Sport

Goals in first half set up Clare

Clare 3-10 Waterford 2-9 MUNSTER/SF: Two goals in a five-minute period midway through the opening half set up Clare for victory…

Mon May 13 2002 - 01:00

Clare 3-10 Waterford 2-9 MUNSTER/SF: Two goals in a five-minute period midway through the opening half set up Clare for victory and a place in the Munster senior football championship semi-final following a hard-earned victory over Waterford at Fraher Field, Dungarvan, yesterday.

Waterford, already without the services of Gary Hurney and Martin Power, lost midfielder Karl O'Keeffe before the throw-in with illness and these defections seriously hampered the home side.

Despite these setbacks, Waterford made the better start, scoring two unanswered points from Ray Hennessy and Connie Power in the opening nine minutes. Clare had to wait 13 minutes for their opening score, but it was a significant score, David Russell fisting a Paul Hehir cross to the net.

Waterford drew level with a Michael Walsh point but were dealt another blow when Stephen Hickey had the visitors' second goal in the 20th minute after the home defence was badly exposed.

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Clare led by five points with eight minutes of the half remaining before Waterford finished the half the stronger with two Connie Power points from frees and one from the impressive Conan Watt.

Waterford thus trailed by 2-2 to 0-6 at the interval, and were three points in arrears when they were awarded a penalty seven minutes into the second half following a foul on Shane Walsh. Michael Walsh converted the spot kick with conviction to tie the scores.

Full forward Paul Hehir converted two Clare 45s for his side to regain the initiative and they were awarded a penalty in the 55th minute following a foul on Michael O'Shea and Colm Mullen drove a powerful shot to the net to give his side a 3-6 to 1-7 lead.

They stretched this lead to seven points with 12 minutes remaining, but Waterford responded with points from Shane Walsh and Connie Power and the home side were right back in contention when Shane Walsh goaled with two minutes of normal time remaining to leave only two points between the sides.

Clare were not to be denied, however, their deserved victory and points from Michael O'Shea and Denis O'Driscoll saw them advance to meet Tipperary.

CLARE: F Maguire; P Gallagher, N Hawes, D Lyne; M O'Connell, D O'Sullivan, P Smyth; B Considine, G Quinlan; D O'Driscoll (0-2), D Russell (1-1), S Hickey (1-1); C Mullen (1-0, from a pen), P Hehir (0-4, 2 from frees, 2 from 45s), M O'Shea (0-2). Subs: D Ryan for Hickey, M O'Dwyer for O'Shea, P O'Dwyer for Russell.

WATERFORD: P Houlihan; M Crotty, M Fitzgerald, B Wall; T Dunphy, M Ahern, J Hearne; D Kirwan, R Power; C Power (0-4, 2 from frees), C Watt (0-2), L Dalton, M Walsh (1-1, goal from pen), S Walsh (1-1), R Hennessy (0-1). Subs: E Walsh for Dalton, S Briggs for Hennessy.

  • In the Munster junior football championship game at Dungarvan, Clare defeated Waterford by 0-12 to 1-6 after the sides were level at half-time (Waterford 1-2 , Clare 0-5). The Waterford goal was scored by corner forward Billy Harty inside 30 seconds of the throw-in.

In the other Munster junior football game Kerry had few problems as they dismantled the challenge of Limerick in a rather tame affair at the Gaelic grounds yesterday.

Kerry romped home 1-20 to 1-6. It was mainly thanks to the marksmanship of Kieran Foley that the Kingdom built a 0-9 to 0-1 lead in the opening 17 minutes and though Kevin O'Connor gave the home side some hope with a goal, that was cancelled out three minutes later by Brian Scanlon.