Clare injury time rally stuns Tipp

GAA: Fulfil Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 4

Tipperary 2-14

Clare 2-15

Report: Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Jamie Ormond (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Cormac Fitzpatrick 1-6 (0-6 frees); Jamie Ormond 0-4; Tiernan Ryan 1-0; Charlie Ryan 0-2; Shane Cleary, Stefan Tobin 0-1 each.

Clare: Fred Hegarty 0-5 (4 frees); Daniel Costello 1-2; Michael Collins 0-3; Marco Cleary 1-0; Ronan Kilroy, Sean Boyce, Tomas O’Connor, Sean Arthur, Paul Rodgers (free) 0-1 each.

Tipperary failed to secure direct passage to the Munster Under 20 Hurling Final last evening as the Clare scored 2-1 in injury time to stun the home side at FBD Semple Stadium.

Despite being reduced to fourteen men on 51 minutes with Sam Rowan sent off for a second bookable offence, it inspired Tipp who pushed on with the help of a Tiarnan Ryan goal to go seven clear with four minutes of normal time remaining but they wouldn’t score again in the remaining seven minutes of match time, sitting back on their lead and invited Clare onto them to their detriment.

Tipperary manager Brendan Cummins made three changes from the team that started in the previous game against Waterford with Adam Ryan returning from injury into the half-back line for Jake Donelan-Houlihan with Charlie Ryan and Robbie Ryan getting their first starts in place of Eoghan Doughan and captain Oisin O’Donoghue who was rested after playing the full game for the seniors 72 hours previous, but Stefan Tobin did start and wing forward but didn’t make a huge impression on the contest.

In keeping with the low-key nature of the under 20 championship so far as a whole, it took a full nine minutes for the first score to arrive from a Fred Hegarty free for Clare with the radar of both sides off leading to seventeen first half wides, ten for Tipp.

Tomas O’Connor doubled the Clare lead before Tipp finally got on the scoreboard through a long range Cormac Fitzpatrick free whose placed balls were the only scores Tipp managed until he goaled in the 18th minute after Tipp forced a Clare turnover in midfield.

Stand-in captain Jamie Ormond was Tipp’s sole threat in attack in the opening half and landed two from play with Sam Rowan also pointing as they went in 1-6 to 0-7 in front at the break.

Tipp upped things in the second half with Ormond getting his third and the impressive half-back Charlie Ryan also on target along with a fourth Fitzpatrick free but Clare were staying close with Daniel Costello, the powerful Tomas O’Connor and Michael Collins bringing them within one on forty minutes.

Clare missed chances to get level or in front with Tipp keeper Paddy McCormack making his second fine save. Points from Tobin, Charlie Ryan, and Ormond pushed Tipp five clear before Rowan’s sending off.

However, with Tiarnan Ryan breaking through for a goal on 52 minutes to go seven ahead, it appeared they had things in hand and going into the first of three minutes of added time were still six in front when Daniel Costello latched onto a breaking ball from a 65 to fire to the net.

It gave Clare hope and in the time that remained, Tipp played too deep, twelve of the thirteen remaining outfield men around their own 21, inviting Clare onto them, and they paid the price when Sean Arthur fired to the top corner of the net.

There was time for one more play, with Clare winning the puckout and they worked the ball out to Costello who fired over the winner.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Paddy McCormack (Moneygall); David Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Evan Morris (Holycross/Ballycahill), Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross/Ballycahill); Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Charlie Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla), Euan Murray (Thurles Sarsfields); Sam Rowan (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone), Shane Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan), Tiarnan Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill), David Costigan (Moycarkey/Borris); Robbie Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens, Capt), Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch).

Subs: Patrick Ryan (Borris-Ileigh) for Morris (46); Sam Hall (Golden Kilfeacle) for Costigan (59); Kieran Rossiter (Thurles Sarsfields) for R Ryan (60+1).

Clare: Mark Sheedy; Eoghan Gunning (Capt), Robert Loftus, Joe Casey; Jamie Moylan, Ryan Hayes, Matthew O’Halloran; Daniel Costello, Graham Ball; Michael Collins, Ronan Kilroy, Fred Hegarty; Sean Boyce, Tomas O’Connor, Paul Rodgers.

Subs: Darren Moroney for Gunning (46 inj); Marco Cleary for Boyce (46); Sean Arthur for Hegarty (51); Jack Mescall for Ball (55); Harry Doherty for Rodgers (59).

Referee: Shane Scanlon (Cork)