Waterford gets it right at third time against Clare to advance to Munster Final

Waterford gained revenge for their narrow National League Final replay against Davy Fitzgerald’s Clare side at Semple Stadium on Sunday afternoon when they became the first side to book a place in this year’s Munster Final by beating the Banner men with seven points to spare.

The standard of hurling offered to the attendance of just under 20,000 inside Semple Stadium and the countless thousands that watched the game on television was not the prettiest, but for now most Waterford supports will overlook this now that Derek McGrath’s side are back in a provincial final against either Tipperary or Limerick.

In a game where Waterford never trailed Austin Gleeson turned on the style for Derek McGrath’s charges hitting six points, five of which came from play and one in a fifty sixth minute a magnificently struck sideline cut from under the new stand.

Pauric Mahony also got just over an hour of action back in the county colours in the championship for Waterford since an injury last year, hitting half a dozen scores, all but one which came from placed balls.

The writing was on the wall for the League Champions from an early stage in this game.

Conor McGrath, who is usually reliable from placed balls was withdrawn with twenty minutes to go in normal time as he had a very much off day with his shooting while Tony Kelly who put in a big performance for his side in their League Final replay win was restricted to just one point in this game.

Waterford had a great start to this game as Austin Gleeson split the post inside the opening minute and three minutes later Maurice Shanahan hit the only goal of the game as he latched onto an aerial delivery which exposed the Clare full back line.

Clare however were on level terms by the fourteenth minute as Conor McGrath, Conor Cleary, McGrath again and Colm Galvin hit four points in a row.

Kevin Moran and Podge Collins swapped scores in the fifteenth minute before Austin Gleeson, Tony Kelly and Maurice Shanahan all swapped scores to keep Waterford in front with twelve minutes of the opening half remaining.

Darragh Fives and Podge Collins were next to swap scores before Pauric Mahony hit the first of his half dozen scores on twenty six minutes followed by a John Conlon effort which kept Waterford in front with three minutes of the half remaining.

Waterford however would end the half the stronger of the two sides as Austin Gleeson, Shane Bennett and Pauric Mahony from a free deep in stoppage time gave Waterford a 1-9 to 0-8 interval lead.

Waterford controlled the second half of this game, doing much of the spade work to secure the win in the first quarter of an hour of the half.

Within four minutes of the restart Waterford stretched their lead to seven as Pauric Mahony from play and then a free followed with an effort from Austin Gleeson gave Waterford a comfortable cushion.

Conor McGrath from a free and Philip Mahony from play swapped scores before Brendan Bugler and Pauric Mahony from another free did likewise.

Clare enjoyed a purple patch in the next ten minutes as Colin Ryan, David Fitzgerald, David Reidy and Cathal O’Connell all landed points with only Pauric Mahony responding for Waterford with a free in this time.

But this was as good as it got for the newly crowned league champions.

Austin Gleeson landed a magnificently struck sideline cut from under the new stand on fifty six minutes, after which Kevin Moran and Colin Ryan swapped scores.

Waterford as they did in the opening half finished the half the stronger of the two sides as Kevin Moran, Austin Gleeson and Maurice Shanahan all landed scores from play to put Waterford in command.

Cathal O’Connell pulled a brace of scores back for Clare but Waterford would have the final say in this game as substitute Jake Dillon landed a late point as Waterford marched onto a second Munster Final in a row.

Waterford: Stephen O’Keeffe; Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors, Shane Fives; Darragh Fives, Tadhg de Burca, Philip Mahony; Jamie Barron, Kevin Moran; Michael Walsh, Pauric Mahony, Shane Bennett; Austin Gleeson, Maurice Shanahan, Patrick Curran. Subs: Tom Devine for Shane Bennett (54), Jake Dillon for Patrick Curran (56), Brian O’Halloran for Pauric Mahony (63), Colin Dunford for Maurice Shanahan (70), Stephen Bennett for Michael Walsh (72).

Scorers: Austin Gleeson (0-1 sideline), Pauric Mahony 0-6 each, Maurice Shanahan 1-2, Kevin Moran 0-3, Darragh Fives, Philip Mahony, Jake Dillon, Shane Bennett 0-1 each.

Clare: Patrick Kelly; Conor Cleary, Patrick O’Connor, Cian Dillon; Oisin O’Brien, Brendan Bulger, David Fitzgerald; David Reidy, Colm Galvin; Podge Collins, Tony Kelly, Conor McGrath; Darach Honan, Shane O’Donnell, John Conlon. Subs: Colin Ryan for Darach Honan (43), Cathal O’Connell for Conor McGrath (50), David McInerney for David Fitzgerald (53), Aaron Shanagher for Podge Collins (57), Aaron Cunningham for Colm Galvin (66).

Scorers: Cathal O’Connell, Conor McGrath 0-3 (0-2f) each, Colin Ryan (0-1 ’65), Podge Collins 0-2 each, John Conlon, Tony Kelly, David Reidy, Colm Galvin, Conor Cleary, David Fitzgerald, Brendan Bugler 0-1 each.

Referee: James Owens (Wexford)