Defeat for our senior hurlers against Clare in the All-Ireland Quarter-Final

DUBLIN 0-16 CLARE 0-29

It proved a tale of missed opportunities for Dublin at FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday nightas they succumbed to Clare by thirteen points in their All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final. 

The Dubs struggled for fluency initially as they fell eight points behind by the 23rd minute but nine Donal Burke scores saw them right back in contention by half-time as they trailed by 0-14 to 0-11.

Frustratingly, Dublin managed to create goal chances at regular intervals but the oxygen provided by a green flag never materialised with the dismissal of substitute Brendan Kenny providing a disappointing final note to their truncated campaign.  

Dublin made two late changes to their starting line-up with John Bellew and Conor Groarke brought in to replace John Hetherton and Conor Donohoe, hinting at a more defensively-orientated set-up. 

Whatever the intention, it failed to prevent Clare from dominating from the start with two Mark Rodgers frees augmented by points from play by Shane O’Donnell, Sean Rynne and Cathal Malone. 

While Donal Burke and Groarke clipped over excellent points at the opposite end by way of riposte, a Tony Kelly score left the Banner four points clear by the 8th minute. 

While a classy Conal Ó Riain score offered brief respite for Dublin, an efficient Clare side continued to revel in attack with Shane Meehan, Kelly and Peter Duggan all on target as the contest threatened to slip away from the Dubs. 

A brace of Burke frees by the end of the first quarter helped Dublin gradually settle into the tie but Rodgers did likewise for Clare to leave Dublin in a precarious position.

Dublin’s alignment began to offer a greater threat as the half evolved with Ronan Hayes denied on two occasions by Clare netminder Éibhear Quilligan but the free-taking of Burke saw them finish the half on the front foot.

While the Banner failed to score from the 26th minute, a quintet of Burke points ensured his side were dealing with a more manageable three-point deficit by the turnaround.    

While Ronan Hayes edged Dublin ever closer within two minutes of the restart, a couple of poor wides stalled their momentum somewhat before Burke and Rodgers exchanged frees by the 41st minute. 

Quilligan came to Clare’s rescue with another fine stop to deny Burke and the pendulum swung back in his side’s favour as Cathal Malone and Nial O’Farrell pointed to push the Banner five points clear. 

A Duggan brace saw and Rynne’s fourth point of the contest saw Dublin fall further behind by the start of the final quarter before Seán Currie blazed over the crossbar as Dublin began to search for goals. 

They would have managed one but for Quilligan denying Ó Riain in the 55th minute and with every near-miss for Dublin, Clare’s confidence grew accordingly as they pushed ten points clear by the 61st minute.        

Kenny’s ill-timed challenge on David Reidy saw the Clare substitute stretchered off after receiving treatment for twelve minutes and as the contest resumed, Clare pulled further away as Kelly added three points by the final whistle. 

Scorers – Dublin: D Burke 0-12 (9f); C Groarke, C Ó Riain, R Hayes, S Currie 0-1 apiece.Clare: T Kelly 0-7 (3f), M Rodgers 0-5 (5f); S Rynne 0-4; P Duggan (1 sideline) 0-3, S O’Donnell, C Malone, S Meehan 0-2 each; N O’Farrell, R Taylor, D Stritch, D Fitzgerald 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: E Gibbons; J Bellew, P Smyth, C McHugh; E O’Donnell, P Doyle, C Burke; CCrummey, C Groarke; B Hayes, F Whitely, D Burke; S Currie, R Hayes, C Ó Riain. Subs: J Hetherton for O’Donnell (44), C Donohoe for Groarke (54), C O’Sullivan for Currie (58), B Kenny for Whitely (62), D Ó Dúlaing for R Hayes (66).  

Clare: É Quilligan; A Hogan, C Cleary, D Lohan; D Ryan, D McInerney, N O’Farrell; S Rynne, T Kelly; C Malone, R Taylor, M Rodgers; S Meehan, S O’Donnell, P Duggan. Subs: C Leen for Cleary (34), D Reidy for Meehan (Temp 45-49), I Galvin for Rodgers (53), D Stritch for Malone (55), C Galvin for O’Farrell (60), J Conlon for McInerney (66), Reidy for Taylor (66), D Fitzgerald for Reidy (Temp, 77).  

Referee: James Owens (Wexford).