Hegarty goal seals scrappy first round win for Clare against Waterford in Munster U20HC

Clare have gotten their Under-20 championship campaign off to the perfect start. Pic: Eamon Ward

Munster U20HC Rd 1: Clare 1-10 Waterford 0-12

More than a hint of larceny about this scrappy opener as a 58th minute Fred Hegarty goal helped resurrect hosts Clare to prevail by the minimum in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge.

Leading for over half the tie, Waterford, off the back of last year’s All-Ireland Minor breakthrough looked good value for an opening round upset against the provincial and national minor equivalent winners three years earlier.

Locked at 0-9 to 0-9 entering the final ten minutes, the visitors appeared to make the decisive break when Fiacra Cooney and the talismanic Sean Mackey both pointed from distance to give their side a two point cushion.

However, having failed to trouble the Waterford goal for the majority, it was Clare’s fresh legs from the bench that would flip the script when a Ryan Hayes delivery was offloaded by Paul Rodgers to the waiting Fred Hegarty to blast low under goalkeeper James Comerford at 1-09 to 0-11.

Mackey did level the tie for a fifth time from the restart, only for Ronan Kilroy to do likewise on the hour mark when converting from 50 metre for what proved the winning score.

That also proved the only point from play from the starting forward line as it was the Banner’s defence that earned the bulk of the plaudits for some heroic defending through the likes of captain Eoghan Gunning and Robert Loftus.

Michael Collins should have goaled when put through in only the second minute but Darren Moroney and Fred Hegarty picked off points instead. Once they settled, Waterford proved the more clinical side as frestaker James Comerford scored the first three of a six point blitz copperfastened by Mackey their side power 0-7 to 0-3 clear.

Waterford deserved to be further ahead by the break but crucially saw a Paul Walsh flicked goal ruled out for a square ball. It would be a pivotal juncture as a Fred Hegarty free lessened the damage to 0-7 to 0-4 by the break before the Banner added the first four points of the new half to inch back in front for the first time in 33 minutes by the turn of the final quarter at 0-8 to 0-7.

Waterford wrestled back control once more but Hegarty’s late goal was the catalyst for a resilient home finish to relievedly fall over the line.

Scorers for Clare: F Hegarty 1-4 (4f); D Costelloe 0-2; D Moroney, R Hayes, J Mescall, R Kilroy 0-1 each. 

Scorers for Waterford: D Comerford 0-5 (3f, 1’65); S Mackey 0-4; G O’Shea, S Power, F Cooney 0-1 each.

CLARE: M Sheedy (Sixmilebridge); E Gunning (Broadford), R Loftus (Éire Óg), J Casey (Kilmaley); J Moylan (Cratloe), J Cullinan (Ruan), M O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge); D Costelloe (Ballyea), D Moroney (Éire Óg); H Doherty (Clarecastle), M Collins (Clonlara), R Kilroy (Banner); F Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), S Arthur (Newmarket-on-Fergus), M Cleary (Éire Óg).

Subs: R Hayes (Tulla) for Doherty (ht), P Rodgers (Scariff) for Cleary (ht), J Mescall (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Collins (44), M Power (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for Arthur (51), R Keane (Killanena) for Moroney (56).

WATERFORD: J Comerford (Ballygunner); T Ahern (Ballyduff Upper), C Lynch (Geraldine’s), F Cooney (Ballygunner); B Penkert (Mount Sion), J McDonnell (Tallow), C O’Sullivan (Ballygunner); H Quann (Lismore), P Spelman (Fourmilewater); D Comerford (St. Molleran’s), S Mackey (Fenor), S Power (De La Salle); M Hartley (Ballygunner), P Walsh (Fourmilewater), G O’Shea (St. Molleran’s).

Subs: P Quann (Dungarvan) for Walsh (47).

Referee: S Scanlon (Cork).