*Daire Culligan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
A POINT AT the death saw Clare’s U20 footballers fall to back to back defeats in phase one of the provincial championship.
Tipperary 0-15
Clare 0-14
Venue: FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles
Even though they have suffered successive losses, Clare still have a fighting chance of making the second phase of the Munster championship, thanks to Limerick overcoming Waterford by a margin of two points, but they must alone rely on scoring difference as well as picking up a win and Tipperary defeating the Déise.
Daithí Hogan’s fisted point on sixty three minutes in the final act of the game proved to be the difference as Tipperary emerged the victors on home soil. Truth be told, the Premier County were the better side overall and were deserving winners but Clare still had chances to grab the win, including two wides in additional time.
Having leaked four goals in the second half against Waterford last weekend, Clare put an emphasis on a stronger defence and this reaped rewards as Eoin Byrne kept a clean sheet against a Tipperary team who kicked three goals in the first round.
Despite taking the lead through Seán Fennell on forty seconds, Clare fell behind by three points after Tipperary kicked four white flags without reply, lively full-forward Paddy O’Keeffe with a brace plus one each from Dylan Cotter and Daithí Hogan.
A vital turnover in defence seemed to prompt Clare back to life. Caoimhin O’Donovan and Michael Kelly threw their bodies on the line and onto the ground to fetch possession from Tommy O’Connor, this allowed the visitors to work the ball from their own 13m line and they worked a score which was finished off by captain Seán McMahon.
Fennell split the posts again on twelve minutes and notably for the first three Clare points, the assists were courtesy of attacking wing back Luke Pyne.
Clare regained the lead when Seán Fennell converted a two pointer free which was won by Diarmuid McMahon, both McMahon and O’Donovan were two changes to the starting line up with Odhrán O’Connell and Conor Fennell missing out on selection.
Tipperary replied with the next two points but the sides were tied again on twenty minutes with Fennell again splitting the posts. Wing back Jamie O’Keeffe and Fennell traded scores before McMahon shoved Clare one point ahead at the interval.
Within five minutes of the restart, Tipperary regained the lead and they would keep their noses in front for the majority of the second half. The sides were level on five occasions in the second half, Clare going ahead just once after substitute Odhran O’Connell pointed on fifty eight minutes.
As the third quarter was drawing to a close, midfielder Joe Higgins kicked a vital score, slotting over a two pointer under pressure to help the hosts form a three point cushion. A converted Conor Fennell two pointer from a free brought Clare to parity on fifty one minutes, the game’s next score arriving seven minutes later from O’Connell to push Maurice Walsh’s men ahead.
Howver Tipperary replied immediately via Charlie King to level the tie on fifty nine minutes with Hogan popping up with the winner on sixty three minutes.
Though it is a simple statistic, Tipperary had double the amount of scorers as Clare, with ten different players registering on the scoresheet compared to five from the visitors. As a collective, they were the stronger side and had more guys capable of popping up and producing a score.
At their most effective in the second quarter, Clare were beginning to get on top in the middle third with Seán McAllister and Evan Cahill to the fore during this spell. Like last weekend in Doonbeg, it was too inconsisten from Clare as they faded in and out of the game, a trend that must be tackled if they are to have pick up a win in this championship.
Over the course of the game, Seán Fennell, Luke Pyne, Ewan Wragg, Seán McAllister, Evan Cahill, Seán McMahon and Daire Hill were impressive in patches for Clare. Darragh O’Connor, Joe Higgins, Daithí Hogan, Killian Butler and Jamie O’Keeffe did well for the winners.
Scorers Tipperary: D Hogan (0-3 1f), P O’Keeffe (0-2), D Cotter (0-2), J Higgins (0-2 1TP), B Tierney (0-1), B Carey (0-1 1f), J O’Keeffe (0-1), T O’Connor (0-1), D O’Connor (0-1), C King (0-1).
Scorers Clare: S Fennell (0-8 1TP 1f), C Fennell (0-3 1TPF 1f), S McMahon (0-2), D Culligan (0-1 1f), O O’Connell (0-1)
Tipperary:
1: Robbie McGrath (Galtee Rovers)
4: Billy Tierney (Clonmel Commercials)
3: Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore Castleiney)
2: Emmet Bonner (Galtee Rovers)
5: Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers)
6: Charlie King (Ballina)
7: Jamie O’Keeffe (Clonmel Commercials)
8: Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials)
9: Darragh O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials)
12: Dylan Cotter (Thurles Gaels)
11: Ben Carey (Ballylooby Castlegrace)
10: Thomas Charles (Clonmel Commercials)
13: Daithí Hogan (St Patrick’s)
14: Paddy O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers)
15: Tommy O’Connor (Kilsheehan Kilcash)
Subs:
24: Shane Ryan (Ardfinnan) for O’Connor (46)
21: JP Mbokha Tansia (Ballina) for Cotter (55)
17: Liam Freaney (Kilsheehan Kilcash) for O’Keeffe (55)
Clare:
1: Eoin Byrne (St Breckan’s)
4: Michael Kelly (Lissycasey)
3: Daire Hill (Lissycasey)
2: Conor Hill (Lissycasey)
5: Ewan Wragg (Lissycasey)
17: Caoimhin O’Donovan (Corofin)
7: Luke Pyne (Éire Óg)
8: Evan Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
6: Seán McAllister (Clondegad)
11: Darragh Killeen (Lissycasey)
9: Seán Fennell (Kilrush Shamrocks)
13: Seán McMahon (Banner)
12: Daire Culligan (Lissycasey)
14: Colin Riordan (Wolfe Tones)
22: Diarmuid McMahon (Lissycasey)
Subs:
15: Conor Fennell (Kilrush Shamrocks) for Riordan (38)
23: Darragh Townsend (Cooraclare) for McMahon (45)
10: Odhran O’Connell (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Culligan (51)
24: Tadhg Lysaght (Kilrush Shamrocks) for McMahon (59)
Referee: Eoin Morrissey (Waterford)
