Clare 4-19 Tipperary 1-18
Early silverware to Clare, who picked up the Co-Op Superstores Munster SHL trophy yesterday in the Gaelic Grounds before 4,531 spectators. The Banner’s goalscoring ability proved crucial in an entertaining game.
Tipperary started with the breeze, and a sideline cut pointed by Jason Forde, while Clare hit early wides before Colin Guilfoyle tied the game up. A Seamus Callanan 65 was the other score in a low-key opening ten minutes.
Callanan (free), Alan Flynn and Jason Forde pushed Tipp’s lead to 0-4 to 0-1 when Clare struck on 17 minutes - a long delivery spilled to Cathal McInerney near the square, and he buried a goal: 1-1 to 0-5.
The game picked up in intensity. Diarmuid Ryan levelled for Clare and they goaled again, a sweet passing move involving Michael O’Neill and Cathal McInerney ended with Tony Kelly batting to the net. Forde pointed on the puck-out and Callanan added a free: 2-2 to 0-7 on 25 minutes.
Ryan and Niall Deasy (free) pushed Clare three ahead by the half-hour, but Forde, Flynn and Mark Kehoe levelled with three on the spin. There was time for Ryan Taylor and Forde to swap points, leaving it 0-11 to 2-5 at the break.
Clare resumed with a Shane Golden point and a Colin Guilfoyle goal from close range after a good run, with Callanan pointing a free in reply. A Kelly point and it was 3-7 to 0-12 on 40 minutes.
Picture:Sportsfile
Clare were now on top - a long-range effort from Kelly went all the way to the net on 44 minutes and Ryan, Deasy, Taylor and Guilfoyle points pushed them to 4-13; all Tipperary had in response was a Mark Kehoe point, making it 4-13 to 0-13 at the three quarter stage.
The Banner duly pushed on for the win, despite a late goal by Tipp sub Dan McCormack.
Scorers for Clare: T. Kelly (2-3)(1 free); C. Guilfoyle (1-3); C. McInerney (1-2); N. Deasy (2 frees), D. Ryan (0-3 each); S. Golden, R. Taylor (0-2 each); M. O’Malley (0-1).
Scorers for Tipperary: S. Callanan (0-8)(6 frees, 1 65); J. Forde (0-5)(1 sideline, 1 free); D. McCormack (1-0); A. Flynn, M. Kehoe (0-2 each); N. McGrath (0-1).
CLARE: D. Tuohy, J. McCarthy, D. McInerney, R. Hayes, A. McCarthy, C. Cleary, C. Malone, S. Golden, T. Kelly (c), D. Ryan, N. Deasy, R. Taylor, C. Guilfoyle, C. McInerney, M. O’Neill.
Subs: P. Collins for O’Neill (53); D. Conroy for Ryan (55); M. O’Malley for A. McCarthy (58); G. Cooney for C. McInerney (65); J. Browne for Hayes (67).
TIPPERARY: B. Hogan, C. Barrett, Padraic Maher, D. Maher, A. Flynn, S. Kennedy, J. O’Dwyer, W. Connors, M. Breen, J. Forde, Patrick Maher, C. English, M. Kehoe, S. Callanan, J. Morris.
Subs: R. Maher for Connors (HT); N. McGrath for Morris (44); D. McCormack for Kehoe (48); K. O’Dwyer for Barrett (57); R. Byrne for Kennedy (inj, 57).
Referee: T. Walsh (Waterford).
