Injury-time heartbreak for Tipp Minor Footballers in Clare

GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Phase 1 Round 3

Clare 2-8

Tipperary 2-6

Report: Eoin Brennan in Clarecastle

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Liam Keane (Clare)

SCORERS - Clare: Liam Keane 1-5 (0-4 frees); Thomas Dillon 1-2 (0-1 free); Robbie Kelly 0-1.

Tipperary: Conor O’Meara (1-0 pen, 0-1 free), Cillian Morrissey 1-1 each; Hugh Carolan 0-2 (2play); Danny Chasin (45), Jack Donnelly 0-1 each.

Tipperary may have prematurely bowed out of the Munster Minor Football Championship race but not without almost leaving an indelible mark on hosts Clare in a superb second half turnaround in Clarecastle on Monday evening.

Only managing to put a single point on the board nearing the two-thirds mark, Kevin Mulcahy’s side trailed the Banner by ten points despite welcoming the conditions for the second half.

The spark that would finally ignite Tipperary’s challenge arrived in the 37th minute when not only earning a penalty but also seeing the home side lose corner-back Tristan O’Loughlin to a black card in the process.

Conor O’Meara took full advantage of that lifeline as he emphatically fired the penalty to the right corner, with Cillian Morrissey, O’Meara and Jack Donnelly adding points to lessen the deficit to just four by the time Clare got back to their full complement at the turn of the final quarter at 1-8 to 1-4.

With the bit between their teeth, a momentum-fueled Premier hammered home their newfound confidence with an inspirational two-pointer through Hugh Carolan to halve the arrears to just two by the 54th minute.

However, the best was yet to come as from the restart, Cillian Morrissey raced through to play an inch perfect one-two with Carolan to flick to the net and power the visitors into the lead for the very first time with five minutes remaining, 2-6 to 1-8.

With their previously unruffled hosts beginning to panic in a desperate search for an equaliser, five late home wides only accentuated Tipperary’s belief that they could hold out for their first victory of a difficult campaign.

However, they would be agonisingly denied at the death when Steven O’Neill ghosted in from the left corner, only to see his shot superbly saved by goalkeeper Danny Cashin, with the rebound falling perfectly for Thomas Dillon to scramble over the line for what proved the winning score to see Clare through to the Darrel Darcy Cup final.

A Tipperary victory would have actually left themselves, Clare and Limerick level on two points each, with Limerick’s superior score difference edging them through to Phase 2 alongside a flawless Waterford. However, Clare’s last gasp reprieve ensures the Banner’s passage behind Waterford in the final four alongside Kerry and Cork.

It’s the first time since 2021 that Tipperary aren’t in the business end of the Munster Minor Football Championship but at least there was some pride restored as they had to really dig deep and show character to initiate an eleven point second half turnaround.

If only the visitors had shown the same urgency in the opening half as while they were facing into a stiff breeze, Tipperary found it difficult to settle into their stride at any stage.

The Banner owed the ball in the opening quarter but credit Tipp’s rearguard for keeping the home side to a brace of Liam Keane points.

Tipp’s optimism did dip somewhat in the fourteenth minute when Thomas Dillon’s high delivery was fielded by target man Keane to unleash an unstoppable shot past Cashin to the left corner on their way to a 1-3 to 0-0 lead.

Goalkeeper Cashin would finally open Tipp’s account in the 19th minute through a ’45 but it would be their only scoring contribution of the half as the buoyant Keane (2) and Robbie Kelly completed a 1-6 to 0-1 interval chasm.

The dressing room regroup didn’t initially solve Tipp’s problems as Clare resumed with the first two points of the new half through chief threats Dillon and Keane to stretch the gap to double figures.

At this stage, it was difficult to see a way back for Mulcahy’s charges but crucially they did circle the wagons and showed real character coming down the final straight with a 2-5 unanswered blitz in just eighteen minutes completely flipping this derby tie on its head.

Unfortunately, Tipperary couldn’t hold out for what would have been a famous win but still, such defiance and determination could yet be invaluable as they now prepare for an All-Ireland Tier 3 Championship.

TEAMS - Clare: Conor Griffin; Caelum Killeen, Tadhg Bane, Tristan O’Loughlin; Darren Fitzpatrick, Siney Neenan, Steven O’Neill; Shane Cahill, Jack Lavin; Rian Cotter, Robbie Kelly, Zac O’Shea; Thomas Dillon, Liam Keane, Sean O’Callaghan.

Subs: John Greene for Lavin (39), Eoin Soffe for Fitzpatrick (50), Gavin Browne for Bane (53, inj), Niall Burke for Neenan (56, inj), Iarla Byrne for O’Shea (57)

Tipperary: Danny Cashin (Killenaule); Nicholas Walsh (Cashel King Cormacs), Conor Hurley (Moyle Rovers), Oisin O’Reilly (Clonmel Óg); Reuben Grace (Galtee Rovers), Evan Lonergan (Emly), Oisin McCarthy (Moyle Rovers): Cian Cahill (JK Brackens), Adam O’Callaghan (Portroe); Charlie Brazil (Aherlow), Hugh Carolan (Moyle Rovers), Jack Donnelly (Golden Kilfeacle); Cillian Morrissey (Moyle Rovers), Conor O’Meara (Grangemockler/Ballyneale), Tadhg Dunlea (Ballylooby/Castlegrace)

Subs: Ciaran Hennessy (Aherlow) for O’Reilly (22); Donal O’Callaghan (Clonmel Commercials) for Walsh (HT); Rory Dunphy (Clonmel Commercials) for Cahill (50), Eoin O’Connell (Aherlow) for Dunlea (56)

Referee: Ciaran Murphy (Cork).