Sam Shanahan hit two goals with Gavin Faulkner and an o.g. completing the scoring. Waterford just had too much in the locker for a game Clare side, with Mitchell Casey and Leo Jacques in command at the back Waterford never looked in trouble. The two full backs Thomas Moore and Brain Nolan were excellent with Nolan having a fantastic first half.

Out wide Gary Keane and Sam Shanahan were always in the action, in the middle Eddie Barrett and Colin O’Shea are two fine players but we must be careful not to get out muscled the further we go into the competition. Up front the two strikers are top class but they will have to put away those chances if the team is to be successful.

As the game kicked off it was Clare who made the better start and they had a couple of early chances. On four minutes Kieran Hackett fired in a twenty yard drive that just cleared the crossbar, and then Peter Barrow tried a long range effort that flew inches over the bar. Waterford slowly worked their way into the game and Eddie Barrett and Colin O’Shea began to take command of midfield. Now the chances began to flow for Waterford. Brian Nolan found space wide on the right and played a clever ball into the feet of Kenny Purcell. The striker turned quickly into the box and fired in a low drive that forced a good save from Clare goalkeeper Mike Fitzpatrick.

WELL ON TOP

Clare had no answer to the overlapping runs of Water-ford right full Brian Nolan, once more he went galloping down the right and delivered a perfect pass to Gary Keane who dragged his shot wide from ten yards. On thirty four minutes Waterford took the lead, Nolan down the right again this time he found Gavin Faulkner in space, he turned in a cross to the far post and Sam Shanahan arrived on cue to steer the ball into the net from close range.

On forty one minutes Waterford should have doubled their lead, Colin O’Shea slipped the ball into Kenny Purcell his shot was turned around the post by Mike Fitzpatrick. Those misses almost came back to haunt Waterford two minutes to half time. John Kerin pulled a ball back from the end line and the ball fell into the path of Kieran Hackett but he swept the chance over the crossbar. The Waterford management team were not happy at half time as Waterford had missed a hatful of chances. So the players came out with the managers words ringing in their ears and straight from the kick off they set about finishing off Clare. Gavin Faulkner set up Kenny Purcell in the first minute of the second half and only a fine save from Fitzpatrick stopped Purcell from scoring. Faulkner then tried his luck with a quick snap shot but the Clare net minder was on his toes to save at the near post. Minutes later Gary Keane slipped past Alan Horan and his cross found the diving Colin O’Shea but his header flew past the far post. On fifty six minutes Waterford went two up, Colin O’Shea drove a cross into the box and the unfortunate Ciobhvion Philipson turned the ball into his own net. Five minutes later Waterford were three up, Sam Shanahan picked up a pass from Eddie Barrett and Hammered a powerful left foot shot into the far corner of the net.

RAMPANT BLUES

The nearest Clare came to scoring in the second half came when David McCarthy picked up a clearance from the Waterford defence and he sent in a superb volley that brought the save of the match from Kevin Burns. At the other end Gavin Faulkner hit a powerful shot that beat the keeper but rebounded off the crossbar. In the last minute Faulkner got his reward as he knocked home Waterford’s fourth goal. Jason Foran raced away down the right and his perfect cross was met at the far post by Faulkner who scored with a well directed header.

THE WATERFORD LEAGUE: Kevin Burns, Brian Nolan, Thomas Moore, Mitchell Casey, Leo Jacques, Eddie Barrett, Colin O’Shea, Gary Keane, Gavin Faulkner, Kenny Purcell, Sam Shanahan. Subs: Jason Foran for Gary Keane 75 mins.

Subs Not Used; Ian Daly, Tom Moore,Tony Winters, Clive Prendergast,Andrew Power, Arron Butler.

THE CLARE LEAGUE: Mike Fitzpatrick, Sean Dobbin, Alan Horan, Dean Ryan, Colm Tracey, Damian Ryan, Killan Malone, David McCarthy,Peter Barrow, Kieran Hacett, John Kerin. Subs: Ciobhvion Philipson for Sean Dobbin h/t. Lungafor Malone 65 mins. Andy Fitzgerald for Hackett 80mins.

Subs Not Used : Shane Cusack, Tom Mullin, Liam Keane.

Referee : Noel Purcell.

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