Clare's Seadna Morey scored two points against Offaly. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division One Group A
Clare 0-23 Offaly 1-19
By Ciaran Burns at Grant Heating St Brendan's Park, Birr
Clare will advance to the semi-finals of Allianz League Division One with an unbeaten record while Offaly ended their five-game campaign with just a single point.
Albeit against a second-string Clare side, Offaly certainly showed plenty of bite in the early stages, putting their disappointing showing against Cork last time out behind them. Their goal came after 15minutes, Jack Clancy getting on end of a sharp pass by Eimhin Kelly before beating Eibhear Quilligan in the Clare goal from close range.
Throughout the game, Offaly’s Eoghan Cahill impressed from dead balls, notching five frees and a sixty-five before half-time. The miserable conditions in Birr made life more difficult for both sides as play became sloppy at times, adding value to the accuracy of the freetaker, operating on his home club pitch. Clare were far less clinical from their chances, with seven wides before the break to Offaly’s three.
From open play, Clare’s Patrick Crotty was dangerous, managing two points from play before the break. At half-time, Offaly lead by six, 1-12 to 0-9, so the challenge now was to avoid a repeat of events in Nowlan Park, where they accumulated a decent lead with the breeze, but were reeled in almost immediately.
Clare’s forwards came alive in the second half and really pushed Offaly back, with several of the less well-established names in the panel giving manager Brian Lohan plenty to think about.
David Conroy got the Banner off to a flyer right from the restart, then Ian Galvin and Crotty followed with two more from play. Offaly managed to stay with the visitors’ pace but appeared to flag as the half wore on and struggled to win their own ball more and more going into the final quarter.
Clare really amped things up with more direct forward play and they were far more clinical in front of the posts, scoring four without reply. Ian Galvin really came into the game and life really difficult for Offaly mainstay, Ben Conneely. Galvin finished up with four from play.
The rain eased up and play became freer as a result. With 10 minutes left, Offaly held a goal advantage at 1-18 to 0-18 but they struggled to make good use of their puckouts as Clare swallowed up any space around the middle. David Reidy was a key difference after coming off the bench. He brought a degree of composure to the Clare attack.
As Offaly struggled to push on, Clare got two quick-fire points from play to put a point between them. Two scoreable shots dropping short and wide sucked the life out of the home side before Clare equalised through a David Reidy free.
Clare then took the lead for the first time in the game from another Reidy free.
Scorers for Clare: David Conroy 0-5 (3fs), Ian Galvin 0-4, Patrick Crotty and David Reidy (2fs) 0-3 each, Shane Meehan, Keith Smyth (2fs) and Seadna Morey 0-2 each, Rory Hayes and Paddy Donnellan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: Eoghan Cahill 0-10 (8fs, 1 ’65), Jack Clancy 1-0, Luke Watkins and Sam Bourke 0-2 each, David Nally, Leon Fox, David King, Eimhin Kelly and Dara Maher 0-1 each.
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Rory Hayes, John Conneally, Conor Leen; Ross Hayes, Conn Smyth, Cian Galvin; Seadna Morey, Darragh Lohan; Gearóid Sheedy, David Conroy, Patrick Crotty; Keith Smyth, Ian Galvin, Shane Meehan.
Subs: Subs: David Reidy for G Sheedy (HT), Conor Cleary for C Leen (HT), Aron Shanagher for D Conroy (50), Colm O’Meara for K Smyth (56), Paddy Donnellan for D Lohan (63).
Offaly: Mark Troy; Padraig Cantwell, Ben Conneely, Sam Bourke; Luke Watkins, Dara Maher, Killian Sampson; Jason Sampson, David King; Jack Clancy, Leon Fox, David Nally; Eimhin Kelly, Oisín Kelly, Eoghan Cahill.
Subs: Subs: Ross Ravenhill for D Maher (56), Paul Cleary for L Fox (69), James Nally for O Kelly (70+2).
Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath).