Following their loss in the Munster finals, Clare rebounded cleanly with a significantly more refined performance against Wexford in the All-Ireland SHC quarter-final at FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A showdown with Kilkenny awaits them in the semi-finals, commencing two weeks from now.
While Wexford were disadvantaged from having Rory O’Connor dismissed prior to the interval for misconduct against David Reidy, Clare exhibited their full potential, showcasing standout performances from Tony Kelly and versatile Shane O’Donnell.
O’Donnell’s standout moment came in the 43rd minute, embarking on a daring move towards Matthew O’Hanlon, drawing a foul but pressing on and curving towards the goal. In scoring a 1-18 to 0-12 lead, O’Donnell demonstrated a skill akin to a waiter rushing with a last-minute request.
Despite Clare’s goal, it would be unjust to claim it ended Wexford’s resilient efforts to stay relevant in the game. They immediately responded with three consecutive points, credited to Lee Chin’s free, Cian Byrne, and substitute Cathal Dunbar.
The encounter effectively concluded when John Conlon, displaying an impressive performance for Clare, forwarded a well-targeted clearance to substitute Ian Galvin. Galvin, eluding his opponent Eoin Ryan, controlled the ball and executed a swift finish, extending the lead to seven, 2-19 to 1-15.
The match showcased an appealing equilibrium as the first half drew to a close, with Clare leading by five to seven points till the 25th minute. Clare’s attacking prowess perplexed the reorganized Wexford defense, resulting in a higher scoring rate than that seen in much of their regional campaign. The pass from Aron Shanagher to Kelly, and finally to wing forward David Fitzgerald for a score in the 22nd minute served as a perfect example of the day’s play.
Shanagher’s incorporation to the starting line-up was a substitute for Aidan McCarthy, which offered an aerial menace to the attacking side. However, it was O’Donnell’s relentless sprinting and Kelly’s improved performance post his return from a long-term injury that took centre stage in the championship.
Wexford, however, started showing signs of promise. With the ability to take on Clare’s defence through direct running, Damien Reck began to make progress, leading to either penalties or creating opportunities for sharpshooters like central midfielder Conor Hearne and the energetic wing-back Conor Foley.
Wexford’s unresponded 1-3 suddenly shifted the direction of the game, as it moved into a critical phase. The central disagreement of the match, perhaps the game, occurred in the 29th minute when Rory O’Connor was brought down by David McInerney while charging towards Clare’s defence.
The referee, Johnny Murphy, after consulting his umpires, awarded a penalty and McInerney was shown a black card for cynically obstructing a scoring chance. The reliable Chin managed to drive the ball beyond the reach of Eibhear Quilligan.
With Clare reduced to 14 men, they faltered and Foley equalised. In an attempted ball interception between O’Connor and David Reidy, O’Connor caught Reidy with a block. This reckless move by O’Connor, who was already on a yellow, led to a second yellow card and an automatic further card.
Clare’s manager, Brian Lohan, who was pleased to have made it to a third consecutive All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny, recognised the significance of this advantage. He mentioned that it is always unfortunate to see a top player like Rory O’Connor sent off, adding that he did not see the incident as it was on the other side of the field. Nonetheless, Brian emphasised that no one likes to watch a player leave the game early.
Despite an intense effort, Wexford were unable to fully incorporate Chin into the game due to a series of aggressive airborne attacks, leading them to simply whittle down the total. A slick cut from the sideline by Conor Foley added the final point, but with a 12-point deficit, it felt like a magical feat from the brink of defeat.
After withstanding the final defences from Wexford, Clare increasingly took control. O’Donnell demonstrated his prowess by brilliantly intercepting another ball in the 65th minute of the match and casually scoring his fourth point.
Kelly also managed to increase his score to a personal total of 0-6, inclusive of five from play. When queried about Kelly’s improving performance, his manager indicated he is still recovering from a significant surgery and needs more matches to regain form. “Tony didn’t perform poorly in the Munster final, but he was given an opportunity today to regain his proficiency, and we’re thrilled about his progress.”
In contrast, Keith Rossiter, the opposing team coach, expressed his severe disappointment: “Our preparation was solid, the boys were in high spirits, so to lose in this way is a significant blow. A tad more luck could have potentially put us in the Leinster final, such are the stakes and margins.”
He drew attention to a particular incident involving Rory, questioning a yellow card given within the match’s first 15 seconds, he added, “you can’t hope to exceed a team of Clare’s quality with just 14 players.”
The confidence in Clare’s team has risen as they are scheduled to compete against Leinster champions Kilkenny in the first of the All-Ireland semi-finals on July 6th. Clare has the upper hand, having defeated Kilkenny in two league matches previously this year, inclusive of the final in April, a fact that Lohan believes will boost their morale for the forthcoming game.
“It’s always a pleasure to secure a victory. Winning matches is the essence of inter-county hurling and we attained those victories. These games were significant targets for us, both in the league and league final.
Considering the competitors and the trophy on the line, it was an immense deal for us. While perhaps not of great importance to many teams, it held significance for us. Therefore, we were exceedingly pleased with the outcome. We are now prepared for the next challenge.”
Clare’s lineup comprised E Quilligan; A Hogan, C Cleary (capt), C Leen (0-1); D Ryan (0-2), J Conlon, D McInerney; C Malone, T Kelly (0-6, one free); D Fitzgerald (0-2), M Rodgers (0-6, six frees), P Duggan; D Reidy (0-3), A Shanagher (0-1), S O’Donnell (1-4). Substitutes: I Galvin (1-1) replaced Duggan (46 mins), P Crotty replaced Fitzgerald (57 mins), C Galvin replaced Conlon (59 mins), S Meehan (0-1) replaced Shanagher (65 mins), and A McCarthy (0-1 65) replaced Rodgers (61 mins).
On the other hand, Wexford’s team included M Fanning (0-1, one free); S Reck, M O’Hanlon, E Ryan; C Foley (0-3, one sideline), D Reck, S Donohoe; C Hearne (0-1), L McGovern; R O’Connor (0-2), R Lawlor, C McGuckin; C Byrne (0-2), L Chin (capt; 1-6, one penalty, five frees), C McDonald (0-1). The replacements were C Dunbar (0-1) for McGovern (44 mins), K Foley (0-1) for McGuckin (46 mins), C Byrne Dunbar for Byrne (56 mins), D Carley for Lawlor (68 mins), and S Casey (0-1) for McDonald (68 mins).
The match was officiated by Referee J Murphy from Limerick.
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