Clare limped out of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship after paying the price for a very sluggish first half losing by four points to Tipperary.
Tipperary 1-15
Clare 1-11
Venue: Semple Stadium, Thurles.
A shocking opening thirty minutes proved too costly for the Banner County as they allowed Tipperary dictate matters all over the field while some reckless shooting on Clare’s behalf hindered their ability to control affairs as they hit eight wides in the first half alone.
Each side had their respective periods of dominance. For Tipperary it was the first half as they outscored Clare 9-4 while it was the visitors who put in the better second half performance and indeed they got the greater amount of scores 8-7. When it comes to sport the only score that matters is the one at the final whistle and it was the Premier County who reigned supreme in that instance.
Colm Fitzgerald opened the scoring with less than two minutes played as the Sixmilebridge clubman split the posts with a sideline cut from over forty yards out. Tipp responded with two points in succession from the stick of Daragh Carey. Their lead could have been greater had it not been for a great save from Jason Loughnane in the Clare goal where he denied Lyndon Fairbrother a certain goal on the eight minute. Loughnane’s save spurred on his teammates as Wolfe Tones’ Jack Cunnigham hit over a score from the 45 just under the Dr Kinane Stand.
From here Liam Cahill’s Tipperary side took hold of proceedings hitting six scores without reply. Corner-forward Lyndon Fairbrother opened his account on the twelfth minute while Garry Ryan pointed straight from a Padraic Hayes puckout six minutes later. Drom & Inch’s Tommy Nolan found the back of the Clare net after some very loose marking left the corner-forward alone on the edge of the square and he made no mistake in beating Jason Loughnane. Nolan picked off another point on the twenty seventh minute and Tipp increased their lead to eight points with a David Gleeson point. Midfielders Colm Fitzgerald and Alan Tynan exchanged scores on the twenty ninth minute before a Aron Shanagher free left the half-time score reading 1-08 to 0-04 in favour of the hosts.
JK Brackens man Lyndon Fairbrother was on target from placed balls as the second half commenced splitting the posts on two occasions inside the opening four minutes while David Gleeson chipped in with a white flag to leave Tipp ten points clear. Clare’s long awaited fightback sparked into life with thirty seven minutes played as two Aron Shanagher frees in succession brought Kenny Morrissey’s charges to life. Daragh Carey pointed for Tipp with nine minutes played due to some poor marking in the Clare defence. Clare responded with a point from substitute Aidan Kennedy after a pass from Colm Fitzgerald fell right in the path of the lively Kilmaley attacker. Shanagher was on target with a 65 on the eleventh minute and his clubmate Jack Cunningham tore through the Tipp defence before hitting the sliotar over Padraic Hayes’ crossbar to reduce the gap to six points.
Indiscipline on Clare’s behalf was punished as Fairbrother pointed from a free on the eighteenth minute. The Banner were handed a lifeline as a long range free from Jason McCarthy floated around the Tipperary goalmouth before Feakle’s Martin Daly flicked the sliotar to the back of the net to leave four points separating the sides with eleven minutes to play. Ballinahinch’s David Gleeson and Aidan Kennedy swapped scores to ensure no change in the distance between the sides. Wing-forward Aron Shanagher raised a white flag from a free but it was too little too late for Clare as a point from Mikey Connors in the closing minutes sealed the win for the hosts and their place in the Munster Final.
A first Munster title since 2012 is within Tipperary’s grasp as they prepare for the July 12th encounter against the victors of Cork vs Limerick. Although they got over the line today, silverware should be the last thing on their minds as they buckled when push came to shove and had Clare been more economical in the first half they would not be in the Munster Final. Losing captain Stephen Quirke with seventeen minutes played in the first half was a big blow and they will need the strong Moyle Rovers man back in action for their big outing. Overall the Premier County were the better team, they were more balanced, they linked up well with one another and their movement off the ball was impressive. Further improvement is required if they’re to have aspirations of lifting silverware but Liam Cahill possess a strong bench which is vital at this grade. David Gleeson, Brian McGrath and Tommy Nolan were to the fore for the victors.
As they look back on this game, Clare will be full of regret and frustration. This was their season defining game and they didn’t do themselves justice, for all the work that goes into preparing an inter-county side their sixty minute showing did not merit the effort put in. Clare’ shooting was abysmal with twelve wides over the hour, eight of them coming in the first half. Players opted to shoot from crazy angles instead of being more unselfish and passing to a teammate. In recent years; Clare teams have showed class, flair and a fearless nature, none of the above was present in this display. If they performed to anywhere near their capability Clare would be in Munster final. Referee Joe Larkin had a good hour as let the game flow but the Cork man had to pull for silly frees on Clare’s behalf and Lyndon Fairbrother punished this indiscipline when silly fouls were committed in front of goal. The Saffron and Blue must be praised for their second half comeback, but their period of control in the second half showed just how differently events could have unfolded. Aidan Kennedy, Jack Cunningham, Jason Loughnane and Darren Chaplin were Clare’s best.
Teams:
Tipperary: Padraic Hayes (Ballingarry); Enda Heffernan (Clonulty/Rossmore), Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch), James Quigley (Kildangan); Jack Skehan (Holycross Ballycahill), Brian McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney), Kevin Hassett (Drom & Inch); Alan Tynan (Roscrea) (0-01), Daragh Carey (Templederry Kenyons) (0-03); Liam McCutcheon (Templederry Kenyons), Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers), Garry Ryan (Borrisokane) (0-01); Lyndon Fairbrother (JK Brackens) (0-05 4f), David Gleeson (Ballinahinch) (0-03), Tommy Nolan (Drom & Inch) (1-01). Subs: Tommy Lowry (Arravale Rovers) for Quirke (17) (Inj), Shane Neville (Lattin Cullen) for McCutcheon (HT), Ruadhan Mulrooney (JK Brackens) Ryan (44), Mikey Connors (Drom & Inch) (0-01) for Lowry (54), Cian Darcy (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Carey (58).
Clare: Jason Loughnane (Sixmilebridge), Declan Power (Smith O’Briens), Sean Phelan (Broadford), Ronan Monahan (Tubber); Darren Chaplin (Broadford), Nathan Fox (Parteen), Cathal Noonan (Killanena); Colm Fitzgerald (Sixmilebridge) (0-02 1SC 1f), Jack Cunningham (Wolfe Tones na Sionna) (0-02); Jason McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona), Mikey O’Shea (Smith O’Briens), Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones na Sionna) (0-05 4f 1’65); Conor O’Halloran (Éire Óg), Martin Daly (Feakle) (1-00), Páraic O’Loughlin (Clonlara). Subs: Aidan Kennedy (Kilmaley) (0-02) for O’Shea (HT), Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare) for Monahan (37), Dean Devanney (Wolfe Tones na Sionna) for Chaplin (51), Páraic McNamara (Kilmaley) for O’Halloran (57), Sean Kennedy (Kilmaley) for Noonan (58).
Referee: Joe Larkin (Cork).
