Gaelic Games

Smyth and Dunford help Clare knock Waterford out of Munster U20 Hurling Championship

Terence Fahy’s team blitzed the Déise 1-15 to 0-7 in a lopsided second half

Keith Smyth finished scored 1-9 in Clare's win over Waterford in the Munster U20 Hurling Championship game at Fraher Field in Dungarvan. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Keith Smyth finished scored 1-9 in Clare's win over Waterford in the Munster U20 Hurling Championship game at Fraher Field in Dungarvan. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Tomás McCarthy at Fraher Field
Thu Apr 13 2023 - 22:46

Waterford 0-18 Clare 2-26

Keith Smyth and Senan Dunford played starring roles as Clare knocked Waterford out of the Munster under-20 Hurling Championship in Dungarvan.

After drawing with Tipperary and Limerick, Terence Fahy’s team made no mistake this time around as they blitzed the Déise 1-15 to 0-7 in a lopsided second half. Free taker Smyth finished the night with 1-9 while target man Dunford got 1-3 from play. Midfield pair Jack O’Neill (0-4) and Seán Rynne (0-3) also caught the eye as the Banner moved on to four points in the provincial standings. Tom O’Connell was Waterford’s top performer with four points from play.

Dunford’s 26th-minute goal left Clare 1-11 to 0-11 to the good at the break. Oran Cahill grabbed a Waterford puckout and fired the ball into Gearóid Sheedy and he crossed for Dunford who flicked home. The Tubber man completed the half with 1-2 and also had a goal disallowed. Smyth added another free. He nailed five in the opening half.

Clare moved seven up early in the second period as their running game tore the Déise defence apart. The nippy O’Neill added two to his tally with Smyth (free), Dunford and Kennedy also on target.

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The home team rallied as O’Connell closed the gap to four. That was as near as Gary O’Keeffe’s side got. Michael Mullaney forced a save from Clare goalkeeper Aaron Shanahan on 40 minutes and Ian McNamara stopped the rebound from Kevin Cullinane. With nine minutes left, Smyth batted to the roof of the net to clinch Clare’s first win of the provincial series.

In Leamybrien, two goals from Gearóid Barry and one from Diarmuid McMahon gave the Clare minor footballers a 3-12 to 0-8 victory over Waterford in the opening round of the Munster championship.