A nervous edge hung in the air in sun baked Ennis before throw-in with doubts hanging over the availability of Mark Rodgers and Shane O'Donnell for Clare’s Championship opener Both not only started — they lit up Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg. Sharp, direct and full of intent, they quickly showed the Banner faithful had little to worry about on the injury front. Shane Meehan may have been unlucky not to start after a sparkling league campaign, but they are the hard calls that come with building depth and the Banner attacker was to have the final say when it mattered most.
Clare settled the quicker from play in this tie and bossed most of the possession through much of the first half, mixing smart scores through the lines and peppering the hardworking Peter Duggan with aerial deliveries, for the large part they looked the more composed side. The more direct visitors however carried a menacing threat infront of goal through Stephen Bennett in particular — the Ballysaggart man rattling the net twice, the second a superbly placed penalty that kept the Deise men right in the hunt leading up to the interval. It meant Clare's bigger spread of possession didn't convert to the scoreboard. A Mark Rodgers late free ensuring they only led by the minimum, 0-15 to 2-08, at the break
There was plenty to like from a Clare perspective. Seán Rynne, in just his second championship start, roamed around the Banner attack with real confidence and clipped over a haul of five points from play. When legs began to tire, Clonlara’s Diarmuid Stritch made a lively impact off the bench, adding three more to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Clare created plenty of goal chances over the seventy minutes but found Billy Nolan in inspired form. Time and again, the De La Salle man stood tall, denying Rodgers, O’Donnell and Ryan Taylor with what looked like certain goals and helping to keep Waterford within striking distance.
Midway through the second half, it felt like the Banner men were ready to pull away. They hit a purple patch from the 45-minute mark, moving the ball well through a congested centrefield and stretching into an eight-point lead. Just when control looked established, cracks appeared. Waterford struck for two more goals — Bennett completing his hat-trick after reacting quickest to a batted ball in front of the Clare square, and Seán Walsh then powering in behind the Clare rearguard for another. Suddenly, a game Clare seemed to have in hand was back in the melting pot.
To their credit, the home side never seemed panicked. Every time Waterford landed a blow, Clare duly answered. O’Donnell finished with four from play, continually finding space in seemingly impossible areas. Tony Kelly and Diarmuid Ryan stepped up with two excellent long-range scores from under the North stand, while Darragh Lohan added a brace of vital points from midfield. Throughout it all, Rodgers was ice-cool from placed balls — a huge plus this early in the campaign.
The home side led by a nervy three-point gap as the game drifted into injury time, but they weren’t done. A slick counterattack saw Conor Leen release Ian Galvin, who drove forward before slipping the ball across to an unmarked Meehan. With just the keeper to beat, he made no mistake — a calm finish that eventually put daylight between the sides and brought a roar from the Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg faithful.
Waterford will feel hard done by after accounting for 4-21 — a tally that wins most championship games. But Clare’s ability to respond, and their composure down the stretch, proved the difference.
A big contest awaits around the corner. Neighbours Limerick visit Ennis in a fortnight, and Clare will know they can’t afford to ship goals as easily. Still, this was a lively, encouraging start from Brian Lohan’s men — and one that has the Banner moving with a bit of belief again.
Scorers for Clare: M. Rodgers 0-11 (1 65, 10 frees); S. Rynne 0-5; T. Kelly 0-4, S. O’Donnell 0-4; P. Duggan 1-1; D. Stritch 0-3; S. Meehan 1-0; D. Ryan, D. Lohan 0-2 each; R. Taylor 0-1.
Scorers for Waterford: S. Bennett 3-12 (1-0 pen, 0-12 frees); D. Hutchinson 0-4; S. Walsh 1-0; A. Gleeson 0-2; J. Barron 0-2; P. Hogan 0-1.
CLARE: E. Quilligan; R. Hayes, C. Cleary, A. Hogan; D. Ryan, N. O’Farrell, C. Malone; D. Lohan, R. Taylor; T. Kelly, D. Reidy, S. Rynne; M. Rodgers, P. Duggan, S. O’Donnell.
Subs: C. Leen for Hogan (22-27, Temp); D. Stritch for Reidy (50); C. Leen for Hayes (57); S. Meehan for O’Donnell (62), I. Galvin for Rynne (66).
WATERFORD: B. Nolan; M. Fitzgerald, I. Kenny, A. O’Neill; J. Fagan, P. Leavey, S. Bennett; D. Lyons, C. Lyons; J. Prendergast, J. Barron, M. Kiely; S. Walsh, S. Bennett, D. Hutchinson.
Subs: P. Hogan for S. Bennett (40); A. Gleeson for Kiely (47); K. Mahony for D. Lyons (53); P. Curran for Barron (67); R. Kilroy for Hogan (68).
