Three-in-a-row dream still alive

Clare will contest the Munster Minor Hurling Championship final for an historic third year in succession after they managed a two-point win over Limerick before an attendance of 3,386 at Cusack Park on Friday evening.

Leading from an early stage, the Munster champions had to survive a nail-biting finish before securing their place in the decider against Tipperary on July 15 in Cork.
Leading by six points with the game in the final minute of normal time, Clare’s place in the final seemed assured. However, two goals in the space of a minute sent the tie into extra time and left Clare fans on the edge.
Limerick will certainly point to many missed chances when they sit down to review the game – they hit 17 wides to Clare’s four – but, overall, Clare deserved to win. They were never behind in normal time and their defence was superb throughout.
That said, there are aspects of their play that will have to improve if they are to upset a highly fancied Tipperary side in the final.
The titleholders made the better start and after early points from Bobby Duggan (free) and Niall Deasy, they struck for the opening goal. Jamie Shanahan picked out Niall Deasy with a superb pass and the Ballyea teenager quickly transferred to Bobby Duggan, who made no mistake in the fifth minute.
A further four minutes went by before Limerick opened their account but points from Duggan and Shane Taylor had Clare 1-4 to 0-1 in front after 12 minutes.
Clare, however, failed to build on this lead and Limerick hit four unanswered points as the home side found it difficult to win possession in the midfield and half-forward areas.
To their credit, they came back strongly before the break and when the half-time whistle sounded, they were five points clear again, 1-8 to 0-6.
By the time the second half got underway, the visitors had made three changes to their starting line up but Clare made the better start and a brace of Bobby Duggan points had them seven clear two minutes into the new period.
Limerick fought back and in the next 18 minutes they outscored Clare 0-5 to 0-1, leaving just a goal between the sides with 10 minutes to play.
Three Clare points seemed to have ensured the holders’ passage to the decider as play entered the final minute. Limerick were then awarded a penalty, from which their captain, Ronan Lynch, who had missed a few easy frees earlier, found the net with a low strike.
This incident was a double blow for Clare as captain, corner-back Shane O’Brien, picked up a second yellow card, which ended his participation in the tie.
The goal proved a huge boost to the visitors and from the resumption they won possession and drove forward.
Centre-back Barry O’Connell won possession 40m from the Clare goal and he burst past a number of Clare defenders and kicked the ball to the net with the last action of the game. Clare followers were clearly annoyed the referee didn’t award them a free, as O’Connell clearly over carried the ball.
For extra time, Niall Deasy returned to the Clare line-up in place of the captain, bringing the home side back to a full complement. From the throw-in, Jamie Shanahan won possession and put Clare back in front. A brace of points from substitute Darragh O’Donovan saw Limerick take the lead for the only time but at the end of the first period Clare were back in front after a Bobby Duggan brace.
Defences dominated in the extra period and the second period, produced just three scores. The first of these was an excellent point from Clare wing-back Aidan McGuane, who was most impressive throughout.
In the closing minutes of the second period Limerick piled on the pressure in search of a goal but the Clare defence held firm and when the final whistle sounded, the home side were deservingly ahead.
In a strong defence, McGuane, Brian Carey and Conor Cleary were always prominent. Up front, Bobby Duggan was excellent throughout while Jamie Shanahan and Shane Taylor got through some excellent work.
Barry O’Donnell, Shane Irwin, Cian and Ronan Lynch did best for the Shannonsiders.

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Shane O’Brien (capt), Brian Carey, Gearóid Ryan; Aidan McGuane, Conor Cleary, Eoin Quirke; David Conroy, Alex Morey; Shane Taylor, Niall Deasy, Jamie Shanahan; Bobby Duggan, Shane O’Donnell, Conor Deasy.
Subs: Stephen Ward for N Deasy (42 minutes); Jamie Malone for Conroy (59 minutes); Aidan O’Gorman for Taylor (60 minutes); Taylor for Ward 66 minutes).
Scorers: Bobby Duggan (1-12, 0-10f); Shane Taylor (0-2); Alex Morey, Aidan McGuane, Conor Deasy, Jamie Shanahan, Niall Deasy (0-1) each.
Frees: 14; Wides: 4.
Bookings: Aidan McGuane (33 minutes) and Shane O’Brien (37 minutes and 60 minutes).
Sent off: Shane O’Brien (60 minutes).
Limerick: Darragh Stapleton; Ritchie English, Shane Irwin, James Carigg; Diarmuid Byrnes, Barry O’Connell, Diarmuid Dee; Brian Finn, Kieran Cleary; Ronan Lynch, David Condron, Cian Lynch; Liam O’Sullivan, Kevin O’Brien, Jack Kelliher.
Subs: Eoin O’Farrell for J Kelliher (25 mins); Darragh Donovan for Finn (half-time); Jody Hannon for Cleary (half-time); Bryan Griffin for Condron (35 mins); Pat Ryan for Griffin (inj) (38 mins); Andrew La Touche Cosgrave for L O’Sullivan (55 mins); Finn for Ryan (for extra time); Ryan for K O’Brien (half time in extra time); Evan Fitzgerald for R Lynch (inj) 73 minutes and Cleary for Dee (76 minutes).
Scorers: Ronan Lynch (1-4, 1-3f, 0-1 65’; Barry O’Connell (1-0); Darragh Donovan, Eoin O’Farrell (0-2) each; Diarmuid Byrnes, Brian Finn, Cian Lynch, Liam O’Sullivan, Evan Fitzgerald and Kevin O’Brien (0-1) each.
Frees: 19; Wides: 17.
Bookings: Kevin O’Brien (29 minutes) and Diarmuid Dee (50 minutes).
Referee: John O’Brien, Tipperary.