Clare 3-20
Waterford 2-12
Jackie Cahill reports from Semple Stadium
CLINICAL CLARE CRUISED into their first Munster intermediate hurling decider since 2012 with an 11-point victory over Waterford in this afternoon’s semi-final at Semple Stadium.
Inside forwards Danny Russell, Ryan Taylor and Colin Crehan hit 1-2 from play each as the Banner men recovered from a sluggish start to set up a 6 July decider with Limerick or Tipperary.
DJ Foran, whose club form recently for Portlaw has seen him tipped for a senior call-up, hit 2-4 from play for Waterford but it wasn’t enough as Clare, managed by former All-Ireland U21 winning joint-boss Donal Moloney, were hugely impressive.
Clare won pulling up but they were seven points down early in the first half before turning up the heat.
Waterford, with Foran excellent, roared into a 1-5 to 0-1 advantage but Clare were 2-10 to 2-7 clear at half-time.
Foran grabbed Seamus Keating’s free before lashing home his opening goal in the eighth minute and he struck again a minute before the break to keep the Déise in touch after Clare came storming back.
Taylor latched onto David Conroy’s delivery that took a vicious bounce off the turf and walked past goalkeeper Gavin Power before finding the net for Clare in the 19th minute.
Three minutes later, a flowing Clare move ended with Grehan finding the bottom corner with a low drive across the boughs of Power.
Foran’s point cut the gap back to just two early in the second half but that was the last time he would score Clare switched Eoin Quirke across to mark the full-forward, with starting full-back Barry Fitzpatrick replaced.
Russell’s 36th-minute goal ended the game as a contest, opening up a 3-13 to 0-9 lead for Clare, and it was an avoidable concession from a Waterford viewpoint as Power’s pocket was picked by Russell before he applied the finish.
Waterford’s day ended on a sour note when midfielder Mark O’Brien was sent off for an off-the-ball offence in stoppage time.
Scorers for Clare: Shane McGrath 0-7 (5f, 1 65), Danny Russell, Ryan Taylor & Colin Crehan 1-2 each, Oisin Donnellan & Michael O’Malley 0-2 each, Jason McCarthy, David Conroy & Rory Hayes 0-1 each.
Scorers for Waterford: DJ Foran 2-4, David Gartland 0-4f, Mícheál Harney, Seamus Keating, Andy Molumby & Tommy Waring 0-1 each.
Clare
1. Daniel Vaughan (Tulla)
2. Eoin Quirke (Whitegate)
3. Barry Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge)
4. Ciaran Cooney (O’Callaghans Mills)
7. Dara Walsh (Éire Óg)
6. Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley)
5. Jason McCarthy (Inagh Kilnamona)
8. David Conroy (St Josephs Doora Barefield)
9. Kevin Hehir (Inagh Kilnamona)
10. Oisin Donnellan (Feakle)
11. Shane McGrath (Feakle – capt.)
12. Darragh Corry (Tulla)
13. Danny Russell (Éire Óg)
14. Ryan Taylor (Clooney Quin)
15. Colin Crehan (O’Callaghans Mills)
Subs:
17. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones) for Fitzpatrick (half-time)
21. Michael O’Malley (Kilmaley) for Corry (45)
23. Michael O’Neill (Kilmaley) for McGrath (51)
20. Ben O’Gorman (Wolfe Tones) for Hehir (54)
22. Cian Moloney (Kilmaley) for Donnellan (56)
Waterford
1. Gavin Power (Dungarvan)
2. William Hahessy (Clonea)
3. Niall Fives (Tourin)
4. Kieran Bennett (Ballysaggart)
5. Mícheál Harney (Bunmahon)
6. Conor Prunty (Abbeyside)
7. Billy O’Keeffe (Ballygunner)
8. Seamus Keating (Ardmore)
9. Mark O’Brien (Ferrybank)
10. Andy Molumby (Cappoquin)
11. David Gartland (Ardmore)
12. Jordan Henley (Tallow)
15. Tommy Waring (Erins Own)
14. DJ Foran (Portlaw – capt.)
13. Peter Hogan (Ballygunner)
Subs:
21. John Paul Lucey (Shamrocks) for Molumby (half-time)
17. Dermot Ryan (Fourmilewater) for Fives (36)
22. Edmond O’Halloran (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg) for Waring (46)
20. Robbie Flynn (Clonea) for Henley (48)
23. Criostóir Breathnach (An Rinn) for Gartland (56)
Referee: John McCormack (Tipperary).
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