Clare’s promotion hopes were dashed at Cusack Park earlier on as their strong second half display was not enough to overcome the challenge of Armagh.
Armagh 3-11
Clare 1-11
Venue: Cusack Park
Despite outscoring their opponents 1-07 to 1-03 in the second half, Clare suffered their third defeat in five games. Ultimately Clare paid the price for a poor first half and although they put in a super effort in the second thirty five, the damage was done.
Clondegad’s Shane Brennan was first off the mark after he reacted quickly to notch a point, when a free from brother Gary hit the crossbar. Colm Collins’ side increased their lead to two points on six minutes when a quick free by Gary Brennan found Jamie Malone who duly pointed.
Armagh opened their account on seven minutes in the best possible manner. A kickout from Paddy Morrison bypassed the Clare midfield and fell to Mark Shields who picked out full-forward Ethan Rafferty and the Grange man slotted the ball past Joe Hayes in the Clare net.
Further points for the Ulstermen from Andy Mallon, Eugene McVerry, Michael McKenna and two via the left boot of Aidan Forker extended their lead to three points with fifteen minutes played. A fluffed shot from Tony Kernan was broken through by Ethan Rafferty and fell in the path of Kernan and the Crossmaglen Rangers man fired the ball to the bottom right corner of the net.
Jamie Malone responded for the Banner with a white flag on the twenty third minute. Efforts from Michael McKenna and Andrew Murnin strengthened Armagh’s lead. Caolan Rafferty and Clare captain, Gary Brennan exchanged scores before the half-time whistle which left the Orchard County ten points clear at the interval.
A well-worked move for Clare was completed by Shane McGrath to get the first score of the new half less than two minutes after the resumption. Éire Óg’s Dean Ryan made a great run the length of the field before offloading to Gary Brennan who dispatched to Cathal O’Connor and he fired over another point for the Banner.
Gary Brennan pointed from a free with five minutes gone in the second half to cut the gap to seven points. A Clare attack on the sixth minute was completed by Kilmacud Crokes man Pat Burke who tucked the ball into the bottom right corner of Paddy Morrison’s net. Efforts from Seán Collins and Jamie Malone sailed between the sticks to bring the distance between the sides to two points.
Stephen Harold and Cathal O’Connor swapped scores at the halfway stage as the Clare crowd fully got behind their team. Pointed frees from Jamie Clarke and Tony Kernan increased Armagh’s lead to four points with sixty one minutes on the clock. Kernan sealed the victory when he was the extra man on the overlap in an Armagh attack and he beat Joe Hayes in the Clare goal for the second time in the encounter to leave it 3-11 to 1-11 in favour of the visitors at the final whistle.
Although Kieran McGeeney will be disappointed with the second half performance of his charges, there were a number of positives for his side to take from the clash. Mentally, the Orchard County held their nerve at key times. When a goal was needed they got it and when full-time was fast approaching, Armagh found that extra edge to push on. Their turnover count was over six times that of Clare and they constantly intercepted possession just when Clare looked like getting a score. Their main fault today was they only hit 1-03 in the second half and this needs to be addressed prior to next week’s home tie versus Louth. Mark Shields, Tony Kernan and Caolan Rafferty impressed for the Division 3 table-toppers.
Losing a game they came close to winning will be very frustrating for Colm Collins and the entire Clare panel. As the old Irish seanfhocal says ‘Tús maith leath na hoibre’ which translates as a good start is half the work; while they did get the first two scores of the game, Clare’s first half is what ultimately lost them this game. They failed to win a single Armagh kickout and lost seven of their own kickouts in the first thirty five. However, they showed what they’re made of in the second half with some excellent fight and hunger. The ‘traditionalists’ predicted Armagh to have a comfortable win in this contest and it was far from cosy as they were made to sweat it out up until Tony Kernan’s decisive goal; this Clare team has the potential to defy the odds but they need to play for a full seventy minutes and not cough up possession so cheaply in order to do so. Martin McMahon, Jamie Malone and Dean Ryan were Clare’s strongest performers.
Teams:
Armagh:
Paddy Morrison (Armagh Harps)
Mark McConville (Armagh Harps)
Charlie Vernon (Armagh Harps)
Michael Murray (Cullyhanna)
Andy Mallon (Pearse Óg) (0-01)
Finnian Moriarity (Wolfe Tone)
Mark Shields (Whitecross)
Peter Carragher (Silverbridge)
Aaron Findon (St Peter’s)
Caolan Rafferty (Grange) (0-01)
Michael McKenna (Grange) (0-02 1f)
Aidan Forker (Maghery) (0-02)
Tony Kernan (Crossmaglen Rangers) (2-01 1f)
Ethan Rafferty (Grange (1-00)
Eugene McVerry (Mullaghbawn) (0-01)
Subs:
Andrew Murnin (St Paul’s) (0-01) for E Rafferty (26:30) (BC)
Ciaron O’Hanlon (St Paul’s) for Mallon (44:37) (BC)
Stephen Harold (Carrickcuppan) (0-01) for Carragher (44:53)
Jamie Clarke (Crossmaglen Rangers) (0-01 1f) for McKenna (59:42).
Brendan Donaghy (Clonmore) for McVerry (68:41).
Clare:
Joe Hayes (Lissycasey)
Martin McMahon (Kilmurry/Ibrickane)
Kevin Hartnett (Meelick)
Dean Ryan (Éire Óg)
Ciarán Russell (Éire Óg)
Gordon Kelly (St Josephs Miltown)
Shane Hickey (Kilmurry/Ibrickane)
Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen) (0-02 1f)
Gary Brennan (Clondegad) (0-02 2f)
Seán Collins (Cratloe) (0-01)
Jamie Malone (Corofin) (0-03)
Shane McGrath (Thomas Davis) (0-01)
Pádraic Collins (Cratloe)
Shane Brennan (Clondegad) (0-01)
Pat Burke (Kilmacud Crokes) (1-00).
Referee: Michael Collins (Cork).
