16 July 1998 Edition
Sportsview: Well earned draw for Decies men
Waterford and Clare both earned their right to a replay of the Munster Hurling Final, played in the usual colour and razzmatazz associated with the event. The Munster Hurling championship in recent years has been thrown wide open with the rise of Waterford and Clare. Their ascent to title challengers along with the Corks and Tipperarys is to be welcomed. Definitely shades of Clare a few years ago can be seen in Waterford and they certainly have the ability to compete and win in Munster and go further in the championship.
The Decies men in the first half wasted scores of chances after going down to a Clare goal after two minutes. Clare did not waste many of their first half chances and went into an eight-point lead at half time. Anthony Kirwan began the fightback for Waterford with a goal a minute into the half. A re-organised Waterford attack chipped away at the score. Clare's Anthony Daly then appeared to have swung the match back in Clare's favour with with a free, followed by Conor Clancy's point soon afterwards.
Tony Browne kept the Waterford lads in touch, sending over two points. The sending off of Clare's O'Connell gave Waterford's Paul Flynn a chance to win the game from a 100-yard free, but his puck sailed wide, and his chance to become a cult hero in Waterford. Although both sides still would have another chance at all-Ireland glory through the quarter finals, a replayed Munster Final would easily be the preferred option in Clare and Waterford.
Galway made it through to the All-Ireland quarter finals by beating neighbours Roscommon in the Connacht Hurling Final.
Rangers banned from Dublin
Reports in the media at the weekend suggest that the Shelbourne v Rangers game will have no away support. Most readers will all be too aware of the sectarian nature, bigotry and extreme right-wing views of a substantial section of Rangers fans. Shelbourne confirmed through a Sunday newspaper that no tickets for the game will be sold to anyone ``from residences outside the Republic of Ireland''. The club is worried about loyalists and fascist organisations using the occasion to cause trouble, which hapened the last time Rangers came to Dublin in 1984 and when England played here in 1995. On Tuesday and Wednesday, however, contact was established between the FAI, Shels and Rangers in regards to the allocation of tickets and they decided not to play the game in Ireland at all. As we go to press, it appears the match will be in either Wales or England.
BY CIARAN HEAPHEY
The Decies men in the first half wasted scores of chances after going down to a Clare goal after two minutes. Clare did not waste many of their first half chances and went into an eight-point lead at half time. Anthony Kirwan began the fightback for Waterford with a goal a minute into the half. A re-organised Waterford attack chipped away at the score. Clare's Anthony Daly then appeared to have swung the match back in Clare's favour with with a free, followed by Conor Clancy's point soon afterwards.
Tony Browne kept the Waterford lads in touch, sending over two points. The sending off of Clare's O'Connell gave Waterford's Paul Flynn a chance to win the game from a 100-yard free, but his puck sailed wide, and his chance to become a cult hero in Waterford. Although both sides still would have another chance at all-Ireland glory through the quarter finals, a replayed Munster Final would easily be the preferred option in Clare and Waterford.
Galway made it through to the All-Ireland quarter finals by beating neighbours Roscommon in the Connacht Hurling Final.
Rangers banned from Dublin
Reports in the media at the weekend suggest that the Shelbourne v Rangers game will have no away support. Most readers will all be too aware of the sectarian nature, bigotry and extreme right-wing views of a substantial section of Rangers fans. Shelbourne confirmed through a Sunday newspaper that no tickets for the game will be sold to anyone ``from residences outside the Republic of Ireland''. The club is worried about loyalists and fascist organisations using the occasion to cause trouble, which hapened the last time Rangers came to Dublin in 1984 and when England played here in 1995. On Tuesday and Wednesday, however, contact was established between the FAI, Shels and Rangers in regards to the allocation of tickets and they decided not to play the game in Ireland at all. As we go to press, it appears the match will be in either Wales or England.
BY CIARAN HEAPHEY