Tipp edge past Clare in Minor Hurling opener

GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 1

Tipperary 4-20

Clare 3-19

Report: Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

SCORERS – Tipperary: Chris Dunne 1-8 (0-5 frees, 0-1 ’65); Zach O’Keeffe 2-0; Conall Morrisson 0-5; KJ Dunne 1-1; Eanna Tucker 0-2; Colm Ryan, Oisin Kennedy, Shane Ryan, Hugo Healy 0-1 each.

Clare: Ben Talty 2-9 (1-0 pen, 0-7 frees); James O’Donnell 1-2; Isaac Hassett 0-3; Sean Connellan, Gearoid Madden, Ian O’Brien, Conor Coffey, Max Sheehan 0-1 each.

Tipperary made a winning start to the Munster Minor Hurling Championship with a four point victory over Clare in an entertaining contest on Friday evening.

The home side had the aim of the breeze in the opening half and made a lively start with Eanna Tucker opening the scoring with a point but were rocked with the concession of a penalty a minute later with a foul on Max Sheehan; Ben Talty’s penalty had too much power for Tipp keeper Eoin Connolly.

Sheehan pointed from play but Tipp quickly settled to dominate possession with KJ & Chris Dunne having goal chances before points from Chris Dunne (3 frees), Conall Morrisson, Tucker, and Oisin Kennedy saw them into a 0-7 to 1-1 lead after quarter of an hour before a mistake by Clare keeper Conor Keogh led to Zach O’Keeffe scoring a goal two minutes later.

Talty and Shane Ryan traded points before Clare got a second goal on 23 minutes as an Isaac Hassett shot was half blocked but was snapped out of the air by Ben Talty who gave Eoin Connolly no chance.

Colm Ryan scored a superb individual point for Tipp before Talty brought his tally to 2-2 for the half. Points from Hugo Healy and a Chris Dunne 65 after Zach O’Keeffe was denied a second goal pushed Tipp five clear but late points from James O’Donnell and Conor Coffey kept an efficient Clare close at the break, 1-11 to 2-5.

Tipp made a swift start to the second half with Morrisson adding two from play with Chris Dunne adding a free after KJ Dunne had been fouled on route to goal.

Ian O’Brien and Isaac Hassett retorted for Clare before the increasingly influential Morrisson pointed once more for Tipp. Hassett and KJ Dunne traded points before three in a row from Hassett, two from Ben Talty and one from Sean Connellan brought Clare within one on 43 minutes.

Tipp were under pressure but got a timely goal a minute later through Zach O’Keeffe who was unselfishly set up by KJ Dunne. After Gearoid Madden pointed for Clare, KJ Dunne got the goal his performance deserved, 3-16 to 2-13.

However, Clare refused to yield as they scored the next four points from Talty (3 frees) and O’Donnell before Chris Dunne landed a needed free for Tipp on 53 minutes. Conall Morrisson and Chris Dunne followed with two classy points but it was soon back to two as an ailing James Donnell goaled for Clare off a rebound after Eoin Connolly saved from sub Kris O’Callaghan.

However, Tipp killed the game off on 59 minutes with KJ Dunne again unselfishly setting up his namesake Chris to bring his tally to 1-8 on the evening with Conall Morrisson adding the coup de gras with his fifth point to go six clear with before the games top scorer Ben Talty landing two late frees for Clare to cap of a fine individual performance of 2-9 but not enough to be on the winning side.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Eoin Connolly (Carrick Swan); Colm Ryan (Newport), Daniel Groome (Borris-Ileigh), Conor Collins (Galtee Rovers, Capt); Travis McLoughlin (Cahir), James Finn (Golden Kilfeacle), Oisin Kennedy (Newport); Shane Ryan (Borris-Ileigh), Hugo Healy (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Conor Kennedy (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Chris Dunne (Gortnahoe/Glengoole), Eanna Tucker (JK Brackens); Conall Morrisson (Moyle Rovers), Zack O’Keeffe (Holycross/Ballycahill), KJ Dunne (Toomevara).

Subs: Rian McGrath (Kiladangan) for C Kennedy (45); Ciaran Gantley for Healy (49); Ciaran O’Mahony (Thurles Sarsfields) for Groome (51); Josh Moroney for Tucker (55).

Clare: Conor Keogh; Marcus Fitzpatrick, Oran Perrill, Cian Maxted; Fionn Plunkett, Colm Daly, Oran Duignan; Isaac Hassett, Sean Connellan; Conor Coffey, Ian O’Brien, Gearoid Madden; Max Sheehan, James O’Donnell, Ben Talty.

Subs: Donncha McKenna for Talty (6-8 blood); Ryan Mahony for Coffey (39); Darragh Clancy for Perrill (41); Podge Murphy for Duignan (42); Donncha McKenna for Sheehan (49); Kris O’Callaghan for O’Brien (51 inj).

Referee: Niall Fahy (Cork).