*Ronan O’Connor bats the ball away. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE AND TIPPERARY had to settle for a share of the spoils in the opening round of the Munster U20 hurling championship.
Clare 0-20
Tipperary 0-20
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
In a tie that could have went either way, both counties will feel they could have prevailed in this contest but equally it was a game they could just have well as lost.
Eddie Ryan appeared to have given Tipperary the advantage at the most opportune time and when the ball slipped away from Keith Smyth at the other end, it looked as if victory was slipping from Clare’s grasps.
Fortunately Keelan Hartigan managed to get his hands on the ball and find his clubmate Patrick Crotty who duly obliged with the opportunity presented to split the posts and seal a draw for Terence Fahy’s side.
Level on seven occasions throughout the tie, the sides produced a nice Saturday matinee for the crowd of 1,842 gathered in Cusack Park. Though they would have obviously preferred to leave home with a win in the bag, the exciting conclusion to the match will keep the spirits high of the respective counties as they bid for their second showing in the championship.
Momentum swung like a carousel over the hour. Tipperary started the brighter and raced into a 0-02 0-01 lead, a goal would certainly have been bagged by the visitors were it not for a superbly timed interception by John Conneally as he caught the sliotar to prevent a handpass creating a one on one goal chance.
Conneally’s contribution seemed to reignite Clare who then produced five points on the bounce as they began to find their flow while key to the creation of such scores was their half-forward line filtering back the field where the likes of Oisin O’Donnell led the way with turnovers, this aspect diluted as the tie wore on.
A four point rally in succession saw Tipperary cut the deficit to two points, frees from Stephen Ferncombe a constant feature.
Another four points without reply saw Tipperary take the lead and the gap was reduced to a single point when Conor Whelan hit the final score of the half.
Keith Smyth and Niall O’Farrell helped Clare get back on level terms on the restart but Tipperary produced three points in a row to lead 0-16 0-13 with forty five minutes played. Patrick Crotty stepped up with two points on the bounce before Eddie Ryan and Jarlath Collins swapped scores.
Colllins who was introduced at half-time made quite the mark for Clare, he produced score-denying hooks and turnovers while his white flag on forty seven minutes was followed by Niall O’Farrell’s fourth point of the day which again brought the hosts back on par with their rivals.
Oisin O’Donnell nudged Clare ahead with forty eight minutes on the clock before Darragh McCarthy and Smyth swapped scores. Jack Leamy levelled on sixty one minutes before Eddie Ryan looked to have converted the winning effort and then the draw was secured when Crotty added his fourth of the day.
Undoubtedly the concession of eight points from frees and the separate rallies where they shipped four points without reply jump out as the main areas to work on for Clare. Tipp tried to target the defence by running straight through to win frees, it worked for the most part but amidst all this the backline was where the most character was evident in the Banner side.
Stepping up with an equaliser in the last attack is always a good omen in a side and it demonstrated the character which most pleased Fahy and his management from the showing.
As was abundantly clear in the opening quarter, Clare can dominate teams when they go the hard yards tracking back and working the play well, the score where Daithí Lohan found David Kennedy who dinked back to Sean Rynne resulting in a point from an acute angle typified this.
Best for Clare were the defensive quartet of John Conneally, Adam Hogan, Oran Cahill and Daithí Lohan, Niall O’Farrell and Sean Rynne impressed further up the field while Jarlath Collins excelled on his introduction.
Scorers Clare: K Smyth (0-05 4f), N O’Farrell (0-04), P Crotty (0-04), C Whelan (0-02 1f), S Rynne (0-01), D Kennedy (0-01), D Lohan (0-01), J Collins (0-01), O O’Donnell (0-01).
Scorers Tipperary: S Ferncombe (0-10 8f), E Ryan (0-03), S Kenneally (0-01), L Shanahan (0-01), C McCormack (0-01), D Stakelum (0-01), P McGarry (0-01), D McCarthy (0-01), J Leamy (0-01).
Clare:
1: Aaron Shanahan (Tulla)
3: Adam Hogan (Feakle)
6: John Conneally (Clooney/Quin)
4: Ian MacNamara (Killanena)
2: Ronan O’Connor (Feakle)
5: Oran Cahill (Éire Óg)
7: Daithi Lohan (Wolfe Tones na Sionna)
8: Sean Rynne (Inagh/Kilnamona)
9: Conor Whelan (Whitegate)
10: Oisin O’Donnell (Crusheen)
11: Patrick Crotty (Scariff)
12: Niall O’Farrell (Broadford)
15: Jack O’Neill (Clooney/Quin)
14: Keith Smyth (Killanena)
13: David Kennedy (Sixmilebridge)
Subs:
17: Jarlath Collins (Éire Óg) for O’Connor (HT)
23: Keelan Hartigan (Scariff) for Whelan (44)
18: Colm Cleary (O’Callaghans Mills) for O’Donnell (55)
Tipperary:
1: Eoin Horgan (Kickhams)
4: Danny Slattery (Clonoulty Rossmore)
3: Robert Doyle (Clonoulty Rossmore)
2: Luke Shanahan (Upperchurch Drombane)
5: Michael Corcoran (Silvermines)
6: Cathal Quinn (Cashel King Cormacs)
7: James Morris (St Mary’s)
9: Darragh Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields)
15: Peter McGarry (St Mary’s)
8: Joe Caesar (Holycross Ballycahill)
10: Eddie Ryan (Borris-Ileigh)
14: Sean Kenneally (Moneygall)
11: Stephen Ferncombe (Clonoulty Rossmore)
13: Jack Leamy (Golden Kilfeacle)
12: Ciaran McCormack (Loughmore-Castleiney)
Subs:
24: Paddy McCormack (Borris-Ileigh) for C McCormack (46)
18: Maidhc Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch) for Corcoran (49)
20: Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara) for Ferncombe (55)
17: Conor O’Brien (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone) for Caesar (58)
19: Jack Fogarty (Thurles Sarsfields) for Kenneally (59)
Referee: Eamonn Stapleton (Limerick)
