Clare prove too strong for 14 man Waterford in Ennis

            Waterford senior hurlers could have it all to do to repeat or better what they achieved in 2017 this coming year after Derek McGrath’s side lost out to Clare in their opening fixture in this year’s new look Munster Senior Hurling Championship at Ennis’ Cusack Park.

            Nine points separated the sides at the end of the 70 minutes and in truth it did not tell any lies, even if Waterford had lost three of their starting XV by the time the ball was thrown in for the start of the second half, and lost two more key players in the second half, one of which was team captain Kevin Moran to a straight red card thirteen minutes into the second half, meaning that the De La Salle club man will not feature in at least one game depending on what he is reported for by the match day referee. Waterford’s next game is now a very much so must win game against Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick next Sunday after the Premier County came from behind to earn a draw at home to Cork today at Semple Stadium.

            Waterford lost Tadgh Bourke fifteen minutes into the first half replacing him with Shamrock’s club man Colm Roche, but worst was to follow for Waterford as they lost Noel Connors from the defence at the break after he picked up a late first half injury, Darragh Fives the only real option to replace the already injured Clashmore Club man in the role he plays three minutes into the second half and full back Barry Coughlan eleven minutes after the restart.

            Many of the Waterford supporters who have questioned the tactics of team manager Derek McGrath would have every right to do so again in this game. Yes in favour of the De La Salle Club man a manager might expect to lose one and at a maximum two defenders with injuries, but to lose four of his starting back line and also to lose Kevin Moran who plays his best hurling in the eyes of this reporter in defence, but the wisdom of filling the bench with predominately attack minded players would seriously have to be questioned.

            The attack minded players that did come on however did make an impact in this game as Thomas Ryan hit 1-1, while Shane Bennett and DJ Foran shared three points of Waterford’s tally on the day.

            The sides were level on three occasions in the opening eight minutes. Tadgh Bourke opened the scoring for Waterford but David Fitzgerald quickly levelled matters on the score board.

            Conor Gleeson and Jamie Shanahan who started this game ahead of Séadna Morey who was named earlier in the week swapped scores before Peter Duggan put the home side in front for the first time.

            Philip Mahony hit a rare score for the Déise County to level matters once more on eight minutes and seconds later Waterford were back in front when Maurice Shanahan hit the home side’s net from close range after an initial effort from Tom Devine was kept out by Donal Tuohy.

            The big Lismore man followed up by converting his first free of the game but the visitors would be dealt a blow on the quarter of an hour when Tadgh Bourke who is so important to the way that Waterford plays was forced to leave the field with an injury that could well keep him out of next Sunday’s game with Tipperary in Limerick.

            Clare’s top scorer on the day Peter Duggan who finished the game with 1-10 all of which came from placed balls slammed a penalty past Stephen O’Keeffe in the Waterford goal, and when Conor McGrath followed up with a point on seventeen minutes to level matters once more, the home side began to take a hold on the game.

            Jake Dillon and Jamie Shanahan swapped scores on nineteen minutes before Shane O’Donnell and Maurice Shanahan swapped scores in a two minute spell to keep the two sides locked together on the score sheet.

            However the home side’s next score proved crucial as John Conlon who drilled past Stephen O’Keeffe for a second goal for the home side on twenty three minutes which put them 2-6 to 1-6 in front.

            Peter Duggan put over two frees in a row and Colm Galvin got his name on the score sheet on twenty nine minutes as the home side went 2-9 to 1-6 in front.

            Peter Duggan and Tom Devine swapped scores after which Tony Kelly hit his first of the afternoon to put his side 2-11 to 1-7 in front with thirty five minutes played, but while Waterford were behind they gave themselves some hope for the second half when Maurice Shanahan and Kevin Moran put over stoppage time scores to leave Waterford trailing by five at the break.

            If been dealt a blow with the loss of Tadgh Bourke early in the first half things would get worse for Waterford as Noel Connors and Michael Walsh failed to come out for the second half.         

            Clare made a bright start to the second half as Tony Kelly landed a brace of scores and John Conlon hit one to extend the home sides advantage.

            Thomas Ryan a player always good to crack a goal when needed did so for Waterford on thirty seven minutes reducing the home side’s advantage on the score board, Waterford were dealt a blow either side of this score when they lost Darragh Fives with an injury, to be replaced by the Tallow club man, and soon afterwards lost Kevin Moran to a straight red card.

            David Reidy and Stephen Bennett swapped scores before Peter Duggan landed three more points for the home side with Conlon scoring in the middle of this run of scores to send the home side further in front.

            Maurice Shanahan broke Clare’s run of scores when he successfully converted a free but Duggan would follow up by putting over a brace of placed balls.

            Double All-Star winner Jamie Barron got on the score sheet with ten minutes remaining but Conlon and Kelly would add scores seconds apart to edge the hosts further in front.

            Waterford would hit a purple patch in the last eight minutes of normal time of this game as Stephen Bennett, Thomas Ryan, DJ Foran, Jake Dillon and Maurice Shanahan hit points all in a row to reduce the home side’s lead but it was goals that Waterford needed at this stage.

            Colm Galvin and Tony Kelly landed scores early in added time at the end of the seventy to which Maurice Shanahan responded with his seven score of the afternoon, with Clare were not finished yet and four minutes into stoppage time Tony Kelly finished a good afternoon’s work for the home side with the final score of the afternoon.

Clare: Donal Tuohy; Patrick O'Connor, Conor Cleary, Jack Browne; David Fitzgerald, David McInerney, Jamie Shanahan; Colm Galvin, Cathal Malone; Peter Duggan, Tony Kelly, David Reidy; Conor McGrath, John Conlon, Shane O'Donnell. Subs: Podge Collins for Conor McGrath (61), Séadna Morey for Cathal Malone (64), Niall Deasy for David Reidy (66), Michael O'Neill for Shane O'Donnell (68), Darragh Corry for John Conlon (69)

Scorers: Peter Duggan (1-10, 0-9 frees, 0-1 ‘65, 1-0 pen); Tony Kelly (0-6); John Conlon (1-2); Colm Galvin, Jamie Shanahan (0-2 each); David Fitzgerald, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy, Conor McGrath (0-1 each).

            Waterford: Stephen O'Keeffe; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors; Tadhg Bourke, Darragh Fives, Philip Mahony; Jamie Barron, Conor Gleeson; Kevin Moran, Tom Devine, Jake Dillon; Maurice Shanahan, Michael Walsh, Shane McNulty. Subs: Colm Roche for Tadhg Bourke (15), DJ Foran for Michael Walsh (half-time), Stephen Bennett for Noel Connors (half-time), Thomas Ryan for Darragh Fives (38), Ian Kenny for Barry Coughlan (45)

Scorers: Maurice Shanahan (1-6, 0-6 frees); Thomas Ryan (1-1); Stephen Bennett, Jake Dillon (0-2 each); Tadhg Bourke, Philip Mahony, Jamie Barron, Conor Gleeson, Tom Devine, DJ Foran (0-1 each).

Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow).