Tipp Minor Footballers stay perfect with Clare win

While there was no silverware handed out on Tuesday evening, undoubtedly Tipperary garnered the richer bounty from West Clare ahead of the side’s rematch in the Daryl Darcy Cup Final in a fortnight’s time.

GAA: Munster Minor Football Championship Phase 1 Round 3

Clare 1-8

Tipperary 2-10

Report: Eoin Brennan at Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Dayle Hogan (Tipperary)

SCORERS - Clare: Conor Burke 0-4 (2 frees), Kevin Hanley 1-1, Liam Clune 0-3 (2 frees).

Tipperary: Patrick McDonagh 1-3; Dayle Hogan 1-2; Dylan Cotter 0-2; Eamon Ryan, Ned O’Meara (free), Brian O’Donoghue 0-1 each.

Having both overcome Limerick and Waterford to qualify for the last four of the Munster Minor Championship alongside perennial kingpins Cork and Kerry, there was little to play for in Quilty for these neighbouring pair, aside from pride and the added incentive of maintaining their perfect start to this year’s campaign.

Consequently, Tipp joint-managers Michael Donnellan and Shane Hennessy will be far more pleased with their position for that upcoming Phase 1 decider as their superior strength-in-depth, sharpness and overall dominance made this a hugely worthwhile trip.

After all, despite nine changes to the side that overcame Waterford on away soil seven days earlier, the assimilation process was almost seamless as the Premier belied the dominant conditions to lead from start to finish and lead by as much as double figures coming down the final straight.

Indeed, the only conceivable downside for the management is an inevitable selection headache for the final as several newcomers all impressively grasped their opportunity with both hands. Top-scorer Patrick McDonagh (1-3) was electric in the opening period, outstanding midfielder Dayle Hogan dominated the centre with captain Dylan Cotter and kicked 1-2 to boot while target-man Ned O’Meara and attacking wing backs Thomas Shanahan and Danny Morris all stood out from a collectively impressive pack.

The Game

A strong gale favoured hosts Clare but that was their only redeeming feature early on as the visitors seized full control from the outset. Indeed, was it not for some early misses in front of the posts, Tipperary might have even built up an unassailable advantage by the end of the opening quarter.

Eamon Ryan opened the scoring in the first minute, but three successive wides did provide some breathing space for the home side. Crucially goalkeeper Mark Conroy stepped up to produce an excellent full length save in the tenth minute after his defence had lost possession at halfway and were quickly counter by a surging Conor Burke drive that was tipped away at the right post.

That save would be magnified when only three minutes later, Tipperary broke the deadlock at the other end when captain Cotter played in Patrick McDonagh to slalom through Clare’s last line and nestle a perfect shot into the left corner of the net. Followed quickly by a point from the same player following an interception, Tipperary were 1-2 to 0-0 clear by the midway mark of the half and the damage could have been greater if they had converted a subsequent goal sighting.

It took a shellshocked Clare eighteen minutes to finally open their account through chief threat Conor Burke who also converted a free to lower the gap to two by the 21st minute. However, just when it seemed as if the home side were finding their feet, Tipperary inflicted a second hammer blow just before the break.

McDonagh and Kevin Hanley had just traded points when Ned O’Meara was fouled thirty metres from goal in the 26th minute. Initially lining up to take a point, the full-forward cleverly spotted the run of Dayle Hogan to catch the Clare defence unawares and unleash an unstoppable shot to the right corner of the net.

With that, a buoyant Tipp powered to the break as Dylan Cotter cancelled out a Burke response on their way to a commanding 2-4 to 0-4 interval cushion.

Expecting a Banner backlash, goalkeeper Conroy again came to his side’s rescue when a teasing ball over the top saw Conor Burke cut in from the left corner, only to see his shot repelled by the Drom & Inch stopper in the opening minute. Burke did get the consolation of a free a minute later but that was the extent of the early revolt as instead Tipperary got on the front-foot once more with the next five points to put the result beyond any doubt.

It took ten minutes of the new half to get off the mark but Ned O’Meara’s free arguably should have been accentuated by a goal from the same player just before the turn of the final quarter after good work from Thomas Shanahan and Cian Collins.

It mattered little as Cotter and Hogan’s midfield superiority provided the scores to stretch out the gap. A brace of Hogan points sandwiched a fisted effort from the captain before Patrick McDonagh made it a ten-point cushion entering the final ten minutes at 2-9 to 0-5.

Clare’s bench did impact the greater though for the remainder as substitutes Caleb Walsh and Darragh Townsend combined to tee up Kevin Hanley for a fisted goal in the 53rd minute while fellow replacement Liam Clune would kick three of the last four points to put some respectability on the final scoreline.

However, with only four alterations to their regular side, the Banner have it all to do to turn the tables in their rematch in two weeks’ time as unquestionably Tipperary will have the psychological edge as they bid for a three-in-a-row of Daryl Darcy Cup titles.

TEAMS - Clare: Eoin Byrne; Aaron Killeen, Conor Hill, James Blunnie; Leo Switzer, Diarmuid Boyle, Stephen Murphy; Aidan Weaver, Colm Downes; David Cahill, Shane O’Connell, Ruben Fallon; Daniel Brody, Conor Burke, Kevin Hanley.

Subs: Gabriel Fennell for Weaver (HT); Liam Clune for Fallon (41); Caleb Walsh for Murphy (45); Darragh Townsend for Brody (47); Bernard Keating for Burke (55)

Tipperary: Mark Conroy (Drom & Inch); Jack McGonigle (Rockwell Rovers), Gavin Neville (Fethard), Tommy Burke (JK Brackens); Danny Morris (Clonmel Commercials), Darragh Pollard (Ballingarry), Thomas Shanahan (Ballina); Dylan Cotter (Thurles Gaels, Capt), Dayle Hogan (JK Brackens); Finn Napier (Clonmel Commercials), Patrick McDonagh (Cahir), Cian Collins (Galtee Rovers); Alex Coppinger (Durlas Óg), Ned O’Meara (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone), Eamon Ryan (Moycarkey/Borris).

Subs: Michael Hennelly (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Ryan (44); Luke Hannigan (Clonmel Óg) for Napier (49); Mikey McGuire (Kilsheelan/Kilcash) for Collins (53); Brian O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs) for O’Meara (53); Paul McKeogh (Ballina) for Burke (57).

Referee: Sean Joy (Kerry).