Allianz HL D1B: Clare win again
David Reidy, Clare, and Lorcan Doyle, Carlow, in Allianz Hurling League action. Photo by Paul Phelan/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division 1B
Clare 1-28 Carlow 0-18
By Kieran Murphy at Netwatch Cullen Park
Unbeaten Clare continue to dominate the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B table, making it five wins out of five as they cruised to victory over Carlow.
The Banner got off to a great start surging into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead after only eight minutes. The goal came in the second minute when the Carlow defence failed to deal with the dropping ball and Shane Meehan was on hand to shoot home from close range. Diarmuid Stritch also scored two points as Clare threatened to overwhelm the home side.
Carlow improved, but still relied heavily on frees from Chris Nolan but his brother, Jon, also raised two white flags in the opening half. A Carlow attack almost brought a goal but Clare keeper, Eibhear Quilligan, saved brilliantly in the second quarter.
Just before the change of ends, Fiachra Fitzpatrick scored an excellent Carlow point. At the interval, the eventual winners led 1-15 to 0-8 with five of their starting forwards all scoring from play.
The visitors looked to go up a gear in the second half where Mark Rodgers was deadly accurate from placed balls. David Fitzgerald also scored three points from play. Carlow dug in and refused to roll over. Full-forward, Jack Treacy, scored a point himself and made another for Chris Nolan.
With nine minutes to go, Jon Nolan picked up a second yellow, but they home side still finished the game well. It was tit for tat in the closing stages with the sides sharing six points, but from a Clare point of view, they had ensured themselves of victory with that superior first half performance.
Scorers for Clare: M Rodgers 0-11 (9fs), S Meehan 1-3, D Stritch 0-4, D Fitzgerald, D Reidy 0-3 each J O’Neill 0-2 R Taylor, S Rynne 0-1 each.
Scorers for Carlow: C Nolan 0-11 (8fs), J Nolan 0-3, J Treacy 0-2, F Fitzpatrick, C Beck 0-1 each.
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Dylan McMahon, Conor Cleary, Conor Leen; Cathal Malone, David McInerney, Jamie Moylan; Diarmuid Stritch, Ryan Taylor; Jack O’Neill, Jack Kirwan, David Fitzgerald; Shane Meehan, Mark Rodgers, David Reidy.
Subs: Ronan Kilroy for McInerney (6), Ian Galvin for Reidy (46), Sean Rynne for Kirwan (50), Aidan Fawl for Moylan (54), John Conneally for Leen (60).
Carlow: Brian Tracey; Paul Doyle, Dion Wall, Lorcan Doyle; Fiach O’Toole, Kevin McDonald, Paidi O’Shea; Kevin Kavanagh, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Jon Nolan, Donagh Murphy, Eric English; Ted Joyce, Jack Treacy, Chris Nolan.
Subs: Richard Coady for O’Shea (h/t), Tadgh O’Neill for L Doyle (h/t), John Doyle for Joyce (43), Colm Beck for Kavanagh (50), Marty Kavanagh for English (59).
Referee: C Mooney (Dublin
