Division One A/Wexford 1-12 Clare 1-10:Wexford got off the mark in Cusack Park, Ennis, yesterday, recording their first win in Division One A of the National Hurling League in what was a poor game overall.
Not that Wexford manager John Meyler will mind. After losing heavily to Waterford in their opening match this victory was the perfect response.
Clare were expected to add to their win over Down two weeks earlier but off-the-pitch events have cast a bit of a cloud. A victory yesterday would have helped to banish some of the negativity surrounding Clare's hurling affairs but Wexford only added to their woes.
A tame affair littered with too many basic errors, the game never reached any great heights. In the end it was the visitors' greater hunger and determination to win that saw them emerge with the two points on offer.
Yet, Clare opened brightly and early scores from Niall Gilligan, Tony Carmody and Barry Nugent had the home team in good heart.
Eoin Quigley notched the visitors' opening score, a point, after three minutes, but it was a Richie Kehoe goal in the ninth minute that gave the first real hint that an upset might be on the cards.
Poor marking in the Clare back line allowed the full forward to take a pass from Stephen Banville in his stride before he found the net with a venomous shot from close range.
Clare soon regained the initiative but the loss of wing forward Jonathan Clancy in the 19th minute robbed their attack of the Clarecastle man's cutting edge.
Despite this setback, Clare regained the lead and led by a solitary point, 0-6 to 1-2, 10 minutes before half-time.
The moving of Gilligan to centre forward late in the half helped but Wexford were level by half-time - points by Banville and Paul Carley levelling matters up. A Rory Jacob point just after the restart edged Wexford in front again.
Clare rallied and a goal by substitute Bernard Gaffney on 50 minutes suggested they would go on to win. His clinically-taken score left his side 1-9 to 1-7 ahead.
Clare would add only one more score as Wexford showed their resolve.
While Gilligan pointed a free in the 55th minute, a resolute Wexford defence kept them at bay for the remainder of the game.
Three scores in as many minutes helped to steady Wexford nerves and restore their lead. With nine minutes left they led by a single point, 1-11 to 1-10.
Instead of pulling clear, some poor finishing by the visitors kept the Banner in with a chance. Meyler's men registered four successive wides as Clare clung on.
A Clare onslaught followed, but the Wexford defence withstood the home team's pressure.
Malachy Travers excelled for Wexford. The right corner back was outstanding throughout and never more so than in the dying minutes when the pressure was really on.
In the end, it was Wexford who produced the last score. Deep into injury-time and with the last action of the match, substitute Robbie Codd fired over a shot to wrap up the win.
WEXFORD: D Fitzhenry; M Travers, D O'Connor, P Roche; C Lawler, K Rossiter, C Kenny; S Nolan (0-1), R McCarthy; M Jacob (0-1), E Quigley (0-1), S Banville (0-1); P Carley (0-4, two frees), R Kehoe (1-0), R Jacob (0-2). Subs: W Doran for Lawler (30 mins), M Jordan (0-1) for McCarthy (half-time), R Codd (0-1) for Nolan (45 mins), M Doyle for Banville (51 mins).
CLARE: P Brennan; C Forde, B O'Connell, K Dilleen; G Quinn, C Plunkett, A Markham; B Bugler, D O'Rourke; T Carmody (0-2), C Lynch, J Clancy (0-1); B Nugent (0-3), N Gilligan (0-4, two frees), A Quinn. Subs: S O'Brien for Forde (16 mins), B Gaffney (1-0) for Clancy inj. (19 mins), J McInerney for O'Rourke inj. (45 mins), P Vaughan for Carmody, (63 mins), D O'Connell for Nugent inj. (63 mins).
Referee: J Sexton (Cork).
