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Tomas Corcoran of Roscommon in action against Gary Brennan of Clare during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
INCREDIBLE. The Clare senior footballers will hit the road again on Sunday when they head to Croke Park for an All-Ireland quarter-final meeting with Galway or Kerry. Clare played pulsating football in the opening 35 minutes with Gary Brennan ruling midfield and Jamie Malone continually running at Roscommon down the middle. Brennan was imperious in that opening half and although he tired after half-time, the Clondegad man showed the country what he can do.This was the first time Clare have won three All-Ireland qualifiers in the same season since the back door was introduced in 2001.
Clare coach Mick Bohan talks to his team before their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Clare captain Gary Brennan talks to his team before their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
The Clare team stand for the anthem before their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Cathal O Connor of Clare in action against Cathal Compton of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Niall Daly of Roscommon in action against Jamie Malone of Clare during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
David Tubridy of Clare celebrates his goal during their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
David Tubridy and Keelan Sexton of Clare celebrate Tubridy’s goal during their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
David Tubridy of Clare celebrates his goal with Jamie Malone during their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Jamie Malone of Clare in action against Niall Mc Inerney of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Gary Brennan of Clare is surrounded by opposition players during the All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Martin Mc Mahon of Clare in action against Donie Shine of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Sean Mulloly of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Jamie Malone of Clare in action against Cathal Compton and Niall Mc Inerney of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Jamie Malone of Clare in action against Enda Smith of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Sean Collins kicked 0-5 in Cratloe’s semi-final win over Miltown. Photograph by John Kelly.
Eoin Cleary of Clare in action against John Mc Manus of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Jamie Malone of Clare celebrates his goal during their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Jamie Malone of Clare celebrates his goal with team mate Eoin Cleary during their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Sean Mullooly of Roscommon in action against Eoin Cleary of Clare during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Enda Smith of Roscommon in action against Gordon Kelly of Clare during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Jamie Malone of Clare in action against Enda Smith of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Cathal O Connor of Clare in action against Ultan Harney of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Enda Smith of Roscommon in action against Gordon Kelly of Clare during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
David Tubridy of Clare in action against Sean Mullooly of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Keelan Sexton of Clare in action against Niall Daly and Niall Mc Inerney of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Cathal O Connor of Clare gestures to the referee before being sent off during their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Keelan Sexton of Clare in action against Niall Daly of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
David Murray of Roscommon in action against Cian O Dea of Clare during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Sean Mc Dermott of Roscommon in action against Dean Ryan of Clare during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Dean Ryan of Clare in action against David Keenan of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Podge Collins of Clare in action against John Mc Manus of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Tomas Corcoran of Roscommon in action against Gary Brennan of Clare during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Niall Mc Inerney of Roscommon in action against Enda Coughlan of Clare during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Shane Mc Grath of Clare in action against David Keenan of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Gordon Kelly of Clare in action against Sean Mc Dermott and Diarmuid Murtagh of Roscommon during their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Roscommon manager Fergal O Donnell in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
David Tubridy of Clare celebrate a late point from the stand during their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Clare manager Colm Collins. Photograph by John Kelly.
Clare youngsters wait to invade the pitch on the sideline during their All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Clare manager Colm Collins, selector DO Brien and Michael O Neill, Liaison officer for the team celebrate following their All-Ireland qualifier win against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Clare manager Colm Collins and Coach Mick Bohan celebrate following their All-Ireland qualifier win against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Roscommon manager Fergal O Donnell congratulates opposition manager Colm Collins of Clare following their All-Ireland qualifier game in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
Podge Collins of Clare celebrates with his parents, team manager Colm and Kate following their All-Ireland qualifier win against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly.
First half goals from David Tubridy and Jamie Malone were the key scores. Malone’s goal was one of the best ever scored by a Clare team playing championship football. Seán Collins, Eoin Cleary and Keelan Sexton were all involved in setting up the lethal Corofin man who buried a sensational finish into the Roscommon net.
Malone was also involved in setting up David Tubridy’s fifth minute goal, while the Doonbeg man also added a point from play in that half.
Come the interval Clare led 2-6 to 0-7 and received a standing ovation from the Clare supporters in a crowd of 4,100. Many had been delayed on the journey to Galway from Clare, due to an accident near Clarinbridge but for those who saw that half, it was worth the journey.
Dean Ryan and the outstanding Eoin Cleary completed Clare’s first half points tally. Clare were dealt a massive blow less than two minutes into the second half when Cathal O’Connor was red carded following a clash with Roscommon’s Niall Daly. Roscommon had full back Seán Mullooly sent off on a second yellow, 11 minutes later following a late tackle on Podge Collins.
Clare were nowhere near as impressive in the second half and only added one point to their tally in the opening 26 minutes of the new half. Eoin Cleary pointed three minutes after the break. Twenty three minutes later Cleary pointed again after a foul on Jamie Malone.
Roscommon’s first score of the second half was an Enda Smith goal in the 19th minute of that half. Clare lost possession and concentration near the sideline and briefly it looked as if Roscommon might rally. However Cleary, Shane McGrath and Seánie Malone put over invaluable points to seal a place in the last eight for Clare. Jamie Malone and Martin McMahon were outstanding as was Gary Brennan, particularly in the first half, although he had picked up a virus during the week.
Thursday’s Clare Champion will feature a more extensive report, along with post match interviews, analysis and a preview of Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final in Croke Park.
Clare: Joe Hayes (Lissycasey); Shane Hickey (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Kevin Harnett (Meelick), Martin McMahon (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora), Gordon Kelly (St Joseph’s, Miltown), Dean Ryan (Éire Óg); Gary Brennan (Clondegad-captain), Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen); Seán Collins (Cratloe), Jamie Malone (Corofin), Eoin Cleary (Miltown); Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare); David Tubridy (Doonbeg).
Subs: Podge Collins (Cratloe) for David Tubridy (47), Shane McGrath (Thomas Davis) for Pearse Lillis (55), Enda Coughlan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for Keelan Sexton (60) Seanie Malone (Miltown) for Eoin Cleary (69), Pat Burke (Kilmacud Crokes) for Seán Collins (70) and Damien Burke (Cooraclare) for Jamie Malone (76).
Scorers: Eoin Cleary (0-6 2f, 1’45), David Tubridy (1-2, 1f), Jamie Malone (1-0), Dean Ryan (0-1), Gary Brennan (0-1), Shane McGrath (0-1) and Seán Malone (0-1).
Roscommon: Darren O’Malley; Seán McDermott, Seán Mullooly, Niall McInerney; John McManus, Niall Daly, David Murray; Cathal Compton, Cathal Keenan; Ultan Harney, Niall Kilroy, Enda Smith; Cathal Cregg, Done Shine, Ciaráin Murtagh (captain).
Subs: Thomas Corcoran for Compton (32), Kevin Higgins for Harney (half-time), Cian Connolly for Murtagh (h-t), Diarmuid Murtagh for C Cregg (42), Conor Devaney for Higgins (46 BC), Fintan Cregg for Shine (67).
Scorers for Roscommon: Enda Smith (1-1), Ciaráin Murtagh 0-3 (3f), Diarmuid Murtagh 0-1 (1f), Seán Mullooly 0-1, Niall Kilroy 0-1 (1f), Donie Shine 0-1 (1f), Conor Devaney 0-1.
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