Clare 1-13
Limerick 1-12
Declan Rooney reports from Cusack Park
CLARE DOMINATED THEIR neighbours Limerick to reach the Munster semi-final, but they were left sweating at the death after a goal from Josh Ryan closed the winning margin to a point.
Sean McSweeney could have levelled it for Limerick moments later, but his shot drifted wide and Clare held on to set up a last-four clash with Kerry in a fortnight’s time.
The key score of the first half arrived after 10 minutes when Jamie Malone picked out Eoin Cleary with a measured long kick-pass. Limerick’s Johnny McCarthy narrowly failed to cut it out, and Cleary rounded Donal O’Sullivan to make it 1-3 to 0-1.
With Clare the physically dominant side, Limerick worked the majority of their kick-outs short to the corner-backs. After some patient play up the field, they managed to settle themselves thanks to points form Danny Neville and Ger Collins.
Clare were dangerous on the counter-attack though and Keelan Sexton twice finished off flowing moves from deep, while Limerick’s slack passing also cost them scores.
David Ward could have drawn Limerick level in the 22nd minute but he pulled his shot wide of goal, and at the other end a brilliant save from Donal O’Sullivan denied Sexton after he crept in behind the Limerick cover.
But the Banner men were good value for their 1-8 to 0-6 half-time lead, and when Cleary added another score straight after the restart they opened up a six-point advantage.
But the following 15 minutes were poor as Clare kicked four wides while Limerick had three before Danny Neville found the next score.
That jolted both teams out of the malaise and Tubridy kicked a great score from the left to restore Clare’s cushion. At the other end, Sean O’De roamed up field to point for Limerick.
And while O’Carroll and Corbett kicked two in a row for Limerick and Josh Ryan hit a quick 1-1 when he moved into full-forward, Clare held on to take the precious win.
Scorers for Clare: E Cleary 1-4 (2f), D Tubridy 0-4 (2f), K Sexton 0-3 (1f), S Collins 0-1, P Lillis 0-1
Scorers for Limerick: J Ryan 1-1, S O’Carroll 0-3 (1’sl), G Collins 0-2 (1f), D Neville 0-2, J Naughton 0-1, D Tracey 0-1, I Corbett 0-1, S O’Dea 0-1.
Clare
1 Joe Hayes (Lissycasey)
6 Gordon Kelly (St Joseph’s)
3 Kevin Harnett (Meelick)
4 Martin McMahon (Kilmurray Ibrickane)
5 Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare)
2 Dean Ryan (Eire Og)
7 John Hayes (Kilrush Shamrocks)
8 Gary Brennan (c) (Clondegad)
12 Shane Brennan (Clondegad)
9 Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen)
11 Sean Collins (Cratloe)
10 Jamie Malone (Corofin)
13 Eoin Cleary (St Joseph’s)
14 David Tubridy (Doonbeg)
15 Keelan Sexton (Kilmurray Ibrickane)
Subs:
26 Ciaran Russell (Eire Og) for Malone (34-37 blood),
21 Liam Markham (Cratloe) for O’Connor (61)
25 Gearoid O’Brien (St Joseph’s) for Collins (66)
23 Seanie Malone (St Joseph’s) for Tubridy (71)
24 Darren Nagle (Liscannor) for Harnett (72)
Limerick
1 Donal O’Sullivan (Monaleen)
2 Daniel Daly (Fr Caseys)
3 Johnny McCarthy (St Kieran’s)
4 Séan O’Dea (Kilteely Dromkeen)
5 Paul White (Rathkeale)
7 Brian Fanning (Pallasgreen)
12 Garrett Noonan (Dromcollogher Broadford)
8 Darragh Tracey (St Kieran’s)
9 David Ward (Fr Casey’s)
10 Peter Nash (Kildimo Pallaskenry)
11 James Naughton (St Senan’s)
6 Iain Corbett (c) (Newcastlewest)
13 Seamus O’Carroll (Castleknock)
14 Danny Neville (Ballysteen)
15 Ger Collins (Monaleem).
Subs:
21 Josh Ryan (Oola) for Ward (47)
22 Sean McSweeney (St Kieran’s) for Nash (52)
19 Jamie Lee (Newcastlewest) for Naughton (57)
17 Tony McCarthy (Kildimo Pallaskenry) for Daly (61)
20 Padraig Scanlon (Glin) for Collins (64),
18 Padraig Quinn (Monaleen) for O’Carroll (68)
Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath).
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Poor performance by Clare. Should be beating Limerick by 10pts.
@Liam O’Cathain: That’s bull .. Never going to be 10 points in this game and Clare were very comfortable for 69 minutes
@Louis Litt: Div 2 vs A poor Div 4 team. The way Clare have progressed in the past 2 years they should be you clown..
@Liam O’Cathain: your the clown….ifs and buts…waterford div 4 ran cork close…down through the years teams always lift it for championship and league goes out the window…how often have we seen a div 3 or 4 team but someone from a higher division in championship. Longford monaghan last year. Ya clare are progressing doesnt mean they should be beating teams by 10 points…a munster rival are always gonna raise their game for them. I think u tink clare are better tjan what they are
@John Williams: there was more intensity in a bag of taytos than that game today. Clare should be wining by 10 or more. That’s what so called too teams do after the season they had last year. My own club team would of beatn Limerick
@Liam O’Cathain: ya sure they would….
@John Williams: ya we would. Limerick had two decent lads at 14 and 1. No game plan no skill nothing.
@Liam O’Cathain: keyboard warrior
@Louis Litt: Comfortable. You can never be. A team like Clare now should be miles ahead of a junior team like Limerick
@Liam O’Cathain: good man Liam…go have a lie down u were out in the sun too long….clare club football is woeful a club team in clare wouldnt bate eggs with a hammer. Ur obviously from one of these west clare clubs that are so called football strongholds. Gary brennan is the only decent footballer in clare…young sexton not bad either. Best of luck in the qualifers after kerry put ye to bed…
@Liam O’Cathain: kilfenora…thats comical
@John Williams: Better known for their ceilì band rather than Gaelic football.
@Liam O’Cathain: another bitter Clare man talking absolute muck. When have Clare ever beaten Limerick by more than 10 points? Why do Clare people have such a chip on their shoulders when it comes to Limerick? It’s good enough for you lot to work In, get educated In, socialize in and shop in but they apparently you hate it all. It’s a very common theme among Clare people. This guy being a prime example.
@Andrew Cosgrave: a bit of a sweeping statement there Andrew. Maybe it’s something to do with Limerick City trying to expand into Co Clare a few years back. Same thing is happening again now with Waterford City trying to expand into Co Kilkenny. Some people get very wound up over county boundaries. Next thing you know is Dublin City expanding into counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. Oh wait….this is happening already :-)
Gearóid O Brien Kilrush Shamrocks not St Josephs
It’s North Clare not West Clare. Clare football is on the rise. I’m just disappointed that they didn’t beat them by more against such a poor team. The hurlers Sunday will beat ye by 10 tho