Clare recovered from a disastrous start at Arklow yesterday, when goalkeeper James Hanrahan let a Conan Daye shot slip through his hands to the net, to carve out a deserved victory over Wicklow.
Clare drew level in the 24th minute (0-6 to 13) and they took the lead for the first time three minutes into the second half when wing back Barry Keating linked up with his attack to score a point.
The game ended with a two-goal burst in the space of a minute. Peadar McMahon struck first for Clare in the 58th minute for what looked to be the clinching score, but from the kick-out Breandan O Hannaigh rattled the net at the other end after a great solo effort. However, corner forward Francis McInerney had the final say for Clare with a point.
Clare: J Hanrahan; N Hawes, B Rouine, D O'Driscoll; B Keating (0-1), P Gallagher, A Malone; D O'Sullivan, P Cosgrove; J Enright, M Daly (0-4), P McMahon (1-2); B Lynch, S Hehir (0-1), F McInerney (0-1). Subs: C Shannon for Hehir, M Liddans (0-1) for Enright.
Wicklow: T Murphy; J Mooney, E White, B Whelan; A Mooney, B O'Donovan, B O Hannaigh (1-0); S Miley, D Gordon; S Byrne, M Murtagh, D Coffey (0-3); C Daye (1-0), K O'Brien (0-1), C Shannon. Sub: J Behan for Shannon. Referee: P O'Toole (Longford).
