| Clare dish out another thrashing
 By
David Thorpe
London 1-3
Clare 0-15
NFL Division 2B
London briefly lit up the gloom on Sunday enjoying a 10-minute spell
which bettered anything they have yet produced this season but ultimately
this was another heavy defeat.
Clare are a poor side but they built victory on their dominance of midfield
where man-of-the-match Peter O’Dywer clipped over four points.
The Bannermen opened the scoring within a minute with a fisted point from
Alan Clohessy after good work from defence. Clare rattled over further
points from O’Dwyer and David Hedigan and left London trailing 0-9
ot 0-0 after 20 miutes.
The London forwards had the beating of their men but rarely saw enough
ball to do anything about it until the 24th minute when Wayne O’Sullivan
found himself in space after a neat interchange of passing and good work
from Niall Clinton to goal for the home side.
Rory Donnelly’s point was an immediate reply for Clare but when
O’Sullivan filched another single for London the faintest whiff
of an upset lingered in the air. Clare were reduced to 14 when Rory Donnelly
was sent to the line just before half-time.
If the end of the first-half promised much for London’s faithful,
the second period betrayed those hopes.
Clare were scarcely better after the change of ends. Believing they had
the game won they tapped the ball around clipping over points as they
pulled away from London without hitting top gear.
Wayne O’Sullivan rounded off an impressive debut with a fine point
on 61 minutes and sub Dermot Slattery added a notch more respectability
to the score with a point after London’s James Quinn received his
second yellow card.
London players seemed to lack self-belief when they got within range of
Clare and it was their shortcomings in midfield which cost them victory.
Paddy McGonigley had his usual outstanding game and was aided by Niall
Clinton and Wayne O’Sullivan.
Clare are a moderate side. They are unlikely to win another game this
year by nine points and that says much about London’s participation
in the National Football League.
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