*Clare’s Graham Ball. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Clare are within touching distance of a third consecutive Munster Minor Final after a goalrush maintained their perfect defence of their provincial and All-Ireland crowns in FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles.
Clare 4-11
Tipperary 0-19
Venue: FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles
With both sides boasting back-to-back victories, something had to give and it was Clare’s goal haul that altered dramatically as having not scored a goal in this campaign to date, the Banner certainly made up for lost time with four crucial majors.
Having threatened a goal in all three matches, the electric Liam Murphy was finally rewarded with a hat-trick while it was Conor Ralph’s brilliant solo strike in only the eighth minute that finally sparked the visitors into life.
After all, Tipperary had started in confident mood, easing to a three point cushion with eye-catching singles through Cillian Minogue, Tiarnan Ryan and best player Euan Murray by the sev-enth minute.
Clare’s response was emphatic however as from the puck-out, a Dara Kennedy lineball was placed into the path of Ralph who maintained control before unleashing a bullet to the roof of the home net to wipe out all their early work.
Buoyed by that jolt, Clare douibled their advantage two minutes later when good work from Paul Rodgers picked out Liam Murphy to shoot through a crowded goalmouth as the ball trickled into the bottom left corner of Evan Sherlock’s net at 2-0 to 0-3.
Other chief marksmen Harry Doherty and Matthew Corbett tacked on quickfire points to pour more misery on a stunned home side that suddenly found themselves trailing by five by the 12th minute.
However, that wouldn’t be the end of the Premier’s woes as following a Tiarnan Ryan reply, Conor Ralph’s crossfield delivery found Murphy once more who didn’t seem to have many options on the endline but saw his one-handed cross deflected to the net at 3-2 to 0-4 by the beginning of the second quarter.
To their credit, Tipperary did finally dust themselves down from such a harrowing ten point turna-round to fire four of the last five points, two from freetaker Eoghan Doughan to lessen the damage to just four by the break at 3-4 to 0-9.
Anticipating a backlash, Brian O’Connell’s side actually restored a five point cushion by the 35th minute after two monster Matthew Corbett frees were bolstered by a Patrick Finneran intercep-tion score at 3-7 to 0-11.
However, the fightback was still on the cards as Tipperary incrementally chipped away at the deficit with five Doughan frees without reply to regain parity for the first time in almost 40 minutes by the three-quarters mark.
Clare’s frustration was offset by an increasingly bullish Premier who looked to have hit form at the perfect time. However, having suffered a luckless time in front of goal in their previous two out-ings, the Banner received another dollop of fortune to provide a decisive twist to victory in the 49th minute.
It stemmed from a Jerry O’Connor shot for a point that ricocheted off the crossbar perfectly for poacher Murphy to make no mistake and complete a famous hat-trick of goals at 4-7 to 0-16.
Having exhausted so much energy in repairing the first half damage, the hosts didn’t have the desire or legs to be able to recover from their latest hamme rblow as Clare subsequently out-scored them by 0-4 to 0-3 through Corbett (2), captain Doherty and centre-back James Cullinan.
The damage could have been greater only for four late wides to halt their charge but it mattered little as Clare, despite not being at their best, displayed their versatility and grit to put them-selves on the brink of another Munster Final appearance.
As ever, Matthew Corbett and puck-out machine Harry Doherty were hugely influential leaders, with Sean McNamara, Conor Ralph and hat-trick hero Murphy also excelling in what wasn’t their most fluid display.
A win or draw away to Cork next Thursday (7pm) will guarantee Clare’s passage back to the de-cider while Tipperary also need their neighbours to do them a favour and knock the Rebels out of the equation if they are to set up a final rematch.
Scorers for Clare: L Murphy 3-0, M Corbett 0-5 (4f), H Doherty 0-3 (2f), Conor Ralph 1-0,
Patrick Finneran 0-2, James Cullinan 0-1
Scorers for Tipperary: E Doughan 0-9 (8f), Euan Murray 0-4, Tiarnan Ryan 0-2, Cillian Minogue 0-2, Killian Cantwell 0-1, Darragh O’Hora 0-1
Clare
1: Matthew Crotty (Scariff)
4: Sean Óg Kilkenny (Bodyke)
3: Sean McNamara (Clooney-Quin)
2: Darren Moroney (Éire Óg)
5: Dara Kennedy (Ballyea)
6: James Cullinan (Ruan)
7: Rian Mulcahy (Éire Óg)
8: Graham Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
9: Matthew Corbett (Clooney-Quin)
12: Harry Doherty (Clarecastle)
11: Patrick Finneran (Clooney-Quin)
10: Darragh McNamara (Clooney-Quin)
15: Liam Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills)
14: Paul Rodgers (Scariff)
13: Conor Ralph (Clarecastle)
Subs:
21: Jerry O’Connor (Clooney-Quin) for D. McNamara (HT)
17: Ryan Hayes (Tulla) for Mulcahy (40)
23: Tadhg Lohan (Cratloe) for Finneran (47)
22: Darragh Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Rodgers (50)
18: Eanna Collins (Cratloe) for Kilkenny (53)
Tipperary
1: Evan Sherlock (Kiladangan)
4: Patrick Ryan (Borris-Ileigh)
2: Shane Ryan (Killenaule)
3: Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross Ballycahill)
5: David Ryan (Arravale Rovers)
7: Jake Donelan Houlihan (Nenagh Éire Óg)
6: Owen O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
8: Tiarnan Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill)
9: Killian Cantwell (Moycarkey Borris)
10: Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers)
11: Euan Murray (Durlas Óg)
12: Billy O’Brien (Nenagh Éire Óg)
15: Cillian Minogue (Durlas Óg)
14: Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan)
13: Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall)
Subs:
18: Aaron Cagney (St Mary’s) for Minogue (51)
23: Darragh O’Hora (Solohead) for Cantwell (54)
21: Paul Cummins (Ballybacon Grange) for A. Ryan (57)
19: Jack Cahill (Ballingarry) for Doughan (57)
24: Kieran Rossiter (Durlas Óg) for O’Brien (61)
Referee: Seaghan Walsh (Waterford)
