Clare                                   0  
Munster Senior League 0
at Blarney

It’s been a year of re-building for Clare but on Sunday they moved one step closer to the position they wish to reach when they put in a good performance over a strong Munster Senior League. With one game in the group stages still remaining, Clare are still in with a chance of making the business end of the competition, but it will take a huge win against Limerick coupled with the result of the other remaining game going their way to advance.
On Sunday, though, Clare weren’t looking that far ahead and they’ll have travelled back from Cork pleased with the point. They’ll also have realised that a win was within their grasp but this young team – with six new faces alone in comparison to last year – will have plenty of other outings to impress.
Defensively, Clare will take heart from Sunday. The Clare back four was strong and confident and John Healy wasn’t called into action too often in the opening stages. Whenever he was though, he was displayed a solid pair of hands and it looked like it would take a big effort for the Munster Senior League to breach the Clare goal.
That’s how it played out and with Clare retaining possession after the opening quarter of an hour, they settled in and played some decent football. Midfield continued to work hard and up front, Declan McDonald and Kieran Neenan covered an amount of ground.
It was McDonald who had the first real clear opportunity. He made contact with a Clare corner but his header slipped past the target and the Munster Soccer League were left off the hook. Shortly after, Neenan was through on goal but again, his effort was inches wide.
Clare lost Donal Brody before the break when he tweaked his hamstring after 25 minutes and the management team of Jim Madden, Denis Hynes and Eoin Madden – looking after the team on a caretaking basis – had Liam Murphy to call on as a replacement.
The second half continued in the same manner as the first. The home side had the better of the opening stages but Clare once more found their rhythm and McDonald and Neenan had some more half-chances.
With minutes remaining, Jason Stretton and Neenan linked up but Stretton fired over. The draw seemed a certainty but the Cork Soccer League had one last chance. They rattled the crossbar from a corner kick but had it found the net, it would have been a cruel result for Clare.

Clare League
John Healy (Avenue United), Evan Glynn (Bunratty), Brendan Rochford (Avenue United), Jason Stretton (Newtown), Donal Brody, Jamie Cullen (Newtown), David Russell (Avenue United), Ally McMillian (Rineanna Rovers), Eoin O’Brien (Newmarket Celtic), Declan McDonald (Newtown), Kieran Neenan (Kildysart Celtic). Subs Liam Murphy (Newmarket) for D Brody, Mike O’Malley (Newmarket) for A McMillian, Derek Fahy (Bridge United) for K Neenan.


The Clare League squad.