A first league meeting in 11 years didn't exactly unearth a thriller, as Clare proved much too strong for Division 3 newcomers Leitrim in a 2-17 to 0-10 victory in front of just over a thousand spectators in Cusack Park in Ennis.
With victory badly needed for Peter Keane’s new side following their disappointing opening reverse to Antrim in Belfast seven days earlier, the hosts lived up to expectations as nine different scorers helped them to a first competitive win of 2025.
Highlighted by an eye-catching two points for the returning Eoin Cleary and Emmet McMahon, the Banner soared nine clear by the break and subsequently weathered a Leitrim fightback before clinching victory with a brace of final-quarter goals.
The opening quarter didn’t suggest such a high-scoring contest as the opening 12 minutes was only broken up by an Emmet McMahon free and Keith Beirne equaliser.
However, a trademark Manus Doherty full-length back-to-front run helped tee up Emmet McMahon for a rousing two-pointer, inspiring the former captain to surpass that feat with a brace of them by the 26th minute at 0-10 to 0-03.
Indeed, by half-time, five of Clare’s forward division had chipped in with points from play at 0-13 to 0-004, whereas Leitrim’s only real threat stemmed through impressive midfielder Barry McNulty, who kicked two points but was unlucky for a couple of two-pointers as well.
McNulty fittingly led a mini-revolt on the resumption that also included points for Keith Beirne and Jack Flynn to lower the deficit to just seven by the 48th minute.
However, with only four of the 20 that featured in last year’s Division 4 final available to new manager Steven Poacher, they hadn’t the sufficient firepower or experience to make any further inroads.
Instead, Ikem Ugwueru emphatically got Clare back on track at the turn of the final quarter when cutting in from the right and producing a superb mazy run through the heart of the Leitrim defence to find the net at 1-14 to 0-07.
Five minutes later, debutant Even Cahill made a similar breakthrough before offloading to Alan Sweeney to double the home side’s bounty as Clare finally kickstarted their Division 3 campaign.
Clare: Eamon Tubridy; Manus Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Cillian Rouine; Cillian McGroary, Fionn Kelleher, Alan Sweeney (1-00); Ikem Ugwueru (1-00), Sean McAllister (0-01); Daniel Walsh (0-01), Emmet McMahon (0-04, 1tp, 1f), Ciaran Downes (0-01); Keelan Sexton (0-01), Aaron Griffin (0-03), Eoin Cleary (0-06, 2tp).
Subs: Evan Cahill for McAllister (55), Shane Griffin for Cleary (61), Rory McMahon for McGroary (62), Cormac Murray for Sexton (63), Connor Meaney for Sweeney (67).
Leitrim: Daire O’Shea; Eoin McLoughlin, Kieran Clancy, Cathal McHugh; Sean Harkin, Mark Diffley, Mark Keegan; Barry McNulty (0-04, 1f), Keith Keegan; Jordan Reynolds, Jack Flynn (0-01), Tom Prior; Paul Honeyman, Riordan O’Rourke (0-01), Keith Beirne (0-03, 1f).
Subs: Eanna McNamara for McHugh (29), Stephen McLoughlin for Keegan (HT), Darren Cox (0-01) for Reynolds (46), Conor Quinn for Prior (57), Diarmuid Kelleher for Flynn (67).
Referee: James Molloy (Galway)
