This article is from page 66 of the 2011-01-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 66 JPG
SPEAKING ahead of the game, manager Micheál McDermott said he just wanted his players to remember their previous two losing visits to Waterford in both league and championship.
They must have been listening and while the revenge of a McGrath Cup win over the Deise in January is small in the grand scheme of football things, this win was still significant in the Clare scheme of things.
Another game that showcased the prodigious talents of David Tubridy, whose two booming points in the second-half showcased the difference between the sides.
Another victory – the third in as many weeks – and a game in which Clare finally unfurled second generation talent in the persons of David O’Connor and Niall Browne, who more than played their part in teeing up the county’s first McGrath Cup final against Kerry in 14 years.
And, Clare were full value for the three-point win – recovering from a very poor finish to the first-half, when they coughed up three unanswered points to trail by 0-6 to 0-5, to kick on to victory on the turnover thanks to a goal from debutant David O’Connor and Tubridy’s two wonder points.
Waterford were left to rue their profligacy of hitting 12 wides over the 70 minutes, double Clare’s total, but they were always playing second fiddle after O’Connor’s 42nd minute goal drove them 1-6 to 0-6 clear.
The goal was the product of a sweeping move down the field before David Tubridy gave the final pass to the St Brigid’s player, who was only on the field 11 minutes, tapped home from point blank range for a dream start to his inter-county career.
Order was restored after that goal – it was a repeat of the first-half in which they had hit back after early Mike Donnelly frees for Waterford inside the fifth minute saw Clare hit four points from play on the trot to lead by 0-4 to 0-2.
And, it was another one of the imports who got Clare going – Kildareborn Niall Browne when a great run by centre-back and captain Gordon Kelly created the point-scoring opportunity in the 12th minute.
With Alan Clohessy, Rory Donnelly