Late Meehan goal seals opening Munster SHC win for Clare over Waterford
April 19, 2026
Cathal Malone of Clare in action against Waterford's Jamie Barron during the Munster SHC first round clash at Cusack Park, Ennis ©INPHO/Natasha Barton
Clare opened the 2026 Munster senior hurling championship with a 2-33 to 4-21 victory against Waterford in Ennis this afternoon.
Mark Rodgers struck a dozen points for the Banner men while Peter Duggan and Shane Meehan registered their goals as they won out by six in the end.
It was Rodgers’s free that saw the hosts edging a 0-15 to 2-8 lead at the halfway stage, with Stephen Bennett having found the net twice (once from a penalty) for the Deise during the opening period.
Duggan fired in Clare’s first goal two minutes into the restart, but Bennett would complete his hat-trick three minutes later.
Sean Rynne, Diarmuid Stritch and Rodgers would help to raise the Banner’s tally to 1-30 by the hour mark. Waterford netted their fourth major via Sean Walsh soon afterwards, but Brian Lohan’s side kept the scoreboard ticking over with singles from Stritch, Darragh Lohan and Tony Kelly before Meehan netted the insurance score for them in injury-time.
TweetAll over in the first game of the @Munster SHC 🏆@GaaClare 2-33@WaterfordGAA 4-21
— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 19, 2026
Watch the highlights here 👉🎥#CLAvWAT pic.twitter.com/XYbAUYJZjf
