Munster SFC Clare 2-14 Waterford 2-10: An Enda Coughlan goal with less than two minutes of normal time remaining was enough to clinch a semi-final place for Clare in the Munster championship.
Their win over Waterford at Cusack Park, Ennis, yesterday was merited, but they were made fight tooth and nail to earn the victory by a spirited travelling side. But for Coughlan's goal it appeared that the tie might have to go to a replay.
Both sides were missing a number or regulars due to injury but, despite this, Waterford manager John Kiely started with three players who were labelled doubtful during the days leading up to the game - Andy Hubbard, Carl O'Keeffe, and Gary Hurney. All three lasted the 70 minutes.
Waterford were first to score through a Niall Curran point after five minutes but, by the end of the quarter, Clare had taken a 0-4 to 0-2 lead. Points from Rory Donnelly (three) and David Russell emphasised Clare's early dominance.
A Waterford goal in the 21st minute turned the tables somewhat. The Waterford full-forward line of Liam Ó Lionáin, Niall Curran and Hurney got together to produce the score with Hurney beating the Clare goalkeeper.
Moments later Ó Lionáin added a point to keep the visitors' noses in front. Curren landed another free five minutes from the half-time break but three late Clare scores ensured the teams were level going in at halftime, Clare 0-7, Waterford 1-4.
During the first half Clare's Russell exerted dominance around the middle of the park so, in an effort to curb his influence, Waterford brought Gary Hurney out from the full-forward line to midfield. This move produced two points before Clare returned with a goal and two points in a three-minute period.
Clare's goalscorer was Rory Donnelly. With 10 minutes gone in the second half, Waterford trailed by 1-9 to 1-6 but resilience paid off and a Niall Curran goal and a Shane Briggs point kept their spirits alive.
Coughlan proved a handful for the Waterford defence and two points in the 49th and 50th minutes made sure this tie would go to the wire.
With five minutes remaining they were level once more. Donnelly converted a close-in free for the Clare men and then the killer blow arrived in the form of Coughlan's goal.
The four-point gap proved to be too much of a bridge for Kiely's men to make up on a day when luck favoured Clare.
l In the Munster junior championship, Clare defeated Waterford by 2-13 to 1-8 at Cusack Park.
CLARE: D O'Brien; P Gallagher, K Dilleen, B Moloney; A Clohessy, D Kelly, M O'Connell; G Quinlan (capt), D Russell (0-1); P O'Dwyer (0-1), E Coughlan (1-3), O O'Dwyer (0-2, frees); R Donnelly (1-6, 0-4 frees), D Neylon, M O'Dwyer. Subs: G Tubridy for Moloney, S Hickey (0-1) for Neylon, R Slattery for Dilleen, M O'Shea for M O'Dwyer.
WATERFORD: T Wall; P Ogle, L Hurney, N Hennessey; A Heffernan, M Aherne, T Costello (capt); S Briggs (0-1), A Hubbert; C O'Keeffe, W Kavanagh, G Power; N Curran (1-8, seven frees), G Hurney (1-1), L Ó Lionáin. Subs: E Walsh for L Hurney, J Wall for Kavanagh, S Cunningham for Wall, S Halpin for Ó Lionáin.
Referee: P McGovern (Galway).
