LAST UPDATE | 26 Feb 2023

CLARE 6-25

WEXFORD 1-18 

Ronan Fagan reports from Chadwicks Wexford Park

CLARE PUT THEIR chastening loss to Limerick to bed when exposing Wexford to a similarly demoralising experience in today’s NHL Division 1B fixture.

The Banner were roaring clear by 4-17 to 1-6 at the interval – the goals coming from Peter Duggan, David Reidy, the on-fire Aidan McCarthy and the returning Tony Kelly. They polished off a commanding display with closing majors from Reidy and substitute Mark Rodgers.

Clare boss Brian Lohan had made eight personnel changes – including the seasonal bows for Kelly, exemplary centre-back John Conlon, Paul Flanagan and Ryan Taylor – from the 1-27 to 2-18 taming by Limerick.

And his men more than responded, quickly silencing the Wexford support among the near 7,000 strong attendance to get back in the picture to make the league knockouts for the first time since 2019, with home games against Galway and Cork to come.

Wexford, meanwhile, face the onerous task of back-to-back away trips, to Cork and Limerick, as Darragh Egan’s charges seek to lift themselves from this utterly deflating loss, for which they were without the likes of Lee Chin, Rory O’Connor and Liam Ryan.

Clare gained an early foothold when, after an opening exchange of points, Reidy sent centre-forward Duggan through to net a 1-1 to 0-1 third minute lead.

Wexford fought back to parity on 1-3 apiece after a Conor McDonald lift and strike finish to the net in the sixth minute.

But several deficiencies in the home rearguard were rudely exposed by a ferocious Clare as they quickly shot 1-8 to 1-4 ahead before Kelly assisted Reidy for a tidy goal.

And the margin was out to 3-9 to 1-4 in the 20th minute when Aidan McCarthy got on the end of a length-of-the-field delivery from ‘keeper Eamonn Foudy to drive to the Clonard-end net.

Wexford were simply chasing shadows and eventually faced a 4-17 to 1-6 deficit at half-time after Kelly had helped himself to a 28th minute goal having turned over a puck-out to hare in from the right flank to unleash an angled finish.

Kelly had the gap out to 21 points within seconds of the restart.

Wexford fought back to within 4-20 to 1-13 after 49 minutes with the aid of braces from Cathal Dunbar and Ross Banville.

But despite Clare having eased off, they possessed enough clout to inflict further damage, and Reidy had a second goal on 64 minutes after Duggan pounced upon a defensive error (5-23 to 1-16).

And substitute Mark Rodgers also rifled home in the 69th minute on a banner day for the visitors, but an enormously worrying one for the locals.

Scorers for Clare: Aidan McCarthy 1-10 (0-6 frees), David Reidy 2-1, Tony Kelly 1-2, Peter Duggan 1-1, David Fitzgerald 0-3, Mark Rodgers 1-0, Ian Galvin 0-2, Ryan Taylor, Cathal Malone, Diarmuid Ryan, Adam Hogan, Eamonn Foudy (free), Davy Conroy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Wexford: Ross Banville 0-8 (6 frees, 2 ‘65s), Conor McDonald 1-0, Cathal Dunbar 0-3, Charlie McGuckin 0-2, Conor Foley, Rory Higgins, Damien Reck, Conor Hearne, Ian Carty 0-1 each.

WEXFORD

1 James Lawlor (Ferns St. Aidan’s),

2. Shane Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien), 3. Simon Donohoe (Shelmaliers), 4. David Clarke (Glynn-Barntown),

23. Conor Foley (Horeswood), 6. Damien Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien), 11. Jack O’Connor (St. Martin’s),

8. Liam Óg McGovern (St. Anne’s), 9. Cathal Dunbar (Naomh Eanna),

10. Conor Hearne (Shelmaliers), 7. Connal Flood (Cloughbawn), 12. Charlie McGuckin (Naomh Eanna)

13. Rory Higgins (Rathnure), 14. Conor McDonald (Naomh Eanna), 15. Ross Banville (Shelmaliers)

 Subs:

• 5 Ian Carty (Taghmon-Camross) for Foley (45)
• 20 Corey Byrne-Dunbar (Ferns St. Aidan’s) for McGovern (47)
• 19 Jack Doran (Naomh Eanna) for Flood (55)
• 24 Eoin Murphy (Ferns St. Aidan’s) for O’Connor (60)

 CLARE

1. Eamonn Foudy (Inagh/Kilnamona)

2. Adam Hogan (Feakle), 3. Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown), 4. Paul Flanagan (Ballyea),

5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), 6. John Conlon (Clonlara), 7. Brandon O’Connell (Ballyea)

12. Tony Kelly (Ballyea), 9. Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin)

8. David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona), 14. Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin), 11. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)

13. Ian Galvin (Clonlara), 10. Aidan McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona), 15. David Reidy (Éire Óg).

Subs:

• 17 Mark Rodgers (Scariff) for Galvin (42)
• 24 Oran Cahill (Eire Og) for Ryan (48)
• 20 Davy Conroy (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield) for Malone (55)
• 21 Aaron Fitzgerald (Eire Og) for Flanagan (57)
• 22 Seadna Morey (Sixmilebrigde) for Taylor (66).

Ref: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).

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