Limerick-Clare player ratings: Hegarty and Duggan stand tall

Gearóid Hegarty was the man above all others who kept Limerick in touch throughout.

Limerick players Peter Casey, left, and Gearóid Hegarty celebrate after their side's victory. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

LIMERICK 

NICKIE QUAID: Blessed to escape with just a yellow, rather than a black card, when fouling Peter Duggan for the penalty. Couldn’t stop that dead ball, but made routine, yet valuable stops from Tony Kelly and Peter Duggan at the death. Quality puck-outs. 7.

SEÁN FINN: A nervy opening saw him pass over the sideline. Slowly warmed to his task in the first half and starved Clare of oxygen in the second with his usual tight marking. 6.

DAN MORRISSEY: A rare occasion for Dan Morrissey to be withdrawn as he struggled to get to grips with Tony Kelly and later Peter Duggan. Sent a pass over Quaid’s head and out over the sideline in the early exchanges. 5.

BARRY NASH: Will be grateful that Thomas Walsh blew his whistle before inadvertently kicking the sliotar into his own net. Evaded John Conlon for a fine point, battled away with Shane O’Donnell, and won a precious late break. 7.

DIARMAID BYRNES: Crowded in the first half before finding more space to get away his trademark diagonal passes and shots in the second. Scored 0-3 (2 frees) and missed three more frees, each wide to the right. 7.

WILLIAM O’DONOGHUE: Captaining his county, the centre-back played a leading role in resisting the Clare charge by mopping up loose ball and rebuffing attacks, including a nice rob on Tony Kelly. 8.

KYLE HAYES: While his hurley snapped early doors, the back-up stick did the job for a 19th-minute point. Had another wide and some casual play punished by Darragh Lohan. Swept up some key ball late on. 7.

ADAM ENGLISH: In from the start for Cian Lynch, the Doon starlet turned down a potential point to create the winning goal. Also blocked for a first-half goal chance. Stopped the rot with a point before the break and won a pair of pointed frees. 7.

DARRAGH O’DONOVAN: Not as effective as usual. Gave away a couple of pointed frees and rushed his shot for a wide. First man called ashore. 5.

GEARÓID HEGARTY: Noted himself that he didn’t score. Indeed, he didn’t have a shot. It didn’t matter because Hegarty was the man above all others who kept Limerick in touch. Won five frees. Caused three Claremen to be booked, while picking up a yellow himself. Won puck-out after puck-out. Tearful at the end and a deserving man of the match. 8.

AIDAN O’CONNOR: Switched inside and made the all-important difference with a high take and lethal low finish for the winning goal. Nailed his nine frees, while shooting three wides in open play. 7.

Aidan O'Connor celebrates his late goal for Limerick, in the 71st minute. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

CATHAL O’NEILL: Picked off points either side of half-time for 0-2 from three shots. Also won a pair of pointed frees. Had an error punished for a Ryan Taylor point and a later wide. Withdrawn in 57th minute. 7.

AARON GILLANE: Still waiting for the 2023 Hurler of the Year to catch fire. Hard to believe his 13th-minute point, in between two wides, was his first white flag of this year’s championship (albeit he did net twice against Tipp). Laid on three shooting opportunities for teammates but all were missed. Off in 51st minute. 6.

SHANE O’BRIEN: Involved early with a wide and point. Had a shot blocked before the break and overcarried on the restart. Came up big in the closing stages, winning a free and delivering a super pass for David Reidy to draw another. 7.

PETER CASEY: A key beneficiary of Hegarty’s influence, cashing in his passes for two points. Won a late puck-out and embarked on a mazy run to hold possession in his last act before substitution. 7.

SUBS: David Reidy, Tom Morrissey, Cian Lynch, and Mike Casey all won frees in the final quarter, with Lynch catching the puck-out for the goal. Fintan Fitzgerald came on at the end. 7.

CLARE 

ÉIBHEAR QUILLIGAN: Went long with most puck-outs, losing one over the sideline and misplacing a clearance for a Cathal O’Neill point, while assisting consecutive scores in between. Mixed in some short ones later on. 6.

ADAM HOGAN: Scrapped away with Peter Casey. Had an important late turnover not long before the killer goal. Earlier, lost a pass over the sideline as the tide turned. 6.

DAVID MCINERNEY: Gambled and missed the high ball in for Aidan O’Connor’s goal. His best moment was pickpocketing Gillane, who he kept close tabs on. 6.

DARRAGH LOHAN: Two outstanding moments: the block on Adam English’s goal chance and another flick to rob Kyle Hayes and win a free. Took a late foul on Shane O’Brien and booked for throwing his hurley as O’Connor finished the goal. 7.

NIALL O’FARRELL: The ex-forward gave some sterling supply into the attack for a pair of Tony Kelly points and one from Peter Duggan. Didn’t find the same joy after the break. Booked for a late foul on Hegarty. 7.

DIARMUID RYAN: Could be Clare’s next centre-back after a first half where he covered so much ground. Won his share of individual duels and blocked a Shane O’Brien shot. At the end, more wayward in his play and conceded two frees. 7.

CONOR CLEARY: Fronted up to Gearóid Hegarty, but after some warnings from Thomas Walsh, was pinged for three fouls in the space of 20 minutes, booked, and replaced. 5.

JOHN CONLON: A battling performance in an unexpected centrefield role. Stripped Darragh O’Donovan of possession and blocked Aidan O’Connor in his final acts. 7.

RYAN TAYLOR: Very effective from the off with two points and an assist inside 16 minutes. Adam English began to edge their battle with Taylor booked for his second foul on him. 7.

CATHAL MALONE: Up against Kyle Hayes, he scored a point and linked well to provide another for Tony Kelly. Later called for steps. Won a defensive free shortly before the goal. 7.

Clare's Peter Duggan is fouled by Nickie Quaid. Pic: Tom O’Hanlon/Inpho

PETER DUGGAN: A destructive influence in the first half. Undeterred by two early wides, he nailed his next three shots, featuring some outrageous close control, and created just as many. Won the penalty and involved in the two later goal chances. Booked in stoppage time. 8.

SEÁN RYNNE: Assisted both Ryan Taylor points and had one of his own ruled out by HawkEye. Dug in around the middle until his 63rd-minute exit. 6.

MARK RODGERS: Cleverly floated the ball in to Duggan for the penalty. Scored his first six frees until missing his last. Landed one good point off a puck-out while adding two further wides. 6.

TONY KELLY: Out in front for everything in the first half, scoring four points from play out of five shots. Switched out the field, he had a hit-and-hope wide before tagging on Clare’s only point from play of the second half. Stitched the penalty, but didn’t connect with a subsequent goal chance. 8.

SHANE O’DONNELL: On his inter-county swansong, the 2024 Hurler of the Year won the dirty ball for his point and drew two pointed frees, but will rue back-to-back wides after the break. 6.

SUBS: Diarmuid Stritch was influential until his late injury and Cian Galvin tussled away. Ian Galvin, David Fitzgerald, and David Reidy came on later. 6.