Clare had to endure a nervy scare before finally maintaining their perfect Allianz Hurling League home record when defeating Wexford in front of 4,245 in Cusack Park, Ennis on Sunday afternoon.
Cruising by 13 points entering the final 20 minutes, nothing but a handsome Banner victory seemed on the cards. However, much like their last home game against Kilkenny, Clare would take their foot off Wexford’s throats and it would almost prove extremely costly as a 1-8 unanswered 13 minute rally would slash the arrears to just two at 2-19 to 1-20 by the 63rd minute.
Finally ending their 16 minute barren patch, Clare did restore a four point gap entering injury-time but again failed to close out the contest and in the end, the hosts were thankful to goalkeeper Donal Tuohy for preventing a last gasp equalising goal when tipping away a Rory O’Connor pulled effort.
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Liam Ryan (0-01), Darren Byrne, Shane Reck; Paudie Foley, Shaun Murphy (1-00), Matthew O’Hanlon; Diarmuid O’Keeffe (0-01), Liam Óg McGovern (0-02); Kevin Foley (0-02), Ian Byrne (0-04, 0-04f), Aidan Nolan (0-01); Cathal Dunbar (0-02), Lee Chin (0-01), Rory O’Connor (0-05, 0-01f)
Subs: Conor McDonald for McGovern (HT), Paul Morris (0-01) for Byrne (HT), Damien Reck for S. Reck (54), Jack O’Connor (0-02, 0-01f) for Dunbar (55), Harry Kehoe for Nolan (67), Taken from Eoin Brennan Report on https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/0224/1032489-clare-have-enough-in-reserve-to-repel-wexford/
Photos: Noel Reedy @OfficialWexfordgaa
