Clare prove too strong for Waterford.

Clare had 19 points to spare over Waterford at Cusack Park in the Munster under 21 Hurling semi finals, and have set up a showdown against Tipperary on August 8.

Clare went into the game as favourites and from the off there was only ever going to be one outcome to this game.

On the night, many of the Waterford players expected to shine failed to do so, and County Senior manager Michael Ryan who was watching from the stand will have been far from satisfied with what he saw from those in his senior panel apart from goal keeper Stephen O’Keeffe who saved Waterford on more than one occasion from further humiliation on the night.

Clare’s full forward line of David O'Halloran, Conor McGrath and Cathal O'Connell on the night was magnificent and gave the Waterford full back line a torrid time over the course if the hour.  So much did Clare dominate this game that the Banner management team had the luxury of withdrawing Seadna Morey, Tony Kelly, Colm Galvin and David O'Halloran long before the final whistle.

The sides traded early points through Brian O’Halloran and Cathal O’Connell before Aaron Cunningham gave Clare the lead in the fifth-minute, one which they never relinquished. David O'Halloran and Cathal O'Connell increased Clare’s lead to three before O'Halloran finished to an empty net after Stephen O'Keeffe had saved Conor McGrath's initial shot.

Clare were able to breach the Waterford defence all too easy and they could have added another goal on 17 minutes but Stephen O'Keeffe managed to deny Aaron Cunningham with another good save.

Eamonn Murphy put over an excellent point from the right side line ending Waterford's long scoring drought, but Conor McGrath made no delay in restoring Clare's double digit advantage at the other end of the field. Martin O'Neill hit two frees with a Tony Kelly effort sandwiched in between to give Waterford some hope heading into the second half for which they would have the wind at their backs but Cathal O'Connell completed the first half scoring in stoppage-time, giving his side a 1-11 to 0-4 heading to the dressing rooms.

Any hopes of a Waterford come back in the second half were quickly dashed. No score was hit by either side until the sixth minute of the half when Pauric Collins finished to the net after Stephen O’Keeffe had done well to keep Galvin’s effort out.

Conor McGrath and Martin O'Neill swapped points before the home side hit unanswered points from David O'Halloran (2) and Cathal O'Connell. O'Neill replied for Waterford, but further scores from midfielder Shane Golden and O'Connell had Clare coasting to victory on a 2-19 to 0-6 scoreline with just under 10 minutes to play.

Eamonn Murphy and Padraic Mahony hit late scores for Waterford to give their side of the scoreboard a degree of respectably. O’Connell and O’Neill swapped points in the closing stages of the game and on the hour mark Peter Duggan brought a miserable evening for Waterford to a close with the last score of the evening.

Final score – Clare 2-22 Waterford 0-9.

CLARE: R Taaffe; P Flanagan, D McInerney, K Ryan; S Morey, C Ryan, P O’Connor; C Galvin, S Golden; A Cunningham, P Collins, T Kelly; C O’Connell, C McGrath, D O’Halloran. Subs: C McInerney for D O’Halloran; S O’Halloran for S Morey; P Duggan for T Kelly; J Colleran for C Galvin; E Boyce for C O’Connor 57.  

Scorers: C O’Connell 0-10 (4f, 2 65s); D O’Halloran 1-4; P Collins 1-0; A Cunningham 0-2; C McGrath 0-2; C Galvin, S Golden, P Duggan, T Kelly, 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: S O’Keeffe; J Barron, S O’Keeffe, Phillip Mahony; P Prendergast, D Fives, E Madigan; R Barry, G O’Brien; B O’Halloran, E Murphy, F Murray; Pauric Mahony, M O’Neill, J Dillon. Subs: D Breathnach for R Barry 30; J Prendergast for D Fives; M Wyse for Madigan; I Galgey for F Murray; S Roche for G O’Brien.

Scorers: M O’Neill 0-5 (4f); E Murphy 0-2; Pauric Mahony, B O’Halloran, 0-1 each.

Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary).

Some final thoughts from this game, I know managers, coach’s and selectors etc are there to do a job and do it to the best of their ability, but when will a management team name a team that will be the actual team that will play. I and I’m sure many others know that in putting out a dummy team on paper, they are fooling no-one. Why cant players be played in positions that are their best, and when will the primary tactic of the game be six forwards taking on six backs with two lads in the middle of the field and one between the posts.