All Ireland Senior Qualifier Rd 2

Dublin              2-22

Clare              0-15

Bottom line Dublin the winners, Clare the losers. Lack of pace, poor striking and simply beaten by a better side sums up Clare’s tame championship exit.

Anthony Daly’s knowledge of the Clare set-up played a key part in Dublin’s match-winning strategy. Daly’s side had pace where Clare had none and accurate forwards against tackle shy defenders as Clare were wiped out in defence. Prior to the game Daly commented,  “when you in the darkest corner you have to get out of it”, a reference to the drubbing handed out by Kilkenny.

The game’s first score fell to Alan McCrabbe from a free after four minutes of low key action following a wide from a free by Colin Ryan. Clare were on level terms after 6 minutes through Clonlara’s John Conlon. The standard of fare was low key in the opening 10 minutes as Pat Vaughan sent a long range free a foot wide.

A brilliant point from Fergal Lynch was the highlight as Clare’s defence was tested by the Dublin forwards running hard at them.

David O’Callaghan pointed from play as Conor Cooney was finding Peadar Carton a troublesome opponent. Colin Ryan and Stephen Hiney added minors as Clare lost Pat Vaughan with an ankle injury. Nicky O’Connell entered the fray while Domhnall O’Donovan reverted to corner back.

Jonathan Clancy was winning no ball in his battle with Stephen Hiney as Dublin hit nine in a row from David O’Callaghan (4), Alan McCrabbe (3), Shane Durkin and a huge score from Peter Kelly. The game looked over for Clare after 30 minutes  trailing by 0-13 to 0-4.

Clare’s first score in 15 minutes came from John Conlon before O’Callaghan, Jonathan Clancy and Nicky O’Connell exchanged scores in  the final moments of a torrential first with Clare retiring 0-14 to 0-7 behind at the break.

Clare started the second half with Markham at the edge of the square, Dillon at right corner back, Conlon at right half forward and Lynch at number 11.

They struck early for the first score in the 36th with Ryan on target from a free. A hat trick of scores from Fergal Lynch, Nicky O’Connell and Darach Honan cut Dublin’s lead to 3 pts. Colin Ryan’s point from a 65 left the minimum separating the sides as Conlon sneaked in the ball for a welcome score.

Suddenly the game turned following a Donal Tuohy error. The goalkeeper missed Peter Kelly’s speculative effort and the ball bounced tamely to the net. There was further mishap when Patrick Donnellan was carried off injured and replaced by Gerry Quinn.

Alan McCrabbe (2) stretched Dublin’s lead to six in the 54th minute as Clare needed at least two goals to win the tie. Darach Honan wasted a simple point scoring chance and within seconds Maurice O’Brien  had the ball over the line at the Clare end.

Clare were clutching at straws for the last quarter. Nicky O’Connell assumed freetaking duties but sent an effort wide to match three from play by the Clare forwards.

Simon Lambert added 1-1 either side of a McCrabbe sideline point put the game beyond doubt. Dublin’s half back line was the magnificent foundation for their win.

In victory, Dublin will feel their development is continuing and 2-22 is an impressive return they ran at Clare’s key players, with abandon. Their best included Oisin Gough, Brady, Hiney, Boland, Kelly, O’Callaghan, McCrabbe and McCaffrey.

Clare were beaten everywhere and while the ever popular blame game is underway it was a case of a division 1 team facing a division two side. The loss of Vaughan and Donnellan severely weakened the defence with only Fergal Lynch showing well along with Brendan Bugler and Brian O’Connell.

DUBLIN: Gary Maguire, Niall Corcoran, Tomas Brady, Oisin Gough, Stephen Hiney (0-2), Joe Boland, Peter Kelly (1-1), John McCaffrey, Maurice O’Brien (0-1), Declan O’Dwyer (0-1), Liam Rushe (0-1), Shane Durkin(0-1), Peadar Carton, David O’Callaghan (0-6), Alan McCrabbe (0-8). Subs: Michael Carton for P Carton, Liam Ryan for O’Dwyer, Simon Lambert (1-1) for Durkin, Kevin Flynn for Rushe, Shane Ryan for O’Callaghan.

CLARE: Donal Touhy, Pat Vaughan, Cian Dillon, Conor Cooney, Brendan Bugler (0-1), Diarmuid McMahon, Patrick Donnellan, Brian O’Connell, Domhnall O’Donovan, Sean Collins (0-1), John Conlon (0-3), Jonathan Clancy (0-2), Darach Honan (0-1), Fergal Lynch (0-2), Colin Ryan (0-3). Subs: Nicky O’Connell (0-2) for Vaughan (inj), Alan Markham for Collins, David Barrett for Ryan, Gerry Quinn for Donnellan (inj),

REFEREE: John Sexton (Cork)