Clare’s Senior Hurlers have taken their first win of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship with a strong victory over Waterford in Ennis this afternoon.
The Banner welcomed the Déise to Cusack Park on Sunday for a minor/senior double header in what is Clare’s second encounter of the Munster Hurling Championship.
Both of Clare’s teams came into the game on the back of defeat to Cork last week, while today’s encounters marked Waterford’s first meeting of this year’s Munster Championship.
The Minor game opened proceedings and ended victoriously for Clare when they took a 3-21 to 2-14 win over the Waterford minors.
In the Senior meeting, the game opened with the two sides exchanging points until Waterford’s Maurice Shanahan found the back of the Clare net in the ninth minute and gave the visitors the lead.
That lead was cut back when Peter Duggan buried a seventeenth-minute penalty, and John Conlon followed it up with a second Banner goal on the twenty-three minute mark.
Clare’s 2-11 to 1-9 half-time lead was less than might have been expected given their strong form, but Tony Kelly opened the second half scoring as they looked to extend their lead.
Waterford’s Tommy Ryan had other intentions and reduced the lead to five points with a superb run from the midfield to bury the sliotar in the back of the Clare net in the 41st minute. Protesting the goal earned Clare captain Pat O’Connor a yellow.
It seemed that the Déise were picking up momentum until they were dealt a blow with a straight red for Kevin Moran for striking Tony Kelly with twenty minutes left on the clock.
Both sides kept the scores ticking over but the challenge was too mighty for Waterford to surmount and Clare finished the game with a nine point lead.
Full time score in Cusack Park was Clare 2-27, Waterford 2-18.