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You are > Home > Impressive Waterford crush Clare in Ballyduff Upper
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Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Impressive Waterford crush Clare in Ballyduff Upper
BY PHIL FANNING
WATERFORD 1-17 CLARE 0-08
Following an impressive quarter final win over a strong Tipperary selection in Borrisileigh the previous Tuesday Clare were expected to pose real problems for the home side in Ballyduff Upper on Sunday last.
But it was Ger O’Loughlin and his men who were brought down to earth in no uncertain manner as Waterford continued their impressive start to the new season with a crushing defeat of next summer’s championship rivals despite playing with fourteen players for most of the second half.
The Waterford lineout showed just two changes from the side that beat Cork I.T. in the opening round of this competition with Clinton Hennessy coming on in goal for Stephen O’Keeffe and Gary Hurney replacing the injured Shane Casey in attack. Adrian Power, Shane Fives and Noel Connors who lined out against Portumna on Saturday were not eligible to play and they will be in the Waterford I.T. side to play G.M.I.T. in the opening game of the Fitzgibbon Cup at Ballygunner on Thursday next.
Being the first senior competitive inter county game to be played in Ballyduff the biggest crowd ever to attend a fixture in the village was expected and full marks must go the club for the manner in which they saw to it that everything ran smoothly with ample parking space and easy access to and from the ground. The pitch itself was in very good condition for the time of year and a good sprinkling of followers, who had made the long journey from Clare, made for a good atmosphere in the ground.
Waterford made the running in this game from the first whistle and though Maurice Shanahan failed to convert an early free Waterford were three points up inside five minutes with excellent points from Thomas Ryan, Maurice Shanahan and Gary Hurney. Clare’s first score came from full forward Diarmaid McMahon in the 6th minute but Waterford were by far the livelier side with Jamie Nagle placing Shane Walsh for a great point in the seventh minute before Maurice Shanahan gave his side a four point lead from a free following a foul on Eoin McGrath.
LIVELY FORWARDS
The Clare defence was at full stretch when trying to contain the eager Waterford forwards in the opening quarter with Shane Walsh, Gary Hurney and Maurice Shanahan looking particularly dangerous.
Mark Flaherty and Maurice Shanahan exchanged points from frees before Flaherty cut the deficit to three points, after Nagle was harshly deemed to have conceded the free in the 14th minute. The Clare forwards were getting very little room from a tight marking Waterford full back line fronted by the impeccable Michael Walsh at centre back while in midfield Eoin Kelly and James Murray had the upper hand on Clare’s Murphy and Clancy.
Kevin Moran sent over a great point for Waterford on the quarter hour and on the run of play Waterford should have been further ahead by the 20th minute when Maurice Shanahan was heavily fouled in front of the Clare posts and inside the 20 metre line resulting in a yellow card for Clare’s Alan Brigdale.
Eoin Kelly stepped up to take the free and duly blasted the ball to the net. Gary Hurney followed up with a point in the 23rd minute and seconds later Eoin McGrath jumped high in front of the Clare goal to flick a lobbing ball from an outfield free to the net only to be denied by the referees whistle for presumably a ‘square’ infringement.
It was a surprising decision for under old or new rules it looked a perfectly legitimate strike. Clare did come more into the game before the break with points from Pat Donnellan and Mark Flaherty but Waterford were far from flattered to go in at the break with a 1-8 to 0-5 lead.
Having already substituted Michael Scanlon with David Barrett late in the first half the Clare selectors took further action to strengthen their dysfunctional attack with the introduction of Cormac O’Donovan and Barry Nugent for Aonghus O’Brien and John Cusack on the resumption and the move brought immediate results with Nugent cutting into the Waterford lead with two points in the opening minute.
It was to be no more than a false dawn, however, for the Bannermen and, though Waterford seemed to be in trouble when Eoin McGrath was red carded for a retaliatory strike on Alan Brigsdale, the home side quickly regained control with a point from James Murray followed by another from a Maurice Shanahan free after he himself had been fouled. Shane Walsh weighed in with one of the best scores of the game after collecting a great pass from Eoin Kelly and Maurice Shanahan added another after a great solo run through the Clare defence.
DEISE PUSH ON
Once again Eoin Kelly and Shane Walsh combined for the latter to send over his third point as Waterford made light of having to function with a five man attack with Shanahan adding two further points from frees for a 1-15 to 0-7 lead in the 53rd minute.
Clare had failed to score since Nugent’s brace in the opening minute of the second half but that scoring lapse was only broken in the 54th minute when Michael Hawes, who had just replaced Gerry Quinn in the Clare defence, sent over a free with his first touch of the ball. The Waterford attack continued to run the Clare defence ragged in spite of their numerical handicap and Fergal Lynch was very fortunate to get away with a yellow card for a bad pull into the face guard of Maurice Shanahan as indeed was Brigsdale for his first half pull on the same player.
In the last ten minutes the Waterford selectors sent Eoin Whelan into midfield with Eoin Kelly moving up to replace Thomas Ryan in attack and after Gary Hurney sent over his third point in the 56th minute he was replaced by Martin O’Neill. In the final minutes Maurice Shanahan was called ashore to be replaced by Nicky Jacob as Waterford comfortably played out time.
Overall this was a very impressive display by a new look Waterford side though there must be questions hanging over the quality of the Clare side on view last Sunday.
Though Davy Fitz rightly played down the significance of this win and the lack of quality in the Clare performance when compared to that against Tipperary earlier in the week, the look on Gerry Quinn’s face after being substituted in the last five minutes suggested bitter disappointment with his own and his side’s performance.
POSITIVE START TO 2010
While it is early days yet and, as we are constantly being reminded, what happens in January has little relevance in June, Waterford would appear to be going in the right direction with a number of new players making their mark as the competition increases for places on the League panel. The defence has been very impressive in most games to date with plenty of options, particularly in the full line where all six players involved against Portumna and Clare over the weekend stood out.
Michael Walsh is playing out of his skin at centre back and the partnership of Eoin Kelly and James Murray is settling in well in midfield. In attack Maurice Shanahan is now proving a huge asset while Shane Walsh, if he can avoid the injuries that have dogged him in recent years, looks set to fulfil his long acknowledged potential. Gary Hurney too is showing a great appetite for the game at this time and younger players such as Thomas Ryan and Martin O’Neill will be putting the pressure on for places.
There is no doubt but that Clare will be a different proposition come championship time but Ger O’Loughlin would appear to have a job on his hands. This time last year Clare won the Crystal Cup and the future looked bright but how quickly things can change. On last Sunday’s form Clare will be hard pressed to beat Laois and Wexford as they go for promotion from Division 2 of the League.
As for Waterford next Sunday’s final against U.C.C. will be a real test as they face a side that will be very well organised as they chase after a second successive Fitzgibbon Cup success and boosted by a number of county players they have been very impressive in reaching the Crystal Cup final.
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