Ennis cracker decided by controversial '65
Clare’s Conor Cleary and John Conlon with Michael Kiely of Waterford battling it out during Sunday's Munster SHC cracker in Cusack Park, Ennis. Photos: Inpho.
The scenes at the final whistle in Cusack Park in Ennis on Sunday showed just what this Munster Championship means to all involved. Emotions ran over and it’s hard to blame the Waterford players and backroom team for being frustrated and angry as they were denied a well deserved draw after a cracker of a tie.
At the end of the day this result hinged on a late late decision from Liam Gordon’s team that almost certainly cost Waterford a draw and a point on the board that could prove absolutely massive next weekend.
When the Déise trailed by a goal in injury-time the game looked lost but as we’ve seen so often in this year’s championship that games can turn in a second and when Shane Bennett kept his cool to lash a 73rd minute penalty to the Clare net to level the game, it looked as if Davy Fitzgerald’s men would be leaving the Banner county with a share of the spoils and a much needed point.
But in the 76th minute the umpire gave Clare a ’65 and Mark Rodgers slotted it over to win the game as referee Gordon blew the whistle as soon as Shaun O’Brien pucked the ball out. TV replays made it virtually impossible to see who the ball came off for that ’65 so just how the umpire, with a ruck of players in his way’ could spot it is beyond me. Even as he walked along the line he took ages to make up his mind and surely if he was in doubt then he should have left his hand down. A disappointing end to a performance that will have given Davy Fitz and his backroom team plenty to be pleased about, not least the way their side battled back from eight points down.
There was so much to take form this game on Sunday but something that I’m pretty sure that I never saw before was three Waterford subs all scoring with their first touch. Shane Bennett was first up, in the 32nd minute, followed by Patrick Fitzgerald in the 55th minute and then Padraig Fitzgerald in the 65th minute. This has to be a first?
Davy and his management team will be delighted with the impact of the bench, not just these three, and it shows the believe they have in their panel when they took out the likes of Stephen Bennett and Jamie Barron before the end.
This was a real coming of age display by Ballygunner’s Kevin Mahony. He was outstanding on the day, scoring four excellent points from play and his work-rate all day was off the charts. His ability to get himself into great scoring positions really sets him out as a really dangerous attacker.
One thing that won’t best please Davy Fitz and his management team is the ease with which Clare got in at Waterford’s goal. Clare scored four goals on the day but in truth, but for a number of fine Shaun O’Brien saves and a few butchered opportunities from the Banner, it could easily have been six or seven. Darragh Lohan and David Fitzgerald in particular had the freedom of Cusack Park for their green flags and this is something that they can’t do against Limerick if they are to have any chance of downing the Munster and All-Ireland champions on their home patch next weekend.
So what do Clare’s win over Waterford and Cork’s hammering of Tipperary mean for next weekend and the outcome of this wonderful Munster Championship.
Right now Limerick, Cork and Clare all have four points. But of course Cork are finished their campaign, while Limerick and Clare are out next weekend against Waterford and Tipperary respectively.
If Waterford, who are on three points, win in Limerick then they will go to five points and will be in a Munster Final and Limerick would be on four and barring a Clare defeat to Tipp, they would be out as they would lose out to Cork on their head to head. If they lose to Limerick then they are out. If Waterford and Limerick were to draw then Limerick would be in a Munster Final and Waterford’s progression in this year’s championship, or not, would depend on the result in the Clare v Tipperary game. If Clare win that game then they would be on six points and guaranteed a place in the Munster Final. A draw for Clare would also guarantee them a place in the top three with five points. Therefore if both games were draws next weekend then Limerick and Clare would meet in the Munster Final and Waterford would go through as the third team on their head to head with Cork.
However, if Tipperary were to beat Clare, then the Banner, Waterford (with a draw in Limerick) and Cork would all finish on four points and then it would be decided on scoring difference. Going into next weekend, Cork are +15 (this can’t change), while Waterford are +2 and Clare are 0 with a game to play. So Cork and Waterford would go through and Clare would be out.
Clear as mud….but let’s keep it simple. If Waterford win or draw in Limerick they march on in the 2024 championship…if they lose it’s the end of the road.
