D Óg Rooney for Trainor (61), B Christie for R. McCrickard (70, BS) 

Referee: T Walsh (Waterford)