*Conor Burke tries to get his shot away. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
No doubt about who won the phoney derby war as Tipperary take the psychological edge into their Daryl Darcy Cup decider rematch after a commanding display.
Tipperary 2-10
Clare 1-08
Venue: Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty
With both sides already qualified before a ball was kicked for the last four in Munster alongside provincial football kingpins Cork and Kerry in May, there was merely pride to play for as one flaw-less record had to fall in West Clare.
Despite nine changes to the team that overcame Waterford last time out and the challenge of playing into the strong conditions, Tipperary actually dominated from the outset and copper fas-tened their superiority with goals through Patrick McDonagh and Dayle Hogan.
Clare had a glorious opportunity to open his side’s account in style when a David Cahill intercep-tion teed up Shane O’Connell to play in Conor Burke whose shot was excellently tipped away by a full length save from goalkeeper Mark Conroy in the tenth minute.
That stop would be magnified when up the other end only three minutes later, impressive mid-fielder Dylan Cotter played in Patrick McDonagh to find the left corner of the net and help Tipper-ary to a 1-2 to 0-0 advantage by the end of the opening quarter.
Burke inevitably lessened the damage with a brace of points only to be struck by another ham-merblow just before the break when Ned O’Meara’s quick free caught Clare’s defence napping for midfielder Dalye Hogan to double Tipperary’s half-time cushion to six at 2-4 to 0-4.
Clare’s luck didn’t alter on the restart either as Burke again carved out a goal chance in the opening minute only for Conroy to make a point blank save.
Instead, a Burke free would be answered by five unanswered Tipperary points as led superbly by their central pairing of Hogan (2) and Cotter, the visitors stretched the gap to double figures by the 50th minute at 2-9 to 0-5.
There was some solace for Dermot Coughlan’s side as fresh legs from the bench ensured that the hosts would halve the deificit before the welcome sound of the final whistle.
Replacements Caleb Walsh and Darragh Townsend combined brilliantly to play in debutante Kevin Hanley to punch to the net in the 53rd minute while fellow substitute Liam Clune kicked three of the last four points to lessen the final damage to five.
So it’s advantage Tipperary going into the Daryl Darcy decider in a fortnight’s time as they have over half their first team to return whereas Clare, will require a major jolt, having only made four changes from the side that saw off Limerick seven days earlier.
Scorers for Tipperary: Patrick McDonagh 1-3; Dayle Hogan 1-2; Dylan Cotter 0-2; Eamon Ryan 0-1, Ned O’Meara 0-1 (f), Brian O’Donoghue 0-1 (m)
Scorers for Clare: Conor Burke 0-4 (2f); Kevin Hanley 1-1; Liam Clune 0-3 (2f)
Tipperary
1: Mark Conroy (Drom & Inch)
4: Jack McGonigle (Rockwell Rovers)
3: Gavin Neville (Fethard)
2: Tommy Burke (JK Brackens)
5: Danny Morris (Clonmel Commercials)
6: Darragh Pollard (Ballingarry)
7: Thomas Shanahan (Ballina)
8: Dylan Cotter (Thurles Gaels)
9: Dayle Hogan (JK Brackens)
10: Finn Napier (Clonmel Commercials)
11: Patrick McDonagh (Cahir)
12: Cian Collins (Galtee Rovers)
15: Alex Coppinger (Durlas Óg)
14: Ned O’Meara (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone)
13: Eamon Ryan (Moycarkey Borris)
Subs
18: Michael Hennelly (Kilruane MacDonagh’s) for Ryan (44)
17: Luke Hannigan (Clonmel Óg) for Napier (49)
19: Mikey McGuire (Kilsheelan/Kilcash) for Collins (53)
22: Brian O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs) for O’Meara (53)
21: Paul McKeogh (Ballina) for Burke (57)
Clare
1: Eoin Byrne (St Breckan’s)
2: Aaron Killeen (Lissycasey)
3: Conor Hill (Lissycasey)
4: James Blunnie (Kilrush Shamrocks)
5: Leo Switzer (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
6: Diarmuid Boyle (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
7: Stephen Murphy (St Joseph’s Miltown)
8: Aidan Weaver (Lissycasey)
9: Colm Downes (Shannon Gaels)
10: David Cahill (Clooney-Quin)
13: Shane O’Connell (Cooraclare)
23: Ruben Fallon (Kilmurry Ibrickane
12: Daniel Brody (Ennistymon)
14: Conor Burke (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
15: Kevin Hanley (Wolfe Tones)
Subs
19: Gabriel Fennell (Cooraclare) for Weaver (HT)
20: Liam Clune (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Fallon (41)
18: Caleb Walsh (Banner) for Murphy (45)
22: Darragh Townsend (Cooraclare) for Brody (47)
21: Bernard Keating (Éire Óg) for Burke (55)
Referee: Sean Joy (Kerry)
