Clare 3-26
Offaly 0-15
Eoin Brennan reports from Cusack Park, Ennis
CLARE’S ROAD TO redemption took its first step with a comprehensive victory over Offaly on home soil.
In what was the second half of an All-Ireland Senior Qualifier double header with the county’s footballers, 14,268 were in attendance to witness a welcome return to winning ways for the Banner County, amazingly their first championship victory since the 2013 All-Ireland Final replay 21 months ago.
Both teams had points to prove after disappointing opening losses, however it proved all too easy for Davy Fitzgerald’s side who powered to a facile 20 point win.
The scoring spree would commence from the outset as Clare opened up a 1-5 to 0-1 lead after only eight minutes, the goal coming from a Conor McGrath bullet in the seventh minute.
Offaly did hit back with three points in a row through chief scorers Shane Dooley and Shane Kinsella but while Clare hit nine first half wides, they always seemed threatening throughout, with McGrath and Tony Kelly on song as they build up a 1-13 to 0-09 half-time advantage.
Indeed, it could have been more only for Shane O’Donnell to hit the crossbar while Colin Ryan also had an effort saved by goalkeeper James Dempsey.
There would only be one team in the second half however, as a John Conlon goal on the restart appeared to take the wind out of Offaly once more.
Instead, Conor Ryan (2) and Tony Kelly (2) added to their tallies while the latter set up O’Donnell for Clare’s third goal in the 43rd minute to effectively put the result beyond any doubt.
Clare even had the opportunity to take off O’Donnell and Conlon with 20 minutes to go and still extend their margin as Tony Kelly maintained his scoring rampage with another four final quarter points.
Colm Galvin also made a welcome return to the county side after his returning to the panel recently, as Clare eased into the second round of the qualifiers next Saturday.
Scorers for Clare: Tony Kelly 0-8 (2f); Conor McGrath 1-4; John Conlon 1-2; Colin Ryan 0-3 (2f); Shane O’Donnell 1-0; Darach Honan, Conor Ryan 0-3 each; Shane Golden 0-2; Patrick O’Connor 0-1
Scorers for Offaly: Shane Dooley 0-6 (6f); Shane Kinsella 0-4; Sean Cleary 0-2; James Mulrooney, Paddy Murphy, Joe Bergin 0-1 each
Clare
1. Patrick Kelly (Inagh-Kilnamona)
4. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge)
3. Cian Dillon (Crusheen)
2. David McInerney (Tulla)
5. Brendan Bugler (Whitegate)
8. Patrick O’Connor (Tubber)
7. Jack Browne (Ballyea)
6. Conor Ryan (Cratloe)
11. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
10. John Conlon (Clonlara)
9. Colin Ryan (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
12. Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge)
15. Conor McGrath (Cratloe)
14. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
22. Darach Honan (Clonlara)
Subs
Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones) for O’Donnell (52)
David Reidy (Éire Óg) for Conlon (52)
Paul Flanagan (Ballyea) for Dillon (59)
Domhnall O’Donovan (Clonlara) for Browne (59)
Colm Galvin (Clonlara) for Honan (62)
Offaly
1. James Dempsey (Kinnity)
3. Dermot Shortt (St Rynagh’s)
2. Niall Wynne (St Rynagh’s)
4. David King (Coolderry)
5. Éanna Murphy (Seir Kieran)
6. Colin Egan (Belmont)
18. Gary Conneely (St Rynagh’s)
8. Emmet Nolan (Birr)
11. Dan Currams (Kilcormac/Killoughley)
12. Paddy Murphy (Ballinamere)
19. Shane Kinsella (Kinnitty)
14. Joe Bergin (Seir Kieran)
13. Shane Dooley (Tullamore)
10. James Mulrooney (Seir Kieran)
15. Brian Carroll (Coolderry)
Subs
Sean Cleary (Shinrone) for Nolan (HT)
Sean Ryan (Birr) for Conneely (41)
Pat Camon (St Rynagh’s) for Shortt (51)
Stephen Wynne (St Rynagh’s) for Currams (57)
Dermot Mooney (Seir Kieran) for Murphy (60)
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)
For James Ryan to come in like that on his European debut, just off an injury… My God, he’s only 21. So excited to see where his career goes. Henshaw was fantastic at outside centre aswell. Barry Daly has been such a welcome surprise, really balanced player.
And Carbery. Kid oozes class. Playing at 15 for the next couple of years will do him no harm, look at Beauden Barrett.
@4OYards: haha great second row. Beirne coming back next year and Treadwell in Ulster – some fine young locks and Dilliane is only 24 too
@4OYards:
I feel not playing Carbery at 10 when Sexton is out is wasting vital development time. One of the hottest prospects at out-half in World Rugby. Leinster has an embarrassment of riches.
Perhaps it would be best for everyone if of the exiting 10s was given a chance to lead another province in need of a player of such quality
@Gavin Healy: He is very effective coming into the line from No. 15. I wonder how his place kicking is coming along. He is the real deal. So is James Ryan
Henshaw was savage in Defence today, made some great carries too. Lots of young talent in that team.
@Batster: an immense warrior and absolute gent on and off the pitch
Only saw the game just now but James Ryan was incredible. For a guy so young, he easily looked like an international quality lock today. Carried the ball excellently, showed great tackle technique, wasn’t afraid to get involved in a bit of niggle at the ruck, called line-outs to himself. Just class.
While he still has to be physically eased into pro rugby and managed like those before him, today was a top class performance from the young man.
It’s poor reasoning to say Henshaw is wasted at 12. The guys is superb at 13 and more exciting to watch. Hopefully he gets a run out at 13 in November. But the fact that he is brilliant at 13 doesn’t equate to him being wasted at 13. He’s immense there as well.
@Paul K Murphy: the rational side to the argumemt you’re making is fair. The other side is silly and is just used as a Schmidt dig.
@Conor Paddington: Henshaw is wasted at 12.
There’s a changing of the guard afoot. Carberry was outstanding as was Conan, the young guys coming through have the ability. Henshaw is next level. World class 13. Outstanding
The Article says Montpelier will be a different beast at home, Leinster with Sexton, O’Brien,Fardy, Heaslip, Kearney and Ringrose could be a very different beast too
Hey Ryan, you mention the amount of yards henshaw made, leinster tries scored, nabolos weight, etc. Any chance you could mention the actual score? It would be helpful.
@Brother Sylvest: you have several options there. You could have watched the match, one. You could google it, two. You could check innumerable social media sources, three. You could have checked the articles which were match reports as opposed to commentary, four. The list actually goes on.
@Conor Paddington: All true Conor but it’s a fair point to suggest including the score in an article about the match is not asking for too much given that other stats were mentioned
@Brother Sylvest: leinster won but Montpellier secured a losing bonus point .. I Google it
Aki 12 and Henshaw 13 for Ireland. Like how they played for connacht.
Great strength in depth,fingers crossed exciting year ahead
From an Irish perspective a McCloskey 12 and Henshaw 13 looks mouthwatering.
Should always be at 13 a natural
Yes Leinster got the win but to be fair it was more like Montpellier let them win! That overlap at the end! Since under 8s the whole idea is to suck them into the middle then go wide around the outside! How that pass wasn’t giving I’ll never know!
@mb: that’s unfair . They earned that win today
Bit of a Pedantic Pat post but Henshaw didn’t come through the system at Leinster.
I’ll get me coat….
@Rosco Bosco: bit of a blind Barry more like….it mentions that in the article!
@Marc Richardson: It got edited after I mentioned it Marco
The real talking point should be how amazing it is that a backline with an average age of 22/23 once Nacewa went off managed to outperform (based on skill, not just energy) a very expensively assembled Montpellier backline. Incredible.
Bodes very, very well for Ireland in the years to come.
Thought Henshaw and Carberry were sensational, and in the forwards, Ryan was outstanding, what a player we have in the making. Ireland might need him from next year as we really only have 3 locks of international stature with Ryan out of the loop.
In Leinster supporters opinion is Henshaw a better 13 than Ringrose?
@Conor Greham: To be honest, I don’t know. That remains to be seen.
@Conor Greham: Maybe. But Leinster don’t have a 12 that’s better than Henshaw and Ringrose is fantastic.
@Conor Greham: ringrose is a very good 13, we don’t have a natural 12 so unless one comes along while ringrose is fit Robbie switches to 12.
Reid at 12 and henshaw at 13 or henshaw at 12 and ringrose at 13 not a coach on the planet is going to pick the first one.
@Conor Greham: Ringrose performaed brilliantly at 12 against Australia. Anything to be said for GR@12, RH@13?
Also, strange no mention of Leinster achieved this victory with Sexton, O’Brien, Heaslip, Fardy, Rob Kearney, Dan Leavy (even if the latter two wouldn’t / shouldn’t have played) – incredible squad depth.
Leinster flattered.montpelier much better team but didn’t have luck referee or anything on their side
Very sloppy performance. If Leinster are to progress this year we need to see the basics done well and let the attractive rugby look after itself.
I know it is a team full of young guns which is great to see, but this is the 3rd or 4th year like this and the team needs to kick on.
Also, Ringrose is a class 12 too, great at offloads and a very strong straight up defender. The 2 lads could interchange no worries and that’s this Lions 12/13 in S.A.