National Hurling League Division 1A Round Three: Clare 6-25 – Wexford 1-18
Goalkeeper, Eamon Foudy and corner-back Adam Hogan were among the scorers as Clare issued a thoroughly dominant performance from start to finish in round three of the National Hurling League.
The return of some of the big guns to Clare’s lineup most certainly produced the desired effect right from the off in Wexford Park, with Ryan Taylor opening Clare’s account in the second minute.
Just another minute would elapse, before the return of David Reidy was marked with an assist for Peter Duggan to fire to the back of the Wexford net, however Wexford would soon reply with a goal of their own when Conor McDonald finished to the back of Eamon Foudy’s net, following a penetrating run from Cathal Dunbar through the heart of Clare’s defence.
After six minutes, the sides were deadlocked at 1-03 apiece and for all the spectators in Wexford Park, it seemed a nip and tuck encounter was in store, however Clare would take over from the this juncture to outscore their opponents by 3-14 to 0-03 in the remaining 29 minutes of the half.
David Reidy, Aidan McCarthy & Tony Kelly were constant thorns in the Wexford side throughout the first half and fittingly raised a green flag each in quick succession.
At the interval the Banner were firmly in the ascendancy on a score line of 4-17 to Wexford’s 1-06.
The second-half was a much more tightly contested affair, however Clare showed no signs of relenting their lead, with Tony Kelly once again splitting the posts on 36 minutes.
Peter Duggan and David Reidy would follow suit in the third quarter, while Ross Banville & Rory Higgins continued to add respectability to the Wexford score line.
Eire Óg’s Oran Cahill made his National League debut on 47 minutes when he replaced Diarmuid Ryan in the wing back position, while fellow substitutes David Conroy and Mark Rodgers would provide selection headaches aplenty for manager Brian Lohan.
The Banner’s green flag addiction had not finished however as David Reidy would grab his second goal of the day to bring his personal tally to 2-01, before Mark Rodgers rattled the back of the net for Clare’s sixth goal on 70 minutes.
Fittingly, Aidan McCarthy struck Clare’s final point of the day from a placed ball, bringing his personal total to 1-10 as Clare emerged as thoroughly convincing winners in the South-East on a full-time score of Clare 6-25 to Wexford’s 1-18.
The Banner will be in action again on Sunday, March 5th when they welcome the Tribesmen to Cusack Park.