HISTORY was made at Cusack Park, Ennis yesterday when Wolfe Tones (Shannon), playing in their first Clare senior hurling final, decisively defeated Clarecastle.

Greater commitment, skill and a hunger to win were the hallmarks of the Shannon side who, after a nervous first half, demolished Clarecastle in the second.

Clarecastle lived dangerously in the opening minutes of the game when a searching free from Frank Lohan was sent wide with the Clarecastle goalkeeper Tommy Hegarty in trouble. Twelve minutes into the game Pat O'Rourke pointed to open the scoring for Wolfe Tones.

Clarecastle came more strongly into the match in the last 10 minutes before half-time and led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval. It was a half dominated by two strong and forceful half back lines with two county stars, Brian Lohan (Wolfe Tones) and Anthony Daly (Clarecastle), particularly prominent.

Wolfe Tones were out of luck a minute into the second half when corner forward Paul O'Rourke missed a sitter with the Clarecastle goalkeeper well beaten.

However, in the third minute of the half Paul Keary sent over a point from a free and from then on the Shannon side were never headed. They were still two points to the good when full forward Derek Collins connected with a long dropping free from Frank Lohan to score the only goal of the match.

While the Clarecastle defence tried valiantly to stem the tide they were getting precious little from their forwards who missed far too many opportunities to narrow the scoring gap.

Gerry McIntyre, Brian Lohan and Sean Power also starred in the Shannon backs while Keary, Finbar Carrig and Derek Collins, were the pick of the forwards. For Clarecastle Tommy Howard, Daly, Pat Healy, and Padraig Russell tried hard.