Clare roared through to a Munster semi-final in June with an emphatic 1-24 to 0-9 victory over Waterford at Ennis this evening.
It was looking good for the visitors when they led by 0-7 to 0-5 with the interval approaching but a run of 1-16 without reply in a devastating half-hour of play between the 26th and 56th minutes saw the winners take complete control of proceedings.
The losers started brightest and eased into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead after 19 minutes but the Banner boys - who would have ten different scorers over the hour - finished the first half brilliantly, reeling off five of the next six points - including four without reply from Lee Brack (free), Keith White, Tiernan Agnew and Diarmuid Ryan from the 26th minute onwards - to grab a 0-9 to 0-7 advantage at the break.
Billy Power's point had made it 4-2 to Na Deise after 15 minutes but Clare midfielder White was the outstanding player on view during that opening half hour, embellishing a superb display with four first-half points from play. He added two more in the second half.
With 1,622 looking on, the third quarter was a procession as Sean Doyle's hosts reeled off six unanswered points to lead by eight and the brilliant Banner registered 14 unanswered points in total either side of the break before substitute Colin Haugh netted in the 53rd minute to really put the game to bed, 1-19 to 0-7. Gary Cooney landed three points for the winners while Agnew, Ryan, Cathal Darcy and Conor Tierney got two apiece.
Waterford had hit their seventh point in the 21st minute and they didn't get their eighth until the 57th as Clare stormed to a very comfortable success but both teams are still very much in this year's Munster minor hurling championship.
Clare, who could also afford 17 wides tonight, progress to a semi-final in late June while James Lacey's Waterford will square up to Cork in a semi-final play-off in either three or four weeks.
Clare - E Foudy; C McInerney, R Hayes, C Ferns; D Ryan (0-2), C Minogue, A McCarthy; C Darcy (0-2), K White (0-6); L Brack (0-4, 2f), G Cahill (0-1), C Tierney (0-2); T Agnew (0-2), G Cooney (0-3), B Horner. Subs: R Considine (0-1) for C Tierney, C Haugh (1-1) for G Cahill, P Corry for L Brack, S Crowley for C Ferns, E Wallace for K White.
Waterford - E Browne; C Giles Doran, J Flavin, T Foley; M Power, L O'Brien, S Whelan Barrett; I Daly (0-1), I Beecher (0-1); C Power, S Carton, T Barron; T Looby, S Crotty (0-1), B Power (0-5, 2f, 1'65). Subs: T Douglas (0-1) for S Carton, N O'Keeffe for T Looby, D Booth for S Crotty, C Whelan for T Barron, E McGrath for I Daly.
Referee - J Mullins.
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