Clare dethrone Tipp in thriller

GAA: Fulfil Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Final

Clare 2-24

Tipperary 2-24

(After extra-time, Clare win 4-3 on penalties)

Report: Stephen Barry at TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Fred Hegarty (Clare)

SCORERS – Clare: Fred Hegarty 1-14 (1-0 penalty, 0-11 frees); Marco Cleary 1-0; Michael Collins 0-3; Daniel Costello, Ronan Kilroy 0-2 each; Thomas O'Connor, Paul Rodgers, Seán Arthur 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Jamie Ormond 1-5; Cormac Fitzpatrick 0-6 (5 frees); Stefan Tobin 1-3; David Costigan 0-3; Charlie Ryan, Robbie Ryan 0-2 each; Shane Cleary, Eoghan Doughan, Oisín O'Donoghue 0-1 each.

For the second time in four years, a Clare-Tipperary Munster final went all the way to penalties. This time, the Banner emerged with the trophy on an evening where Tipp will rue their catalogue of wides in front of 6,442 fans at TUS Gaelic Grounds.

Mark Sheedy was in goals for that 2022 minor final, where he was sanctioned for stepping off his line in a 3-0 Tipp win. This time around, the Clare keeper saved three penalties and scored one to seal the county’s fifth Munster U20/21 title.

In a drama-packed shoot-out, no effort missed the target, with seven scored and five saved.

Sheedy’s flying saves from Oisín O’Donoghue and Cormac Fitzpatrick, either side of a Jamie Ormond conversion, gave Clare a 3-1 lead.

Tipp were on the brink, but Paddy McCormack stood tall to deny Seán Arthur and Ronan Kilroy’s winning attempts, while Stefan Tobin and Eoghan Doughan netted must-make penalties.

Into sudden death, Fred Hegarty, who ended with 1-14 from 17 shots, nailed his third penalty of the evening before Tobin stepped up in a change to the initial Tipp order. He had stitched his first effort to Sheedy’s left, but this time the keeper dived to his right for a stupendous save.

They advance to an All-Ireland final against either Galway or Kilkenny.

In many ways, Tipp pucked away their best chance in the first half. At full-time, with the sides tied at 2-18 apiece, the Premier had converted 53% of their shots against Clare’s 80%.

In the first 25 minutes, wind-assisted Tipp scattered 13 shots either side of the posts and dropped two short. Clare had no wide and just one goal chance saved, which they tidied up for a point.

From 27 shots, Tipp converted 1-11. From 11 shots, Clare left with 0-10.

Tipp missed their first four attempts, while Clare countered for the three points. In their opening attack, Paul Rodgers was charged down by the advancing McCormack, but regathered to score.

Tipp briefly composed themselves for four in a row of their own. Charlie Ryan broke their duck, Tobin slotted back-to-back points, and Robbie Ryan – who assisted 1-5 across the hour – turned from creator to scorer for the fourth.

Clare had five of the next seven white flags, including three Hegarty frees, to lead by 0-8 to 0-6 after 20 minutes. They would only get off two more shots in the remainder of the half.

While Tipp were mopping up possession, they were slow to make it count. After a David Costigan score, they shot six consecutive wides. Finally, Tobin and Costigan found the target to nudge them ahead.

Hegarty levelled from play before a hard-earned Shane Cleary point lifted the Premier crowd. They added a goal on the half-hour. Cathal O’Reilly and Adam Ryan did the defensive graft before Robbie Ryan benefited from Robert Loftus over-committing to the long ball. He picked out Ormond to tap in from close range.

Daniel Costello and Charlie Ryan traded points to leave it 1-11 to 0-10 at half-time.

Clare had a goal back within 10 seconds of the restart. Half-time sub Graham Ball’s first involvement was to win the throw-in and drive in the sliotar. As O’Reilly slipped, Marco Cleary spun in behind to tuck past the keeper.

Ball struck Clare’s first wide in the 34th minute, while Tipp didn’t add another miss until the 51st.

Buoyed by his goal, Ormond grew into the game with three quickfire points. He would end with 1-5.

Clare enjoyed a run of five points to one to push them two ahead, 1-16 to 1-14, by the 43rd minute. Michael Collins slotted two of those after turning over opposition puck-outs.

Tipp flipped that lead with the next 1-1. Adam Ryan brilliantly tracked back to sweep the sliotar off the advancing Kilroy’s hurley. Charlie Ryan fed Tobin, who raced away before firing to the net.

The Tipp cheers rose again as captain O’Donoghue entered the fray. When he pointed in the 54th minute, they led by three.

The game turned again as Nicky O’Toole took everyone by surprise when awarding a penalty. Replays showed Evan Morris playing Thomas O’Connor’s arm as they grappled under Jamie Moylan’s dropping ball. Hegarty’s finish was precisely placed to tie it up at 2-17 apiece.

Hegarty immediately pushed Clare ahead, but after a series of wides at both ends, Patrick Ryan was grateful to win a free for Fitzpatrick to equalise.

A last-ditch Costigan block prevented a Collins shot and O’Toole blew for full-time just as Kilroy gathered the sliotar. A Clare mentor rushed in to protest, resulting in the referee beginning extra-time with a tap-over free for Fitzpatrick.

Tipp, having chosen to play against the wind, limited the deficit to one, 2-23 to 2-22, at the change of ends.

The Banner had four Hegarty frees and a Seán Arthur point, while Ormond and Fitzpatrick clipped two each.

Jack Hayes was hooked for a goal chance by Matthew O’Halloran as Tipp laboured to get back level. After a Costigan point, they eventually did so with two minutes remaining as Doughan converted from the sideline.

Clare had four wides in the second added period to end with nine. Tipp finished with 18 wides, while Fitzpatrick hit the post with a late free.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Paddy McCormack (Moneygall 8); David Ryan (Arravale Rovers 6), Evan Morris (Holycross/Ballycahill 6), Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross/Ballycahill 6); Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers 8), Euan Murray (Thurles Sarsfields 8), Shane Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs 7); Charlie Ryan (Boherlahan/Dualla 7), Sam Rowan (Mullinahone 6); Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan 7), Tiarnán Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill 5), David Costigan (Moycarkey/Borris 8); Robbie Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill 8), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens 8), Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch 6). Subs: Patrick Ryan (Borris-Ileigh 7) for T Ryan (21); Oisín O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs, Capt 6) for Rowan (46); Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall 7) for R Ryan (60); Jake Donelan-Houlihan (Nenagh Éire Óg 6) for Cleary (67); Rowan for Murray (HT ET, inj); Jack Hayes (Moycarkey/Borris 6) for C Ryan (73).

Clare: Mark Sheedy (9); Eoghan Gunning (Capt 7), Robert Loftus (8), Matthew O’Halloran (6); Ryan Hayes (6), James Hegarty (7), Jamie Moylan (6); Daniel Costelloe (7), Ronan Keane (6); Ronan Kilroy (7), Michael Collins (7), Fred Hegarty (9); Marco Cleary (6), Thomas O’Connor (7), Paul Rodgers (6). Subs: Graham Ball (7) for Keane (HT); Seán Arthur (6) for Rodgers (49); Harry Doherty (6) for Costello (55); Darren Moroney (6) for Hayes (ET); Jack Mescall (6) for Collins (69); Daire Neville (6) for Gunning (74, inj); Seán Boyce (6) for Cleary (78).

Referee: Nicky O’Toole (Waterford).