Steep incline following false start - Clare 3-10 Waterford 1-9

Clare quickly pierced the mood of pre-match positivity and promotion possibilty. They meant business from the first throw in that Gary Brennan caught out of the air.

“We struggled from the start of the game,” Niall Carew said after the management and players assembled in a huddle. “We felt that we had a good pre-season and we were living off that coming into this game. The league is a different animal. We were second best for most of the game. I just felt that we seemed to leave it all on the training field.”

It took twelve minutes for Waterford to launch their first meaningful attack. By that stage they trailed by 1-1 to 0-0. Martin O’Leary caused a nuisance and tucked away his goal chance when Shane Brennan tapped down Shane Hickey’s high delivery.The presence of Brennan meant that the struggled to gain primary ball at midfield. David Tubridy was afforded the space for two from play.

The probing of Shane Briggs from centre back and two points apiece from Paul Whyte and Tony Grey brought them within reach. Whyte and Wayne Hutchinson formed the full forward partnership but they were well stewarded. Waterford needed to move the ball much quicker to find them. A rare example of this was on 20 minutes when two swift kick passes down the left wing found Whyte who curled over superbly. Clare held a well merited two point lead at half time with the wind at their backs on their return.

The heavens opened during the interval and no one wanted to budge. The officials took shelter under the dug outs. Whyte nabbed one back but Waterford toiled for 28 minutes without a score after that. The full forward flicked a goal chance narrowly wide and then hit the post from a free. The Kilrossanty fourteen tried in vain but required assistance. A double substitution for the Banner, shoving in Podge Collins and Michael O’Shea reinvigorated the visitors. Collins made an immediate impression with a point off the outside of the boot. On 48 minutes, Clare pounced on a lucky break for Shane McGrath to write off the contest.

With David Tubridy acting as the ideal target man and O’Shea striking a third goal the lead fattened to twelve at one point. A late flurry of 1-2 from Whyte reeled them in to seven by the end. That last gasp goal marked Waterford’s first score from play in the second half.

On referee watch, Fergal Kelly penalised the home side frequently and unfairly at times. Clare won the free count handsomely (26 to 12).“I felt that they got the frees easier than we did,” Carew noted. He also didn’t opt for the black card despite clear evidence of deliberate pull downs and trips. At least the advantage rule was implemented correctly. When a Clare forward was fouled but kicked short into the goalkeeper, Kelly whistled back for a free which Tubridy knocked over.

What a difference one game makes. Waterford have now drifted out to 16/1 in the Division 4 market. Next up is high flying Tipperary. Peter Creedon’s Premier tallied 2-24 against fourteen man Carlow. Eleven different players chipped in to that hiding. They are 5/4 favourites to lift Division 4 honours. Is one week sufficient to bridge that gap? Niall Carew emphasised the importance of rebounding. "We have Tipp next week and I won’t say it’s a do or die game but it’s getting close to that already. When you lose your first game, it puts you under a lot of pressure." Expect a backlash, a shored up defence and a more sprightly attack to show up in Clonmel next Sunday.

Waterford v Clare stats

Scorers for Clare: D Tubridy 0-6 (3fs), S McGrath, M O’Leary (f) 1-1 each, M O’Shea 1-0, P Collins, S Brennan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Waterford: P Whyte 1-5 (3fs), T Grey 0-2, S Briggs, D Allen 0-1 each.

Clare: P Deloughrey; D Ryan, K Harnett, M McMahon; S Hickey, Stephen Collins, M Murphy; C O’Connor, G Brennan; S Brennan, S McGrath, Sean Collins; M O’Leary, D Tubridy, J Malone.

Subs: P Collins for S Brennan (41), M O’Shea for Malone (41), G Kelly for Stephen Collins (59), P McMahon for Tubridy (64), K O’Connor for Hickey (66), J Keane for Sean Collins (70).

Wides: 6

Frees: 26

Waterford: S Enright; D Crowley, T O Gorman, K Connery; C O Keeffe, S Briggs, C Phelan; T Prendergast, S Ahearne; P Whyte, L Ó Lonáin, D Allen; W Hutchinson, B Wall, T Grey.

Subs: JJ Hutchinson for W Hutchinson (45), O Keevers for Prendergast (53), T Ó hUallacháin for Phelan (60), T Connors for Allen (63), J Hayden for Briggs (67).

Yellow cards: W Hutchinson (16), C Phelan (41), T Prendergast (52).

Wides: 7

Frees 12

Referee: F Kelly (Longford)