Gaelic Games

Clare ease past Waterford to book place in Munster final

Waterford failed to back up their first Munster win in 14 years as they were comfortably outclassed at Fraher Field

Waterford’s Billy O’Keeffe and Dermot Ryan with Cormac Murray of Clare. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Waterford’s Billy O’Keeffe and Dermot Ryan with Cormac Murray of Clare. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Sat Apr 20 2024 - 21:23
Munster SFC semi-final: Waterford 1-9 Clare 2-20

Clare booked their place in a second successive Munster senior football final with a facile 14-point win over Waterford at Fraher Field.

Paul Shankey’s home side had won their first Munster game in 14 years last time out but here they returned to the mean; that of Division Four′s basement team.

The congested traffic in the Dungarvan area owed more to the local food festival than the paltry 1,504 in attendance for this Munster football semi-final.

Clare were much quicker and slicker in transition from defence to attack and above all had six forwards who could score when the opportunity arose.

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While Jason Curry opened the scoring for the home side in the first minute the gulf in class was soon evident. The Banner hit seven points in succession to lead 0-7 to 0-1 after 13 minutes. Darragh Bohannon and Brian McNamara dominated centre field and inside Aaron Griffin, Emmet McMahon and Mark McInerney had their scoring boots on. Emmet McMahon was on the end of a sweeping movement to hit the net just before the break to put Clare in an unassailable position, leading 1-11 to 0-4 at half-time.

Bohannon and the excellent Ciaran Downes had early points on resumption. In the splendid evening sunshine McInerney then registered their second green flag following more impressive build-up play from Mark Fitzgerald’s men.

Waterford’s Tom O’Connell had his third goal in two games when he flicked a long delivery to the Clare net to give the home crowd something to cheer about. Substitute Alan Dunwoody also hit three points off the bench as the momentum continued in favour of the Banner. By the game’s end all six Clare forwards had got on the scoresheet with substitute Diarmuid O’Donnell also landing two fine points before the final whistle.

Next up for Clare is a return to the Munster final against Kerry while Waterford will head to the Tailteann Cup.

Waterford: P Hunt; R Browne (0-1), C Walsh, L Fennell; B O’Keeffe, D Ryan, R McGrath (0-1); M Curry, J Curry (0-2, one free); S Whelan Barrett (0-1), D Fitzgerald, W Beresford; S Curry, T O’Connell (1-1, one free), J Power. Subs: J Walsh for D Fitzgerald (39 mins), C MacCraith for W Beresford (43), A Dunwoody (0-3, two frees) for R Browne (45), B Hynes for R McGrath (60), M O’Brien for J Curry (65),

Clare: S Ryan; M Doherty, C Brennan, R Lanigan; A Sweeney, C Rouine, I Ugweru; B McNamara, D Bohannon (0-2); G Murray (0-1), D Coughlan (0-1), C Downes (0-4, one 45); E McMahon (1-3, one free), A Griffin (0-5), M McInerney (1-2, one free). Subs: C Murray for E McMahon (45 mins), J McGann for D Bohannan (50), D O ‘Donnell (0-2) for M McInerney (54), C Burke for A Sweeney (58), T McDonald for D Coughlan (67).

Referee: D Murrane (Cork).