Banner topple Tipp at Thurles

Clare 1-21   Tipperary 1-13

A much sharper Clare deservingly captured the Waterford Crystal senior hurling title at Semple Stadium in Thurles on Saturday night when they proved too strong for the home county.

 

In reversing last year’s final result, the winners captured the title for the second time, having previously been successful in 2009 when they also beat Tipperary in the final.

With keen competition for places in the team for the upcoming league, the Clare players named for duty were clearly determined to impress. Davy Fitzgerald and his mentors and plenty to be happy about. have been impressed. They were also relieved to see Darach Honan return to action, albeit for just the closing few minutes of the game.

Tipperary, however, were well below their best and will need to show a big improvement by the time the teams meet in the final round of the league, at the end of March.

From the throw-in, Clare held an edge and would not have been flattered had they a bigger lead at the interval, when the score was 0-14 to 1-8.

Clare were forced to make a late change to the team named on the match programme with Fergal Lynch called into the starting line-up in place of Nicky O’Connell. Tipperary also had to make a change and they brought in Thomas Stapleton at centre-back in place of Brendan Maher.

The home side had the opening scores of the game with Noel McGrath (free) and Shane Bourke pointing inside the first three minutes. Like scores from Tony Kelly and Fergal Lynch had the sides level by the sixth minute, the first of four times that they were level in the opening half.

Clare had edged one ahead, 0-5 to 0-4, by the twelfth minute before the Premier outfit’s Patrick Maher got through for a goal. This was one of the few occasions that the Banner defence was breached on the evening.

A Shane Bourke point followed and Tipperary were a goal clear as the mid-point of the half approached but excellent points from Colin Ryan (two frees) Enda Barrett and Alan O’Neill had the teams level with 12 minutes still to play in the half.

A Tony Kelly effort gave Clare a lead they would hold to the end 11 minutes from the half-time whistle and four Ryan efforts from placed balls left the visitors three in front at half time.

Tipperary returned with the experienced John O’Brien in their full-forward line, replacing Brian O’Meara but it was Clare who took up where they had left off and added points from Shane O’Donnell and Colin Ryan to stretch their advantage to five. Tipperary brought it back to three but three unanswered scores from the visitors pushed them six clear by the end of the third quarter.

Tipperary’s task was made all the greater when the winners struck for their goal 16 minutes into the half. A great run by Seadna Morey resulted in a good stop by veteran goalie Brendan Cummins but Shane O’Connell reacted quickest and he fired the rebound to the net, putting Clare nine clear.

In the remaining time both sides made changes but Clare maintained their dominance and were fully deserving of their seven-point victory.

Tipperary finished the game with 14 men after defender Conor O’Brien picked up a second yellow card, ten minutes from the end

The win provided newly elected Munster Council chairman, Clare’s Robert Frost, with the opportunity of presenting the trophy to his native county. He made the presentation to his fellow clubman, Patrick Donnellan, from O’Callaghan’s Mills, his fellow clubman.

The Clare defence was on top throughout and this is reflected in the fact that goalkeeper Patrick Kelly wasn’t called on to make any saves. Seven players got on the scoresheet as the visitor’s midfield and forwards caused all sorts of problems for their opponents. Tipperary managed just five scores from play and this indicates how they struggled to win possession throughout the game.

Clare: Patrick Kelly; Domhnaill O’Donovan, James McInerney, David McInerney; Brendan Bugler, Patrick Donnellan (capt), Patrick O’Connor; Colin Ryan, Seadna Morey; Fergal Lynch, Tony Kelly, Enda Barrett; Shane O’Donnell, Alan O’Neill, Paudge Collins.
Subs: Peter Duggan for Lynch (52 minutes); Jonathon Clancy for Collins (62 minutes); Davy O’Halloran for O’Donnell (63 minutes); Liam Markham for Barrett (66 minutes); Darach Honan for O’Neill (68 minutes).
Scorers: Colin Ryan (0-9, 7f, 1 65); Tony Kelly (0-5); Shane O’Donnell (1-1); Seadna Morey, Fergal Lynch (0-2 each); Enda Barrett, Alan O’Neill (0-1 each).
Frees for: 22; wides: 12; 65s: 1.
Tipperary: Brendan Cummins; Conor O’Brien, Paul Curran, Donagh Maher; Joey McLoughney, Thomas Stapleton, Seamus Hennessy; Shane McGrath, Noel McGrath; Jason Forde, Eoin Kelly, Patrick Maher; Brian O’Meara, Shane Bourke, Seamus Callanan.
Subs: John O’Brien for O’Meara (half time); Johnnie Ryan for McLoughney (51 minutes), Timmy Hammersley for Kelly (57 minutes); James Woodlock for Stapleton (inj) 62 minutes); John O’Neill for Curran, inj. (68 minutes).
Scorers: Eoin Kelly (0-6, 5f); Patrick Maher (1-0); Seamus Callinan (1f); Shane Bourke (0-2 each); Noel McGrath (1f); Brian O’Meara, John O’Brien (0-1 each).
Frees for: 16; wides: 14.
Sent off: Conor O’Brien, two yellow cards (60 minutes).
Referee: Jer O’Connell, Cork.