*Donnacha O’Dwyer and Seán Fennell celebrate at the final whistle.
INDUSTRIOUS over the hour, Clare’s U20 footballers have kicked off their Munster championship bid on a winning note.
Clare 1-16
Tipperary 1-11
Venue: Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
For the first time since 2023, Clare have defeated Tipperary in the U20 provincial campaign. Four losses have been shipped in the interval but Dermot Coughlan marked his return to inter-county management with a five point win in his native Kilmurry Ibrickane.
With a collectively strong display, Clare were deserving of this victory in phase one as they start the first of their three games in as many weekends.
This was their only home fixture and Clare gave their supporters plenty to admire. Their work-rate, particularly in the opening half where they outfought Tipperary really set the tone, allowing them to eat up opposing kickouts while the tracking back continued in the second half even though the scores may have dried up somewhat,
Playing against a stiff breeze, Clare produced a strong first half showing to hold a four point advantage.
Seán Fennell with a scoring burst of 1-4 in the space of three minutes which included two pointers helped Clare to carve out a seven point lead by the close of the first quarter.
Tipperary struggled to win their own kickouts despite playing with the breeze, managing to win one of Peter Boland’s restarts in the first half. The workrate from Clare’s forward line was particularly impressive allowing them to win turnovers while further back the field, Stephen Murphy at centre back and Michael Kelly were well able to read the play and breaking ball allied by Donnacha O’Dwyer and Darragh Townsend.
James Power kicked the visitors into the lead with a two pointer on sixty four seconds. Clare responded with the next two points, Evan Cahill moving into the danger area to make a catch and pop to Darragh Townsend who smartly opted to fist between the posts. An excellent one two combination between the Lissycasey livewires Daire Culligan and Diarmuid McMahon allowed captain Culligan to point from play after taking a quick free.
Trailing by two points following white flags from Gavin Neville and Liam Freaney, Clare scored 1-6 without reply to take control of proceedings.
Conceding a soft goal reduced Clare’s advantage when Liam Freaney’s dropping ball spilled out of the hands of netminder Harry O’Gorman allowing Liam Kiely to pounce for goal. This formed part of Tipperary’s burst of scoring 1-2 on the bounce.
Culligan’s steadying presence saw him kick two frees before the break to have Clare 1-10 1-6 in front.
Once again Darragh Townsend was the first scorer and this was followed by a free from Fennell. Twelve minutes would pass before Clare’s next contribution to the scoreboard with Tipperary narrowing the gap to four during this spell.
Mark Neville lowered the deficit to three points with twelve minutes remaining but this was their last score of the day with Culligan again landing two more frees before the final whistle.
Culligan was among the impressive Clare performers along with Darragh Townsend, Donncha O’Dwyer, Diarmuid Boyle, Daniel Brody and Evan Cahill while Seán Fennell’s scoring prowess and Stephen Murphy’s first half showing were noteworthy.
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Scorers Clare: S Fennell (1-6 2TP 2f), D Culligan (0-7 5f), D Townsend (0-2), D O’Dwyer (0-1)
Scorers Tipperary: L Freney (0-5 4f), L Kiely (1-1), J Power (0-2 1TP), G Neville (0-1), S Ryan (0-1), M Neville (0-1 1f)
Clare:
1: Harry O’Gorman (Cooraclare)
2: Louis Griffin (Ennistymon)
6: Diarmuid Boyle (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
4: Aaron Killeen (Lissycasey)
5: Daniel Brody (Ennistymon)
3: Stephen Murphy (St Joseph’s Miltown)
7: Michael Kelly (Lissycasey)
8: Evan Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
9: Seán Fennell (Kilrush Shamrocks)
10: Darragh Townsend (Cooraclare)
11: Colm Breen (Corofin)
12: Donncha O’Dwyer (St Breckans)
13: Diarmuid McMahon (Lissycasey)
14: Daire Culligan (Lissycasey)
15: Ruben Fallon (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
Subs:
19: Christian Cummins (Corofin) for Griffin (HT) (inj)
23: Seannan Kirby (Corofin) for Fallon (59)
20: Seán O’Dea (Cooraclare) for Breen (60)
Tipperary:
1: Peter Boland (Moyle Rovers)
2: Jack McGonigle (Rockwell Rovers)
3: Cillian Ryan (Ballina)
4: Jack Kearney (Ballyporeen)
5: Gavin Neville (Fethard)
6: Danny Morris (Clonmel Commercials)
7: Jamie O’Keeffe (Clonmel Commercials)
8: Oran Gahan (St Patrick’s)
9: Dylan Cotter (Thurles Gaels)
10: James Power (Clonmel Commercials)
11: Seán Griffin (Upperchurch Drombane)
12: Liam Kiely (Fethard)
13: Mark Neville (Fethard)
14: Liam Freaney (Kilsheehan Kilcash)
15: Shane Ryan (Ardfinnan)
Subs:
17: Emmet Bonner (Galtee Rovers St Pecaun’s) for Morris (37)
24: Charlie Walsh (Fethard) for Cotter (46)
20: John Cronin (Moyle Rovers) for Kiely (46)
18: Darragh Bresnan (Arravale Rovers) for Ryan (51)
22: Ciarán Kelly (Arravale Rovers) for M Neville (55)
19: Paddy Chapman (Aherlow) for Bonner (62) (blood)
Referee: Eoghan Ó Murcheartaigh (Kerry)
