IF FORTUNE FAVOURS the brave, then Clare’s Under 20s must have the hearts of lions as for the second successive tie they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge.
Waterford seemed set for a famous away victory a fortnight earlier only for a late Fred Hegarty goal to completely flip the script while this time, Limerick led by the minimum as late as the 56th minute before Hegarty and Co. rattled off the last four points to win the day once more.
Level a whopping 15 times over the hour, with never more than a point between the sides at any stage until after the hour mark, this Shannonside derby showdown wasn’t a classic but it was utterly compelling to the last whistle for the 1,583 that negotiated their way around the motorway protests to be there.
Clare prevailed in the end but Limerick will look back on this tie and wonder how they left Sixmilebridge with nothing to show for all their efforts. While the lead changed hands 10 times over the hour, the visitors were the ones seemingly setting the pace as the final quarter developed.
And even aside from that, they carved out the best two goal chances as well but Robert O’Farrell and Eoin Brosnan would both be denied by home goalkeeper Mark Sheedy either side of half-time.
In such an inch-tight arm-wrestle for supremacy, a goal at any stage would have been a huge purchase but county senior panellist Sheedy alongside captain Eoghan Gunning, Robert Loftus and Joe Casey proved inspirational once more in Clare’s last line.
Hegarty and Hugh Flanagan were there scorers-in-chief though as the sides traded scores and wides in almost metronomic fashion to finish on a 0-9 to 0-9 interval stalemate.
The second period was even more dramatic as Michael Collins inched Clare in front, only to be overturned by a brace of Flanagan frees.
Substitute Graham Ball and Jamie Moylan regained the advantage for Clare before Diarmaid Hurley and John O’Connor did likewise for Limerick at 0-14 to 0-13 by the three-quarter mark.
Thomas O’Connor regained full parity for the hosts entering the final 10 minutes but with scores drying up, Hugh Flanagan’s 53rd-minute free appeared to be a huge score at 0-15 to 0-14.
It took three minutes for the Banner to reel them in when a foul on replacement Harry Doherty saw Hegarty arrow over the resulting 20 metre free to level matters for the 15th time.
However, it wasn’t until injury-time that Clare made their decisive burst for the finish line as Hegarty, substitute Paul Rodgers and the inspirational Moylan raided for points in as many minutes to put the Banner within touching distance of the knockout stages with two matches remaining.
Limerick’s hopes, meanwhile, are hanging by a thread but they’ll need a flawless finish to bid for a place in the final three.
Scorers for Clare: Fred Hegarty 0-10 (7f); Jamie Moylan 0-2; Darren Moroney, Ronan Kilroy, Michael Collins, Graham Ball, Thomas O’Connor, Paul Rodgers 0-1 each.
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Scorers for Limerick: Hugh Flanagan 0-9 (6f, 3’65); Conor Ryan, Eoin Brosnan, Matthew Fitzgerald, Eamon Richardson, Diarmaid Hurley, John O’Connor 0-1 each
Clare
1. Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge)
2. Eoghan Gunning (Broadford) (Captain), 3. Robert Loftus (Éire Óg), 4. Joe Casey (Kilmaley)
6. Jamie Moylan (Cratloe), 5. Ryan Hayes (Tulla), 7. Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge)
8. Daniel Costelloe (Ballyea), 9. Darren Moroney (Éire Óg)
14. Fred Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), 11. Michael Collins (Clonlara), 10. Ronan Kilroy (Banner)
13. Marco Cleary (Éire Óg), 20. Thomas O’Connor (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), 15. Michael Power (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
Subs
24. Graham Ball (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Moroney (HT)
22. Paul Rodgers (Scariff) for Power (47)
18. Harry Doherty (Clarecastle) for Cleary (49)
17. Jack Mescall (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Collins (63)
Limerick
1. Alex Kearns (Na Piarsaigh)
3. Jackie Dwane (Kilmallock), 4. Sean Duff (Mungret St Paul’s), 2. John Murray (Patrickswell)
5. Jack Cosgrove (Ahane), 6. Eamon Richardson (Doon), 7. Matthew Fitzgerald (Monaleen)
8. Conor Ryan (Ahane) (Captain), 9. Aidan O’Connell (Doon)
10. John O’Connor (Ahane), 23. Michael Leo (Knockainey), 12. Tadgh Boddy (Dromin-Athlacca)
13. Robert O’Farrell (Kildimo/Pallaskenry), 11. Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane), 15. Eoin Brosnan (Na Piarsaigh)
Subs
22. Diarmaid Hurley (Hospital/Herbertstown) for Boddy (34)
14. Griffin McCaffery (Hospital/Herbertstown) for Leo (50)
20. Rory Hanly (Ballybricken/Bohermore) for O’Connor (53)
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Clare again snatch victory from jaws of defeat as Limerick denied in Munster U20 clash
Munster U20 hurling championship – Round 3
Clare 0-18
Limerick 0-15
Eoin Brennan reports from Sixmilebridge
IF FORTUNE FAVOURS the brave, then Clare’s Under 20s must have the hearts of lions as for the second successive tie they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge.
Waterford seemed set for a famous away victory a fortnight earlier only for a late Fred Hegarty goal to completely flip the script while this time, Limerick led by the minimum as late as the 56th minute before Hegarty and Co. rattled off the last four points to win the day once more.
Level a whopping 15 times over the hour, with never more than a point between the sides at any stage until after the hour mark, this Shannonside derby showdown wasn’t a classic but it was utterly compelling to the last whistle for the 1,583 that negotiated their way around the motorway protests to be there.
Clare prevailed in the end but Limerick will look back on this tie and wonder how they left Sixmilebridge with nothing to show for all their efforts. While the lead changed hands 10 times over the hour, the visitors were the ones seemingly setting the pace as the final quarter developed.
And even aside from that, they carved out the best two goal chances as well but Robert O’Farrell and Eoin Brosnan would both be denied by home goalkeeper Mark Sheedy either side of half-time.
In such an inch-tight arm-wrestle for supremacy, a goal at any stage would have been a huge purchase but county senior panellist Sheedy alongside captain Eoghan Gunning, Robert Loftus and Joe Casey proved inspirational once more in Clare’s last line.
Hegarty and Hugh Flanagan were there scorers-in-chief though as the sides traded scores and wides in almost metronomic fashion to finish on a 0-9 to 0-9 interval stalemate.
The second period was even more dramatic as Michael Collins inched Clare in front, only to be overturned by a brace of Flanagan frees.
Substitute Graham Ball and Jamie Moylan regained the advantage for Clare before Diarmaid Hurley and John O’Connor did likewise for Limerick at 0-14 to 0-13 by the three-quarter mark.
Thomas O’Connor regained full parity for the hosts entering the final 10 minutes but with scores drying up, Hugh Flanagan’s 53rd-minute free appeared to be a huge score at 0-15 to 0-14.
It took three minutes for the Banner to reel them in when a foul on replacement Harry Doherty saw Hegarty arrow over the resulting 20 metre free to level matters for the 15th time.
However, it wasn’t until injury-time that Clare made their decisive burst for the finish line as Hegarty, substitute Paul Rodgers and the inspirational Moylan raided for points in as many minutes to put the Banner within touching distance of the knockout stages with two matches remaining.
Limerick’s hopes, meanwhile, are hanging by a thread but they’ll need a flawless finish to bid for a place in the final three.
Scorers for Clare: Fred Hegarty 0-10 (7f); Jamie Moylan 0-2; Darren Moroney, Ronan Kilroy, Michael Collins, Graham Ball, Thomas O’Connor, Paul Rodgers 0-1 each.
Scorers for Limerick: Hugh Flanagan 0-9 (6f, 3’65); Conor Ryan, Eoin Brosnan, Matthew Fitzgerald, Eamon Richardson, Diarmaid Hurley, John O’Connor 0-1 each
Clare
1. Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge)
2. Eoghan Gunning (Broadford) (Captain), 3. Robert Loftus (Éire Óg), 4. Joe Casey (Kilmaley)
6. Jamie Moylan (Cratloe), 5. Ryan Hayes (Tulla), 7. Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge)
8. Daniel Costelloe (Ballyea), 9. Darren Moroney (Éire Óg)
14. Fred Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), 11. Michael Collins (Clonlara), 10. Ronan Kilroy (Banner)
13. Marco Cleary (Éire Óg), 20. Thomas O’Connor (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), 15. Michael Power (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
Subs
Limerick
1. Alex Kearns (Na Piarsaigh)
3. Jackie Dwane (Kilmallock), 4. Sean Duff (Mungret St Paul’s), 2. John Murray (Patrickswell)
5. Jack Cosgrove (Ahane), 6. Eamon Richardson (Doon), 7. Matthew Fitzgerald (Monaleen)
8. Conor Ryan (Ahane) (Captain), 9. Aidan O’Connell (Doon)
10. John O’Connor (Ahane), 23. Michael Leo (Knockainey), 12. Tadgh Boddy (Dromin-Athlacca)
13. Robert O’Farrell (Kildimo/Pallaskenry), 11. Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane), 15. Eoin Brosnan (Na Piarsaigh)
Subs
Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Tipperary).
******
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