*Eoghan Connolly fouls Ryan Taylor. Photograph: Ruth Griffin.
CLARE’S All-Ireland title defence is hanging by a thread after a second championship defeat of the year and a seventh so far in 2025.
Tipperary 4-18
Clare 2-21
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Cíosóg, Ennis
A disastrous opening quarter from Clare was their undoing as Tipperary came to Ennis and fired four goals inside the first twenty two minutes.
Early exchanges saw Clare in a fluster with little to no defensive protection aiding Tipperary’s ability to raid for the green flags.
Dominating for half an hour in the second half, Clare brought themselves back in the reckoning outscoring Tipperary 1-11 0-6 but from the sixty third minute on, they added just two points as the Premier County finished with double that return.
It was at that sixty third minute mark when Clare got level for the first time, Mark Rodgers converting a free but the extra kick never materialised. The return to action of Shane O’Donnell also brought Cusack Park’s decibel levels up another notch among the crowd of 20,185, the Ennis man plucked an excellent catch from the sky with his first act, winning a free which Rodgers converted.
On the next attack, a major blunder from Daithí Lohan allowed John McGrath to tap over a simple point for Tipperary, it drained life out of a Clare side tiring from their comeback and reignited the challenge of the visitors who hit the next three points of the evening.
Lohan making his first-ever championship appearancefor the Clare seniors was a questionable call considering this was a do or die outing and regrettably it was a move which backfired.
With Conor Cleary and Diarmuid Ryan absent from the backline, the decision not to start John Conlon was bizarre. The lack of experience in defence was visible to see from the get-go as Tipp simply went to town, bagging three goals in the first sixteen minutes, missing six scoreable chances in the first ten minutes with a dearthing lack of leadership to try stem the tide.
Corner back Conor Leen looked to be in discomfort and limping during the warm-up, he emerged as an injury doubt in the hours leading up to the game and he was uncharacteristically off the pace as a result of the knock he seemed to be carrying. Starting him also didn’t work out and he was caught for the third goal, prior to management calling him ashore for Rory Hayes.
Mark Rodgers, Clare’s chief scorer of the evening had them in front with the first score on seventy two seconds. Tipperary replied with 1-2, Jake Morris handpassing to John McGrath who finished the first goal.
Slack marking allowed Andrew Ormond collect their second goal on eleven minutes before McGrath hit his second on sixteen minutes.
Midfielders Cathal Malone and Ryan Taylor had Clare’s first points from play on eleven and sixteen minutes also.
Goal number four arrived when a puckout spilled along the floor, Morris again playing a part with his initial shot stopped by Eibhear Quilligan before Ormond was on hand to hit the rebound to the net. Again this spell saw Tipperary hit 1-2 without reply.
Clare rallied with 1-2 of their own, Rodgers raising the green flag after making a tremendous catch from a David Reidy pass before manufacturing a strike while on his knees. Tipperary immediately cancelled this effort with three points of their own, the last score of the half fell to Seán Rynne to leave a margin of nine points at half-time.
This gap was certainly salvageable as Clare demonstrated, they cut into it with three Rodgers frees on the restart, he and John McGrath traded efforts, as did Peter Duggan and Ormond.
Tony Kelly won and finished a penalty to the net on fifty one minutes to reduce the arrears to a single point. Craig Morgan and Rodgers swapped scores before Rodgers levelled with a free but then Tipp had 0-4 without reply to seal the win.
Mathematically, there is still a chance of Clare qualifying. They need Tipperary to beat Waterford, Cork to overcome Limerick and to then themselves beat Limerick in their own backyard. Such a scenario is unlikely especially needing Limerick to lose twice.
Hard-working displays were delivered by David Reidy, Cathal Malone and Ryan Taylor. Early on, Clare were at sixes and sevens, this unsettling period was their downfall as was the inability to kick on at the death.
Liam Cahill’s Tipperary almost let this slip, they had leads of ten and nine points but had to sweat for a finish, however their fate is still in their own destiny. Jake Morris, John McGrath, Ronan Maher and Eoghan Connolly stood tall for the victors.
Scorers Tipperary: J McGrath (2-3), A Ormond (2-1), J Forde (0-8 6f 1’65), E Connolly (0-2 2f), J Morris (0-2), C Morgan (0-1 1f), S Kenneally (0-1).
Scorers Clare: M Rodgers (1-13 13f), T Kelly (1-1 1’Pen 1f), S Rynne (0-3), R Taylor (0-2), C Malone (0-1), P Duggan (0-1).
Tipperary:
1: Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris)
4: Michael Breen (Ballina)
3: Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs)
6: Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
9: Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
7: Bryan O’Mara (Holycross/Ballycahill)
2: Robert Doyle (Clonoulty/Rossmore)
5: Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Éire Óg)
8: Alan Tynan (Roscrea)
10: Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields)
11: Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens)
12: Noel McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)
15: Jason Forde (Silvermines)
14: John McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)
13: Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg)
Subs:
23: Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs) for Stakelum (46)
18: Willie Connors (Kiladangan) for N McGrath (57)
20: Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s) for O’Farrell (61)
24: Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers) for Tynan (61)
19: Seán Kenneally (Moneygall) for Forde (65)
Clare:
1: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2: Adam Hogan (Feakle)
3: Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones)
4: Conor Leen (Corofin)
7: David McInerney (Tulla)
17: Daithí Lohan (Wolfe Tones)
5: Cian Galvin (Clarecastle)
9: Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
13: Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin)
10: Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
8: Seán Rynne (Inagh/Kilnamona)
15: David Reidy (Éire Óg)
14: Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin)
11: Mark Rodgers (Scariff)
12: Shane Meehan (Banner)
Subs:
19: Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones) for Leen (19) (inj)
25: Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg) for Meehan (44)
22: David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona) for Rynne (58)
24: Ian Galvin (Clonlara) for Reidy (61)
6: John Conlon (Clonlara) for Daithí Lohan (67)
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)
