Clare withstood a late Waterford rally to retain their ESB Munster MHC title at Pairc Ui Chaoimh yesterday.

Clare 1-20
Waterford 3-9

The Banner looked set for a facile victory when the unerring Cathal O'Connell pointed his ninth free to give them a 1-19 to 0-7 lead with 12 minutes to go. But they were outscored by 2-2 to 0-1 in the time remaining as Waterford closed the gap to five points. Adam O'Sullivan and Gavin O'Brien both found the net for the Deise, but ultimately they left themsevles with too much to do.

Last year's beaten All-Ireland finalists laid the foundations for their success in the opening half when they stormed into a 0-14 to 1-4 lead. With midfielders Tony Kelly and Colm Galvin accounting for four points of that tally and their half back line in dominant form, Clare took an early grip on proceedings and never looked in any danger thereafter.

Clare had eased into a 0-7 to 0-3 lead before the challengers were given a lift when Darragh Flynn and Stephen Bennett combined to set up Adam O'Sullivan for the opening goal on 14 minutes. The Banner hit back, however, with a brace of points from Galvin and another from centre back Jamie Shanahan.

And with centre forward O'Connell racking up six points from frees, the winners were seven points to the good at the break.

Waterford's task got a whole lot more difficult two minutes after the restart when Oisin Hickey, who scored 3-1 against Kerry earlier in the campaign, grabbed the Banner's only goal of the afternoon. The champions had extended their lead to a whopping 14 points before O'Sullivan and O'Brien beat goalkeeper Eibhear Qulligan to leave just five points in it, but an O'Connell free settled Clare nerves as they held on for the win.

Scorers - Clare: C O'Connell 0-10f, T Kelly 0-3 (1 '65'), O Hickey 1-0, A Cunningham, C Galvin 0-2 each, J Colleran, J Shanahan, P Duggan 0-1 each. Waterford: A O'Sullivan 2-1, J Dillon 0-5 (4f, 1 '65'), G O'Brien 1-1, D Breathnach 0-2.

CLARE - E Quilligan; J Browne, N O'Connor, S Morey; J Colleran, J Shanahan, G O'Connell; C Galvin, T Kelly; P Duggan, C O'Connell, E Enright; S O'Donnell, O Hickey, A Cunningham. Subs: A Mulready for Enright (55).

WATERFORD - P Cooke; J Barron, D Ahern, C Walsh; S O'Neill, D Foley, R Barry; S McNulty, G O'Brien; C Dunford, J Dillon, D Flynn; A O'Sullivan, S Bennett, C Chester. Subs: D Breathnach for Dunford (h-t), C Curran for Chester (39), I Kenny for O'Neill (46), M Harney for Flynn (50).

Ref - J O'Connell (Cork). Tweet

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