Clare 1-14 Limerick 0-11
All-Ireland champions Clare got 2014 off to a winning start when they defeated Munster title-holders Limerick at Sixmilebridge yesterday, in the quarter-final of the Waterford Crystal Senior hurling tournament.
Davy Fitzgerald and his backroom team fielded an experimental side that featured only one player, wing-back Pat O’Connor, who started in both the drawn and replayed decider last September.
Nevertheless, the Banner county proved too strong for a Limerick side who squandered scoring chances over the 70 minutes, hitting 13 wides overall.
Dream start
One of Clare's newcomers, corner-forward Bobby Duggan was in fine scoring form, recording 12 points in all, nine of those from placed balls.
The Clarecastle youngster, county minor for the past three seasons, was one of a number of debutants to impress on a day when Limerick unveiled their new joint managers, TJ Ryan and Corkman Donal O’Grady.
Playing in front of a crowd of 1,456, the home-side got off to a dream start when another new recruit David Reidy was in for a goal within a minute of the throw-in. Centre-forward Cathal O’Connell set him up with a long goal-ward ball and the young Éire Óg clubman flicked to the net from the edge of the square.
Bobby Duggan put the Banner four points ahead minutes later with a 40-metre free after O’Connell was fouled in possession.
John Fitzgibbon opened Limerick’s account in the eighth minute when he pointed from a free close to the right sideline.
Limerick did have a real goal chance on 13 minutes when Graeme Mulcahy hand-passed to Michael Ryan but the full-forward’s volley hit the right up-right and sailed harmlessly wide.
Shane Golden and Liam Markham dominated slightly in the middle of the park and Clare forced the Limerick defence to give away a number of frees, resulting in Duggan punishing them with his unerring accuracy.
At half-time Limerick trailed by six points, 1-9 to 0-6, and knew that they should have been closer but for some wayward shooting.
After the break Clare introduced Sean Collins for left-half forward Alan O’Neill while Ryan and O’Grady returned with the same 15 that began the game.
William Hickey had a very early point from play for the visitors to narrow the gap. But three in a row from Bobby Duggan, including two frees, ensured that Fitzgerald’s charges still kept the upper hand.
As in the opening half, Bobby Duggan proved to be the difference between the sides and even though he landed some fine scores both from play and placed balls he still managed to miss the target on two occasions in the second period.
Expressed pleasure
After the game Fitzgerald expressed his pleasure with his unfamiliar looking team's performance when he said: "I thought they fought well. We fought very well and we tackled very well and that was the most pleasing aspect of it. I though both teams worked really hard, to tell you the truth. So for the middle of January, it was a very good workout."
Meanwhile Limerick joint-manager Ryan admitted that inaccuracy possibly cost his side the game.
He stated: "They scored nine points from frees and we missed some of our frees so that was probably the key difference. We created a goal chance or two in the first half but didn't get them and they kept their five/six point lead throughout."
CLARE: D Tuohy; K Ryan (0-1), C Duggan, S Morey; C Dillon, C Cleary, P Kelly; P O'Connor (0-1), L Markham; S Golden, N O'Connell, A O'Neill; B Duggan (0-12, nine frees), C Cooney (capt), D Reidy (1-0). Subs: S Collins for O'Neill (half-time), D O'Halloran for Cooney (57 mins), D O'Donovan for Kelly (58 mins), Colin Ryan for Markham (64 mins), S Gleeson for Reidy (65 mins).
LIMERICK: B Hennessy; S Walsh, P O'Loughlin, R English; W McNamara, G O'Mahoney, C McNamara; P Browne, P O'Brien (0-1); D O'Donovan (0-1), D O'Grady (capt), W Hickey (0-2); G Mulcahy, M Ryan, J Fitzgibbon (0-5, frees). Subs: S Tobin (0-1) for O'Donovan (52 mins), T Quaid for Ryan (58 mins), R McCarthy for Walsh (65 mins), B Lynch for English (66 mins).
Referee: D Copps (Cork)
