Clare’s Oisin O’Donnell in possession. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Clare will face Cork in next Monday’s Munster under 20 hurling final after they defeated Tipperary in the semi-final this Monday evening.
Clare 3-17
Tipperary 0-17
Venue: FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles.
A storming final ten minutes which yielded 2-3 without reply sealed this victory which means that, for the fourth time in seven days, Clare hurling fans will travel to Semple Stadium for crucial championship games.
The outcome of this tie was in doubt for long periods. The sides were level on eight occasions throughout the first fifty-three minutes and extra time looked a real possibility when Tipperary tied up the scores for the last time with seven minutes of normal time remaining.
Keith Smyth put Clare back in front from a long range free before he superbly fielded a high delivery from Daithi Lohan and blasted the ball to the net. Niall O’Farrell quickly followed with a point and Clare led by five as the game went into injury time.
Smyth then landed another free before his long range effort from a 95m free slipped through the fingers of Tipperary goalie Jason O’Dwyer and over the goal line in the last action of an exciting tie.
The sides were level at half time with the score at 1-8 for the visitors to 0-11 and this was the fifth time that they had been on level terms in the half.
Both will look back on that half and wonder if they could have been ahead and this is particularly true of Clare who had nine wides in the opening thirty minutes, seven more that the home team.
Another worry for Clare at the break was the fact that they had picked up three yellow cards in the last five minutes of the half with Senan Dunford, Keith Smyth and Oisin Clune penalised. Midway through the second half Sean Ryan joined them on yellow but Clare grew in confidence as the game progressed and deserved this victory.
But the biggest concern of all will be what appeared to be a knee injury sustained by defender Daithi Lohan in the closing stages.
They have joined their minors in the provincial decider where cork will also provide the opposition this Tuesday. The county seniors will be at the famed Tipperary venue this Saturday for a crunch senior championship meeting with Waterford and that game will be preceeded by the Munster senior camogie final in which Clare will take on Tipperary making it one of the busiest week for Clare teams in which four Provincial titles will be on offer.
Oran Cahill, John Conneally, Daithi Lohan and Keith Smyth made valuable contributions for Clare in this tie
Scorers Clare; Keith Smyth (2-7, 1-6 frees) David Kennedy (1-1), Patrick Crotty (0-3) Oran Cahill, Daithi Lohan, Jack O’Neill, Sean Rynne, Niall O’Farrell, Keelan Hartigan (0-1|) each
Scorers Tipperary; Jack Leamy (all frees) Eddie Ryan (0-4) each; Peter McGarry ,Sean Kenneally, Maidhc Fitzpatrick (0-2) each), Danny slattery, Cathal Quinn Darragh Stakelum (0-1) each
Clare:
1: Aaron Shanahan Tulla
2: Oisin Clune, Feakle
3: John Conneally, Clooney-Quin Captain
4: Ian McNamara, Killanena
5: Ja Collins, Eire Og
6: Daithi Lohan, Wolfe Tones
7: Oran Cahill, Eire Og
8: Sean Rynne, Inagh-Kilnamona
10: Oisin O’Donnell, Crusheen
9: Jack O’Neill, Clooney-Quin
11: Patrick Crotty, Scariff
14: Senan Dunford,Tubber
13: David Kennedy, Sixmilebridge
15: Gearoid Sheedy, Ogonnelloe
12: Keith Smyth, Killanena
Subs:
21: Niall O’Farrell (Broadford) for Collins (half time)
23: Keelan Hartigan (Scariff) for Dunford (40)
18: Colm Cleary (O’Callaghans Mills ) for Sheedy (48)
22: Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara) for Lohan (inj) (60)
Tipperary;
1: Jason O’Dwyer, Clonoulty-Rossmore
2: Danny Slattery, Clonoulty-Rossmore
3: Robert Doyle, Clonoulty-Rossmore
4: Luke Shanahan Uperchurch-Drumbane
5: Cathal Quinn, Cashel King Cormacs
6: Joe Caesar, Holycross-Ballycahill
7: Conor McKelvey, Silvermines
8: James Morris, St. Mary’s
9: Darragh Stakelum, Thurles Sarsfields Captain
10: Sean Kenneally, Moneygall
11: Eddie Ryan, Borris-Illeigh
12: Jack Leamy, Golden Kilfeacle
13: Peter McGarry, St. Marys
14: Tony Cahill, Drom & Inch
15: Damien Corbett, Gortnahoe-Glengoole
Subs:
21: Maidhc Fitpatrick (Drom & Inch) for D. Corbett (40)
20: Stephen Ferncombe (Conoulty-Rossmore) for Cahill (46)
19: Joe Egan (Moycarkey-Borris) for E. Ryan 58)
Referee: Thomas Walsh, Waterford
