Sport

Sparrow's Clare crew off to a flyer

NHL Dvision 2 - Clare 2-20 Down 0-6: A ONE-SIDED affair yielded Clare and their new manager Ger “Sparrow” O’Loughlin two league…

Mon Feb 22 2010 - 00:00

NHL Dvision 2 - Clare 2-20 Down 0-6:A ONE-SIDED affair yielded Clare and their new manager Ger "Sparrow" O'Loughlin two league points at Ennis yesterday.

As expected, Clare proved way to strong for Down who hit 20 wides in total over the 70 minutes – nine in the first half and a further 11 after the break.

Opening day cobwebs were in evidence for both teams but a sharper and more focused Clare had the points in the bag, long before referee Michael Haverty sounded the half-time whistle.

Racing into an 0-8 to 0-0 lead by the 20th minute Clare, who started five of their All-Ireland under-21 winning side from last year, were dominant from the off.

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It could have been worse for the Ulster side as Seán Collins fired straight at Down goalkeeper Graham Clarke after eight minutes following good work by Mark Flaherty. Down finally opened their account in the 22nd minute when Paul Braniff landed a well-taken point from a distance

Clare’s first goal came in the 31st minute when an in-form Flaherty collected a ball out of defence by wing-back Domhnall O’Donovan and shot low and hard to the Down net from an acute angle on the right.

At half-time Down trailed by 1-13 to 0-4. The second half was a rather pedestrian affair with Clare picking off points from well created chances, while their opponents shot wide after wide.

Flaherty, who amassed an impressive 2-10 personal tally on the day, added his second goal when he pulled first-time on a poor clearance late in the game.

CLARE:P Brennan; A Brigdale, C Dillon, B Bugler; D ODonovan, J McInerney, P Donnellan (0-1); B O'Connell (0-1), N O'Connell; S Collins (0-2), F Lynch, J Clancy (0-3); D Honan, M Flaherty (2-10, nine frees), M Murphy (0-2). Subs:J Conlon for Clancy (50), C Ryan for N OConnell (54), D McMahon (0-1) for Lynch (63), D Barrett for Collins (68).

DOWN:G Clarke; L Clarke, F Conway, S Ennis; C O'Prey, C Woods (0-1), M Teague; K McGarry, C Coulter; P Keith, P Braniff (0-4, two frees), B Ennis; J Coyle (0-1), G Johnston, E Clarke. Subs:J McCusker for Coyle (48 mins), P Flynn for Teague (52 mins), E McGuinness for Keith (56 mins), S Conlon for E Clarke (59), M Hughes for L Clarke (65).

Referee:M Haverty (Galway)