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Electric Ireland MFC Q-F: McGarry impresses for Dublin

Ross McGarry scored two goals for Dublin.

Ross McGarry scored two goals for Dublin.

Electric Ireland MFC Quarter-Final

DUBLIN 2-11 CLARE 0-10

By Joe Ó Muircheartaigh at O’Moore Park

Dublin proved to be too strong for a spirited Clare outfit at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.

Ross McGarry struck goals at the beginning of each half, with the second really knocking the stuffing out of what had been a very brave Clare challenge when they briefly threatened what would have been the shock of the minor campaign.

McGarry helped himself to 2-4 over the hour with a brilliant display of shooting that broke Banner hearts as they came up short in a contest that was always about redemption after the 24-point mauling they received at the hands of Kerry in the Munster final.

Dublin were roaring hot favourites, but a thunderous first half display by Seamus Clancy’s charges turned the form book on its head as the underdogs were heroic against a Dublin side that looked to have sleepwalked into this last eight clash, even though they were given a tonic start by being gifted 1-1 inside the first five minutes.

After Karl Lynch-Bissett pointed a minute in and then McGarry goaled from a cheap turnover on four minutes the Leinster champions probably thought it would be a cruise, but once Clare settled with a couple of Gavin Cooney frees and another from captain Dermot Coughlan by the tenth minute they were the better team.

With Coughlan and Gearóíd Cahill chipping in with good points from play by the 20th minute as Clare hit the front for the first time it took a couple of McGarry frees to edge Dublin 1-3 to 0-5 clear at the break.

Then a minute after half-time Clare missed a great goal chance, something they were really left to rue two minutes later when McGarry’s flicked a long delivery to the net to put Dublin 2-3 to 0-6 clear.

From there they never looked back, hitting 1-7 without reply to move 2-10 to 0-6 clear by the 55th minute as Clare’s challenge wilted badly. They kept battling though with a couple of late frees by Coughlan as well as effort from play by Ross O’Doherty and Jack Sheedy putting a more respectable look on the scoreboard at the death.

**Scorers for Dublin: **Ross McGarry 2-4 (3fs), Sean Hawkshaw and Ciaran Archer (1 45) 0-2 each, Eoin O'Dea, Karl Lynch Bissett, and Fionnan O'Sullivan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: Dermot Coughlan 0-4 (3fs), Gavin Cooney 0-3 (2fs), Gearoid Cahill, Jack Sheedy, and Ross O'Doherty 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: David O'Hanlon; Darren Maher, Peadar O'Cofaigh, Liam Flatman; Kieran Kennedy, Neil Matthews, Eoin O'Dea; Donal Ryan, Mark Tracey; Karl Lynch Bissett, James Doran, Daniel Brennan; Ross McGarry, Sean Hawkshaw, David Lacey.

Subs: Fionnan O'Sullivan for Brennan, Ciaran Archer for Lacey, Aaron Lynch for Maher, Adam Byrne for Ryan, Harry Ladd for McGarry, Gavin Nangle for Kennedy.

CLARE: Stephen Ryan; Jack Sheedy, Jayme O'Sullivan, Joe Miniter; Diarmuid Ryan, Fergal Donnellan, Colin McNelis; Danny Griffin, Keith White; Dermot Coughlan, Ross Phelan, Sean Rouine; Ross O'Doherty, Gavin Cooney, Gearoid Cahill.

Subs: Seamus Casey for Cahill, Ciaran O'Donoghue for Phelan, Aidan Reynolds for Griffin, Paudie Kelly for O'Sullivan, Connor Dillon for White, Colm O'Brien for O'Doherty.