HURLING: Banner blitz trips up Tipp

Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 2
Clare 3-21 Tipperary 2-16

CLARE thundered into the Munster Senior Hurling Championship to blitz hosts Tipperary and open up the door of possibility in Semple Stadium, Thurles this afternoon, writes Eoin Brennan.
With both sides craving a victory for differing reasons, three first half Banner goals with the aid of the conditions through Ian Galvin, Peter Duggan and Tony Kelly carved out a 13 point interval cushion that would effectively end Tipperary’s championship hopes, only a full week into the new campaign.
The return of Peter Duggan and Shane O’Donnell were pivotal ingredients to detonating the first championship upset as the Clooney-Quin talisman had a direct hand in all three goals while the latter was a huge source of inspiration throughout.
Those star performances took some of the attention on top scorer Tony Kelly who finished with 1-7 while John Conlon, Rory Hayes, Diarmuid Ryan and debutant Robin Mounsey were others to excel in an eight point triumph.
Clare led from start to finish to put further doubts in the minds of the hosts who had faltered coming down the final straight against Waterford seven days previously.
It took only eight minutes for Clare to ignite their challenge as O’Donnell, Kelly and Ryan Taylor combined on the left wing to centre for Peter Duggan to unleash a bullet that was saved by goalkeeper Brian Hogan off the crossbar, only for Ian Galvin to catch the rebound and billow the net at 1-3 to 0-1.
Diarmuid Ryan blocked a Jason Forde reply at the other end, a stop that would be magnified in the 20th minute when centre-back John Conlon broke through Tipperary’s cover but again would be denied by the stubborn Hogan before Peter Duggan volleyed the rebound to the net.
Duggan would be held for the third goal as Tony Kelly emphatically dispatched the resultant penalty past Hogan as Clare soared 3-7 to 0-4 clear by the half hour mark.
Indeed, further points from Taylor, Galvin, Kelly and O’Donnell would ensure a 3-11 to 0-7 half-time lead albeit that Tipperary had the wind to come.
The second period wasn’t a patch on its predecessor as the quality dipped and formations went out the window which led to a scrappy half. However, that wouldn’t unduly concern a buoyant Banner that opted to go long for the majority as they looked to maintain their stranglehold on the contest.
A goal from substitute Ger Browne only 90 seconds into the net half provided a glimmer of hope for the home side, with the deficit further lowered to eight by the turn of the final quarter when Barry Heffernan’s point attempt from halfway managed to drop into the net at 3-15 to 2-10.
However, seven points would be as close as Tipperary would come to the leaders who regained full control through inspirational scores from Robin Mounsey, a rousing David McInerney interception and clinching points from Kelly and O’Donnell to cap off a memorable afternoon.
Clare return to Semple Stadium next Sunday in confident mood, this time facing a scorned Cork who, like Tipperary, require a positive result to resuscitate their championship challenge.

Rory Hayes of Clare in action against Jason Forde of Tipperary during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

David Mc Imnerney of Clare in action against Jake Morris of Tipperary during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Cathal Malone of Clare in action against John Mc Grath of Tipperary during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Ian Galvin of Clare celebrates his early goal during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Conor Cleary of Clare in action against Mark Kehoe of Tipperary during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Peter Duggan of Clare celebrates his goal during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Rory Hayes of Clare in action against Noel Mc Grath of Tipperary during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Tony Kelly of Clare celebrates his penalty goal during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Noel Mc Grath of Tipperary in action against Paul Flanagan of Clare during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Jake Morris of Tipperary in action against Rory Hayes of Clare during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Conor Stakelum of Tipperary in action against Tony Kelly of Clare during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Tony Kelly of Clare about to score a point during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Clare’s Tony Kelly leaping over the hoarding back into the pitch during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

David Fitzgerald of Clare gets treatment for a hand injury during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Shane O Donnell of Clare in action against Conor Stakelum of Tipperary during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

A Clare fan applauds his team near the end during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

The banner flag flies proudly during the Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Brian Lohan, Clare Manager, on the sideline during their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Colm Bonnar, Tipperary Manager and Brian Lohan, Clare Manager shake hands after their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

A delighted Diarmuid Ryan and Peter Duggan of Clare following their Munster SHC Round Robin win over Tipperary at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

David Mc Inerney and Ryan Taylor of Clare in brace on the final whistle following their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Conor Cleary and David Fitzgerald of Clare embrace on the final whistle following their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

A delighted John Conlon of Clare following their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Peter Duggan and David Fitzgerald of Clare meet following their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Peter Duggan, David Fitzgerald and Rory Hayes of Clare meet following their Munster SHC Round Robin game at Semple Stadium. Photograph by John Kelly

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle); Paul Flanagan (Ballyea), Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown), Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones); Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), John Conlon (Clonlara), David McInerney (Tulla); Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin), Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge); David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), Tony Kelly (Ballyea), Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg); Ian Galvin (Clonlara), Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin), Robin Mounsey (Ruan)
Subs: Patrick Crotty (Scariff) for Galvin (49), Domhnall McMahon (Michael Cusack’s) for Fitzgerald (62), Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge) for Malone (70), Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) for O’Donnell (71), Jack Browne (Ballyea) for Taylor (74)

Scorers: Tony Kelly (1-7, 1-0 Pen, 5f); Ian Galvin, Peter Duggan (1-2 each); Robin Mounsey, Ryan Taylor, Shane O’Donnell (0-2 each); David Fitzgerald, Rory Hayes, Diarmuid Ryan, David McInerney (0-1 each)

Tipperary: Brian Hogan (Lorrha-Dorrha); Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), James Quigley (Kiladangan), Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Dillon Quirke (Clonoulty-Rossmore), Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s); Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh), Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg); Jason Forde (Silvermines), Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), Michael Breen (Ballina); John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg)
Subs: Ger Browne (Cashel King Cormac) for J. McGrath (23, inj), Brian McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Quigley (26, inj), Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields) for McCormack (HT), Gearoid O’Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy) for Morris (49), Alan Flynn (Kiladangan) for Heffernan (64)

Scorers: Jason Forde (0-7, 4f, 2’65, 1’sl); Ger Browne (1-3); Barry Heffernan (1-0); Ronan Maher (0-2, 1f); Cathal Barrett, Noel McGrath, Michael Breen, Mark Kehoe (0-1 each)

Referee: James Owens (Wexford)