Clare’s intermediate ladies football side have been eliminated by All-Ireland favourites Tippeary.
Tipperary 1-13
Clare 2-08
Venue: Staker Wallace, Limerick
For the third year in succession, Clare’s exit comes at the quarter-final stage, the pill made all the more difficult to swallow as they held a two point advantage in the closing moments only for Tipperary to kick the final four scores of the game.
A rocky first ten minutes in which Tipperary netted a penalty and kept Clare scoreless saw the 2017 intermediate winners build up a five point advantage. Roisin Considine opened Clare’s account on eleven minute and soon after they struck for a goal of their own via Niamh O’Dea. Although Eimear O’Connor and Ailish Considine added scores, Tipperary still stayed ahead by the minimum at half-time.
Three scores in succession put James Murrihy’s charges in front for the first time on thirty seven minutes. Tipperary clawed their way back with three points only for O’Dea to collect her second goal of the day and put the Banner two in front. However, the Premier County finished the stronger and added an unanswered four points in the space of eleven minutes to secure their semi-final spot.
