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Clare set up Kilkenny date after easing past 14-man Wexford

Updated / Sunday, 23 Jun 2024 17:34

Clare eased into a third successive All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny after overpowering 14-man Wexford in front of 30,509 in FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles.

Level two minutes into the second period, the Banner upped the ante with superb opportunist goals through Shane O'Donnell and substitute Ian Galvin to outscore the Leinster side by 2-10 to 0-04 over a 20 minute period and effectively seal yet another last four rematch with the Cats.

Clare established early control scoring the first four points inside five minutes of the throw-in through Mark Rodgers, David Reidy, Conor Leen and Aron Shanagher before eventually carving out a seven-point cushion by the 24th minute.

The Banner did have to survive two early goal chances as first Rory O’Connor’s surge through the centre was snuffed out by Diarmuid Ryan before an ambitious Conor McDonald bullet was successfully parried by goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan.

Wexford did mange to gain a foothold in the contest as unanswered points through Rory O’Connor, Cian Byrne and a Lee Chin free lowered the arrears to four before earning a dramatic reprieve in the 29th minute.

A defensive error from a restart gifted Rory O’Connor with possession to race through before being taken down for what turned out to be a penalty for Lee Chin and a black card for David McInerney.

Chin expertly dispatched the penalty to the bottom left corner, quickly followed by a Conor Foley equaliser from the right wing at 0-12 to 1-09.

However, disaster struck for Wexford in the next passage of play as a late tackle on David Reidy earned Rory O’Connor a second yellow card.

Tony Kelly capitalised with two late points to restore a 0-15 to 1-10 half-time cushion so while a spirited Wexford hit back to level matters through Conor McDonald and Chin on the resumption, once McInerney returned to the Banner line-up, a numerically advantaged Clare never looked back thereafter.

The rampant O’Donnell, David Fitzgerald and David Reidy put clear daylight between the sides before the Ennis pair combined for Clare’s opening goal in the 43rd minute. David Reidy teeing up club-mate O’Donnell to slalom through Wexford’s last line and placing to the bottom left corner of the net at 1-18 to 1-12.

A second would follow ten minutes later, this time John Conlon playing a low delivery up the left wing for replacement Galvin to collect, turn his marker and cut inside before clincially finding the far right corner of Mark Fanning’s net at 2-19 to 1-15.

As the game opened up, there were further goal sightings at either end, with Tony Kelly and Shane Meehan for Clare and Richie Lawlor and Lee Chin for the chasers having efforts saved by their opposition keepers.

However, on the scoreboard Clare only extended their lead thanks in the main to the outstanding O’Donnell and extra man Diarmuid Ryan to record a fifth consecutive championship win over Weexford.

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Conor Leen (0-01), Conor Cleary, Adam Hogan; David McInerney, John Conlon, Diarmuid Ryan (0-02); Cathal Malone, Tony Kelly (0-06, 0-01f); David Fitzgerald (0-02), David Reidy (0-03), Peter Duggan; Mark Rodgers (0-06, 0-06f), Shane O’Donnell (1-04), Aron Shanagher (0-01f)

Subs: Ian Galvin (1-01) for Duggan (45), Patrick Crotty for Fitzgerald (56), Cian Galvin for Conlon (58), Shane Meehan (0-01) for Shanagher (60), Aidan McCarthy (0-01, 0-01’65) for Rodgers (66)

Wexford: Mark Fanning; Matthew O’Hanlon, Eoin Ryan, Shane Reck; Conor Foley, Damien Reck, Simon Donohue; Conor Hearne, Liam Óg McGovern; Richie Lawlor, Charlie McGuckin, Rory O’Connor; Conor McDonald, Lee Chin, Cian Byrne

Subs: Cathal Dunbar for McGovern (44), Kevin Foley for McGuckin (46), Corey Byrne Dunbar for Byrne (55), Darragh Carley for Lawlor (67), Seamus Casey for McDonald (68)

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)

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