Tipp see off Clare to retain Munster Under 20 Hurling title

GAA: oneills.com Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Final

Tipperary 3-19

Clare 1-20

Report: Shane Brophy at TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Oisin O’Donoghue (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Darragh McCarthy 1-8 (1-0 pen, 0-8 frees); Oisin O’Donoghue 1-3; Cathal English 1-2; Conor Martin, Paddy McCormack 0-2 each; Joe Egan, Jamie Ormond 0-1 each.

Clare: Fred Hegarty 1-12 (1-0 pen, 0-9 frees); James Organ, Jack O’Neill 0-2 each; Daniel Costelloe, Ronan Kilroy, Sean Boyce, Michael Collins 0-1 each.

Tipperary retained the Munster Under 20 Hurling title after overcoming Clare in the final on Wednesday evening.

Tipp trailed 1-18 to 1-14 on 46 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Conor Martin which saw Clare’s Jamie Moylan black-carded. Darragh McCarthy converted the penalty and in the ten minutes Clare were down to fourteen men, Tipp outscored the Banner 2-3 to 0-1 which ultimately decided the game.

Off the back of his exertions for the seniors the previous Saturday, under 20 captain Sam O’Farrell started from the bench with David Ryan coming in at wing back.

The game started at a brisk pace with Conor Martin opening the scoring on sixteen seconds with Michael Collins and Jack O’Neill having Clare ahead by the second.

Clare were the better side in the early going and after Joe Egan levelled for Tipp, the Banner reeled off four points in a row from Fred Hegarty (2, 1 free), O’Neill, and James Organ by the ninth minute.

The direct ball was Tipp’s weapon in the opening half as three successive fouls on Oisin O’Donoghue led to Tipp’s next three scores, two Darragh McCarthy frees before McCarthy caught the Clare defence napping for the third, taking a quick free to O’Donoghue who blasted to the net.

Tipp followed it with points from Cathal English (2), Paddy McCormack and Conor Martin to go four ahead by the seventeenth minute. Clare hit back with three in a row from two Hegarty frees and Daniel Costelloe before Tipp scored again after Oisin O’Donoghue first timed a breaking ball over the bar after Paddy McCormack’s goal chance hit the crossbar.

McCormack was in again moments later but kicked wide from close range under pressure. However, Tipp struggled to get direct ball in there as Clare got the upper hand towards half time to trail by just one, 1-11 to 0-13.

Buoyed by the strong finish to the first half, Clare continued it into the second with the first three points of the half to go two in front before Darragh McCarthy pointed a free after another foul on Oisin O’Donoghue. The Cashel man was superb and his next score brought Tipp level at 1-14 to 0-7 before Clare were awarded a penalty on 43 minutes for a foul on sub Harry Doherty and Fred Hegarty converted with aplomb and when the wing-forward converted another free, Clare were two scores to the good.

Tipp needed a big moment and it came when Conor Martin broke through the Clare defence but was fouled in the process of shooting with a penalty awarded and a black card shown.

After McCarthy expertly converted the penalty, Tipp were on the front foot but erratic shooting saw them fail to score again until the 52nd minute when an Oisin O’Donoghue sideline cut was fumbled by Clare keeper Mark Sheedy and Cathal English managed to force the ball over the line from close range.

Tipp kicked on and points from McCarthy (free), sub Jamie Ormond and Paddy McCormack saw Tipp five clear by the time Moylan returned to the fray. Two Hegarty frees brought Clare within a goal going into three minutes of added time but two late frees from McCarthy, the second following another foul on Oisin O’Donoghue saw Tipp home to a record 23rd Munster title in the under 20/21 grade, and a place the All-Ireland Final against Dublin or Kilkenny on the June Bank Holiday weekend.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Eoin Horgan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams); Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross/Ballycahill), Podge O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan); Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Jim Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill), David Ryan (Arravale Rovers); Joe Egan (Moycarkey/Borris), Adam Daly (Knockavilla-D Kickhams); Cathal English (Father Sheehy’s), Conor Martin (Cappawhite), David Costigan (Moycarkey/Borris); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara), Paddy McCormack (Borris-Ileigh, Capt), Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs).

Subs: Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og, Capt) for D Ryan (43); Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens) for Costigan (46); Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch) for Daly (53); Mason Cawley (Nenagh Eire Og) for Martin (60).

Clare: Mark Sheedy; John Cahill (Capt), Fiachra O Bhroin, Eoghan Gunning; Jamie Moylan, James Hegarty, Eoin McMahon; Daniel Costelloe, Ronan Kilroy; James Organ, Jack O’Neill, Fred Hegarty; Sean Boyce, Diarmuid Stritch, Michael Collins.

Subs: Harry Doherty for Boyce (39); Robert Loftus for Organ (49); Liam Crotty for Collins (52); Tadhg Lohan for Kilroy (60).

Referee: Ciaran O’Regan (Cork)