Clare 5-33 Laois 0-12
By Eoghan Cormican
Four goals from Aaron Shanagher helped Clare to a facile 36-point win in this extremely one-sided hurling qualifier contest.
The outcome had been decided long before the break, Clare enjoying a 2-14 to 0-5 heading back down the tunnel at half-time.
Laois’ cause wasn’t helped by being reduced to 14 men on 27 minutes, Ben Conroy sent off on a second yellow card. The visitors also lost Cahir Healy to injury in the same play.
Clare hit an unanswered 1-5 between there and the break, Aaron Shanagher pouncing for his second goal in first-half stoppages. His first arrived on six minutes after Laois’ keeper Enda Rowland produced a superb save to deny David Reidy. Laois lived with their opponents for the first 20 minutes or so, but it was one-way traffic thereafter.
The second-half was 11 minutes old before Laois managed their sixth point of the contest, Willie Hyland ending a 21-minute barren spell for Cheddar Plunkett’s side. Clare had already tagged on eight points without reply since the resumption and two further goals from Shanagher on 50 and 51 minutes put Clare 30-points clear (4-24 to 0-6).
Podge Collins struck Clare’s fifth goal six minutes from the end. Laois finished with 13-men as Cha Dwyer was sent off on a second yellow.
Scorers for Clare: A Shanagher (4-1); T Kelly (0-10, 0-3 frees); P Collins (1-3); C O’Connell (0-5, 0-4 frees); D McInerney, S O’Donnell (0-3 each); C Cleary, C Galvin, J Conlon (0-2 each); S Golden (0-1).
Scorers for Laois: W Hyland (0-3, 0-3 frees), E Rowland (0-2 frees), C Dwyer (0-2 each); M Whelan, PJ Scully (0-1 free), W Dunphy, M Kavanagh, N Foyle (0-1 each)
Clare: A Fahy; O’Brien, C Dillon, P O’Connor; J Browne, D McInerney, B Bugler; C Cleary, D Reidy; Calvin, J Conlon, T Kelly; P Collins, S O’Donnell, A Shanagher.
Subs: D Fitzgerald for McInerney (43 mins); S Morey for Cleary (43): C O’Connell for Kelly (47); S Golden for Reidy (46); C Ryan for Conlon (51)
Laois: E Rowland; R Mullaney, P Purcell, D Palmer; C Stapleton, C Healy, M Whelan; J Lennon, L Bergin; B Conroy, C Dwyer, PJ Scully; W Hyland, N Foyle, W Dunphy.
Subs: R King for Bergin (10 mins, inj); P Lawlor for Healy (28, inj); M Kavanagh for Scully (40); 46 D Maher for Stapleton (49); J Phelan for Dunphy (58)
Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).
