Hurling & Camogie

Waterford beaten by Clare in controversial Division One final

&nbsp;Clare&rsquo;s Padraic Collins and Cian Dillon come under pressure from Waterford&rsquo;s Tom Devine<br />Picture by Seamus Loughran
 Clare’s Padraic Collins and Cian Dillon come under pressure from Waterford’s Tom Devine
Picture by Seamus Loughran
 Clare’s Padraic Collins and Cian Dillon come under pressure from Waterford’s Tom Devine
Picture by Seamus Loughran

Alianz NHL Division One final replay: Waterford 2-19 Clare 1-23

WATERFORD were gutted as Davy Fitzgerald’s Clare snatched victory in a controversial Allianz Hurling League Division One final replay in Thurles yesterday.

Tony Kelly banged over two points deep into stoppage time to secure a first top-flight League crown for Clare since 1978.

But Kelly’s equalising free, in the third minute of stoppage time, was hotly-disputed as Waterford claimed that Jamie Barron was fouled as a cluster of players battled for possession.

However, referee Diarmuid Kirwan instead awarded a free for a foul on Kelly who had claimed the sliothar after Barron had lost possession.

The 2013 Hurler and Young Hurler of the Year lanced the equalising score from inside his own half before popping up on the opposite flank to then slot over the winner from play.

Clare were brilliant in the final minutes, hitting four unanswered points to overturn a three-point deficit and dethrone Waterford.

And it’s the Banner men who have the psychological advantage ahead of the Munster SHC semi-final between the counties on June 5.

Waterford beat Cork in the League decider last year before flooring the same opposition in their Munster opener. But they’ll have to pick themselves up from a 


morale-sapping defeat before tackling Clare again in under four weeks’ time.

Waterford selector Dan Shanahan said: “What can I say, lads? It’s tough to take. Clare seemed to get the frees easier than we did. Ye heard the reaction of the crowd coming off the field there. That tells its own story.

“Credit Clare, credit their lads, they’ve won it for the first time since 1978. It’s a great victory for them, let’s be honest.

“Great bunch of players, they’re going to be there or thereabouts for the All-Ireland. I can assure you one thing lads, we’re not a bad team either.”

Waterford boss Derek McGrath said that Kirwan blundered – but refused to come down hard on the referee.

He said: “Look, it’s a mistake, I suppose, but we make enough mistakes ourselves on the line. I don’t think anyone makes a deliberate mistake.

“That’s the way it goes in sport, I could give you all the clichés you want, but that’s the nature of it.”

And in a replay of fine margins, Clare supremo Fitzgerald revealed that he ordered Kelly to hit that equalising free – as the Ballyea wizard took the responsibility ahead of another recognised free-taker, Colin Ryan.

Fitzgerald smiled: “I’d have been killed if he [Kelly] didn’t score that point from the free because I changed the free-taker myself.

“I felt he was on fire, I felt that that was one made for him and I asked him to hit it. I don’t know, would the other selectors have killed me if it went wide? It was a call, he did it, great man for the big occasion and fair play to him.

“They all played their part, like you look at Austin Gleeson and David Fitzgerald out there, I thought the exhibition of fielding out there today was absolutely incredible, but David Fitzgerald caught the last one for us that counted and got it off to Tony Kelly, which was immense.

“Delighted, delighted with our guys. I know Derek can’t be disappointed with his because they gave an unreal contribution out there.”

There were some excellent individual displays on both sides – Kelly topping the charts with a 1-6 haul, including 1-5 from play.

Conor McGrath bagged 0-8 for Clare, all scores in the first half, and young Patrick Curran posted 1-9 for Waterford.

The at-times turgid nature of the drawn game drew criticism from the purists, but as a spectacle, this replay was much better in front of 14,210 spectators.

The sides shared 44 points and 39 wides at the first time of asking, and no goals, but Waterford hit two in the first half yesterday.

With Clare’s spare man marked absent from the start, Curran zipped in from the right touchline inside Pat O’Connor to slam home the opening goal after just 17 seconds.

And Waterford struck again in the 20th minute when O’Connor’s loose ball was picked off by Curran and he fed Jake Dillon for the second goal.

Waterford went on to lead by six points on two occasions approaching half-time, but three McGrath points had Clare in touch at the break, 0-12 to 2-9 behind.

Waterford were six clear again when Austin Gleeson powered over a 48th minute point, but when play switched to the other end, Kelly’s goal breathed new life into the Clare challenge.

They were back to within a point with nine minutes remaining but points from Curran (free) and sub Brian O’Halloran restored a three-point buffer for Waterford.

Clare weren’t gone yet, however, and finished with a flourish to claim their fourth League crown.

Great credit is also due to Waterford pair Curran and Jamie Barron for lining out despite carrying intense personal grief into the fixture.

Curran lost his godfather and uncle during the week and Barron will bury his grandmother this morning.

Clare selector Louis Mulqueen is also mourning the death of his mother and, at times like this, hurling should be placed in its proper perspective.

MATCH STATS


Waterford: S O’Keeffe; B Coughlan, N Connors, S Fives; D Fives (0-1), K Moran (0-1), P Mahony; T de Búrca, J Barron (0-2); M Walsh, A Gleeson (0-3), S Bennett (0-2); J Dillon (1-0), P Curran (1-9, 0-6 frees, 0-1 65), T Devine. Subs: C Dunford for Devine (46), B O’Halloran (0-1) for Dillon (57), M Shanahan for Bennett (68), T Ryan for Walsh (70+1).


Clare: P Kelly; P O’Connor (0-1), C Dillon, D Fitzgerald (0-1); J Browne, C Cleary, B Bugler; D Reidy (0-1), C Galvin; T Kelly 


(1-6, 0-1 free), C McGrath (0-8, 0-5 frees), P Collins (0-1); D Honan (0-2), A Cunningham (0-1), S O’Donnell. Subs: C Ryan (0-2, 1f) for Galvin (43), C O’Connell for Collins (55), A Shanagher for O’Donnell (65).


Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).