Relegation fears grow for Clare as Wexford earn first win
Páraic McMahon reports from Cusack Park, Ennis
DESPITE FIELDING THEIR strongest team of the year yet, with the first starting appearances of Tony Kelly, John Conlon, Mark Rodgers, David Fitzgerald and Rory Hayes, Clare could not end their losing streak as Wexford left Ennis with their first league win of 2025.
Wexford were the much stronger side for the second half after Clare led by Kelly started brightly. However the trend evident in the league to date of Clare’s lightning quick first quarter followed by a gradual fading out of the contest continued.
An attendance of 4,641 were present in Cusack Park. A minute’s silence was held for Bishop Emeritus of Killaloe, Willie Walsh before a ball was pucked, the Roscrea native was President of Clare GAA at the time of his sudden death on Wednesday evening.
Seamus Casey and Lee Chin led the way for Keith Rossiter’s charges as they picked up what could be a valuable two points on the road.
With his first touch, Tony Kelly had the sliotar in the back of the net, Mark Rodgers was quickest to react to a break from a puckout and offloaded to Kelly to open the scoring inside the first two minutes. The All-Ireland winning captain hit 1-4 over the 70 minutes, all of which came in the opening half.
By the seventh minute, Clare led 1-3 – 0-1, a Cian Byrne free getting the visitors off the mark. It was the St Mogue’s Fethard man who levelled matters for the first time when converting a 65m free on twenty three minutes and he nudged them in front with another free on twenty seven minutes, moments after wing back Richie Lawlor split the posts for the second time.
Kevin Foley, Seamus Casey, Lee Chin and Byrne were on target as Wexford hit the final four scores of the first half to hold a 0-15 1-9 advantage at the interval.
Even though Ian Macnamara hit the first score on the restart, a flat second half followed from Clare while Wexford continued to exploit gaps in defence and find their danger men with a much more frequent supply of possession.
Macnamara’s point was one of only four Clare points from play in the second half, David Reidy, Patrick Crotty and substitute Robin Mounsey also adding to their account.
Seamus Casey struck for Wexford’s all-important goal on 50 minutes. Cian Byrne gathered possession by the sideline, struck a precision pass to the on-rushing and unmarked Damien Reck who carried forward before popping to corner forward Casey, he was initially blocked by Rory Hayes but gathered the rebound and finished beyond Eibhear Quilligan.
This score put Wexford four points ahead and put them in the ascendancy, they never loosened their grip from here to the final whistle and even the dismissal of Cian Byrne on a straight red card would not derail their cause as they recorded a merited six point win.
For the winners, Lee Chin, Seamus Casey and Cian Byrne caused problems in attack with Cathal Dunbar, Richie Lawlor and Damien Reck impressive throughout.
Of more concern than the return of three defeats in as many outings for Clare will be the lack of non-established players stepping up to the plate, aside from wing-back Cian Galvin. Tony Kelly was very lively in the opening half but overall the display from the All-Ireland champions was far from where they need it to be.
Scorers for Wexford: C Byrne (0-9 6f 2’65), S Casey (1-3), L Chin (0-5 2f), R Lawlor (0-2), C Dunbar (0-2), J Redmond (0-1), K Foley (0-1)
Scorers Clare: A McCarthy (0-8 7f 1’65), T Kelly (1-4), R Taylor (0-1), I Macnamara (0-1), P Crotty (0-1), D Reidy (0-1), R Mounsey (0-1)
Wexford:1: Mark Fanning (Glynn-Barntown);
4: Conor Foley (Horsewood), 2: Eoin Ryan (St Anne’s), 3: Simon Donohoe (Shelmaliers);
5: Richie Lawlor (Faythe Harriers), 6: Damien Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien), 7: Charlie McGuckin (Naomh Éanna);
8: Conor Hearne (Shelmaliers), 9: Cathal Dunbar (Naomh Éanna);
11: Jack Redmond (Rathnure St Anne’s), 24: Lee Chin (Faythe Harriers), 10: Jack O’Connor (St Martins);
15: Seamus Casey (Oylegate-Glenbrien), 14: Cian Byrne (St Mogue’s Fethard), 13: Kevin Foley (Rapparees)
Subs:
17: Simon Roche (Oulart the Ballagh) for Redmond (51)
25: Shane Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien) for Roche (67)
19: Tomás Kinsella (Askamore) for Casey (74)
Clare:1: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle);
4: Ian Macnamara (Killanena), 3: Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones), 2: Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones);
7: Adam Hogan (Feakle), 6: John Conlon (Clonlara), 5: Cian Galvin (Clarecastle);
8: Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), 9: Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin);
10: David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona), 11: Mark Rodgers (Scariff), 12: Patrick Crotty (Scariff);
13: Aidan McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona), 14: Tony Kelly (Ballyea), 15: David Reidy (Éire Óg)
Subs:
21: Ross Hayes (Crusheen) for Conlon (40)
17: Paddy Donnellan (Broadford) for Malone (45)
25: Robin Mounsey (Ruan) for Fitzgerald (55)
19: Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones) for Rodgers (62)
22: Conor Leen (Corofin) for Lohan (66)
Ref: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin)
The 42
