Munster MHC: Classy Clare keep hopes alive with win over Waterford

Clare had lost their opening two games to Tipperary and Limerick

In the Munster Minor Hurling Championship, Clare beat Waterford by five points at O'Garney Park in Sixmilebridge. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Munster MHC: Clare 1-20 Waterford 2-12 

After losses to Tipperary and Limerick left them with little margin for error, Clare played with urgency from the throw-in. By the end of the first quarter, in what was a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final at this grade, they had surged 0-8 to 0-1 ahead, feeding off their dominance around the middle.

Donnacha McKenna clipped a fine effort from a tight angle near the sideline, while captain Colm Daly struck a monstrous point from distance.

Up front, James O’Donnell kept the scoreboard moving and had four points registered by the interval, as Clare went in leading 0-12 to 0-6.

Waterford needed a response and, for a spell after the restart, they found one. Nikki Belenko’s goal looked like putting Clare out of sight, but Donncha Flannery struck back almost immediately and later added a second to keep the Déise in the hunt.

Dylan Murphy was a constant outlet for the visitors, finishing with eight points, and a couple of late placed balls which he was instructed to tap over the bar, trimmed the gap further — a reminder of how valuable scoring difference could yet become.

The final act summed up their evening. With the last puck, Waterford were awarded a penalty, but goalkeeper Patrick Murphy stood tall to make the save, igniting a huge cheer from the home crowd and sealing a result Clare simply had to get.

Scorers for Clare: B Talty (0-6, 5f), J O’Donnell (0-4), N Belenko (1-0), O Duignan (0-3), C Daly (0-2), D McKenna (0-2), P Murphy (0-1, 1f), G Madden (0-1), C Mullins (0-1) 

Scorers for Waterford: D Murphy (0-8, 4f, 1 ‘65), D Flannery (2-1), C Delaney (0-2), M Moloney (0-1) 

CLARE: P Murphy (Tulla); O Perrill (Crusheen), C Maxted (Clooney-Quin), M Fitzpatrick (Clooney-Quin); P Murphy (Corofin), C Daly (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield), S Connellan (Kilmaley); O Duignan (Banner), I Hassett (Clooney-Quin); J O’Donnell (Broadford), G Madden (Scariff), C Mullins (Sixmilebridge); D McKenna (Scariff), N Belenko (Tulla), B Talty (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield) 

Subs: C Coffey (Banner) for McKenna (53), D Seery (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Maxted (56, inj), R Mahony (Éire Óg Inis) for Duignan (61) 

WATERFORD: M Ware (Geraldines); L Fitzgerald (Passage), D Murphy (St Mary’s East), C Crowley (Ballygunner); J Walsh (Mount Sion), A Power (Ballygunner), E Walsh (Stradbally); S Coffey (Sliabh Gcua/St Mary’s), A Cummins (Lismore); C Delaney (Butlerstown), D Flannery (Mount Sion), M Moloney (Ballygunner); J Mullally (De La Salle), D Murphy (Roanmore), L Mac Fhlannchadha (An Rinn) 

Subs: F Geoghegan (St Mollerans) for Mac Fhlannchadha (HT), R Molumphy (Ballyduff Upper) for S Coffey (36), J O’Sullivan (Ballygunner) for Mullally (46), C Qualter (An Rinn) for Delaney (57)