Clare bow out of Oscar Traynor title race

Inisowen 1 Clare League 0

Clare’s hopes of Oscar Traynor success this season were ended at far away McGinn park in Buncranna on Saturday evening when they had to give best to the home side.

The crucial score came as early as the seventeenth minute when Stephen McLoughlin’s effort from a free kick on the edge of the area flew over the wall and into the top corner of the net.

Clare worked hard in an effort to get back into contention and Eoin Hayes was unlucky when his effort flew past the advancing Inisowen goalie but just wide of the target seven minutes before the break. A few minutes later Eoin O’Brien’s header from a Paddy O’Malley cross was just inches over the top

In the second half Clare continued to chase an equaliser but chances were few against a strong and well organised home side’s defence.

Just past the hour mark, Dave McCarthy’s effort from a free kick flew just over the top. Ten minutes from time Darragh Corry effort forced the home side’s goalie Pat Harkin to go full length to produce a quality save.

The loss of Gary Higgins, who was prominent in the earlier rounds, due to injury proved to be a huge blow to Clare

While Clare made things difficult for the Donegal outfit, the Ulster side defended well and recorded a narrow win to seal a place in the final against either Wexford or Limerick

Clare—John Mulready, Eoin O’Brien, Darren Cullinan Pat Purcell, Sean O’Callaghan; Stephen Kelly, Paddy O’Malley, Darragh Corry, Colin Smith, Eoin Hayes, Evan Talty;

Subs—Dave McCarthy for Talty; Ian Collins for Cullinan; Alan Kelly for O’Malley.—

By Seamus Hayes