Tipperary Captain Seamus Callanan scored 2-7. Photograph: Bridget Delaney

Tipp swarm Clare to earn opening night win

Tipperary     2-16

Clare              1-11

 

By Michael Dundon at Semple Stadium, Thurles

 

Two goals in three minutes by new captain Seamus Callanan swung this game irrevocably in Tipperary’s favour and sent Clare tumbling to an eight points defeat in the first round of the National Hurling League at rain-swept Semple Stadium, on Saturday evening.

Having handed Tipperary a drubbing in the Munster League final two weeks previously, Clare came to Thurles brimming with confidence but on the night, and even before the somewhat harsh sending off of Tony Kelly in the 44th minute for a foul on Padraic Maher, Tipperary were in control.

They could also afford the luxury of a fourth minute missed penalty as Clare goalie Donal Tuohy got down smartly to parry Seamie Callanan’s effort, en route to a victory that delighted the large home following in the 8,612 attendance.

From the start Tipperary brought an intensity to their game that Clare never matched, with the forwards fighting as hard as the backs for possession. Callanan’s first goal chance came after four minutes when he was dragged down by Jason McCarthy but Tuohy saved well from the penalty.

Tipperary were relentless in their commitment and went 0-9 to 0-2 clear after 22 minutes but Clare got a break when after Colin Guilfoyle had whipped over a point, referee Colm Lyons called back play to award a penalty which Niall Deasy dispatched to keep them in the frame. Four Tipp points to one for Clare followed as Tipp went in at half-time 0-13 to 1-3 leaders.

Clare upped the ante after the break with the introduction of big guns Peter Duggan, Colm Galvin and Podge Collins and they had the lead down to five points when Tony Kelly got red-carded for a foul on Padraic Maher. Peter Duggan reduced it to four a minute later but then two copy-book Tipperary goals settled the tie in Tipp’s favour.

In the 49th minute Jake Morris and Robert Byrne combined to set up Seamie Callanan for a smashing goal and three minutes later, Padraic Maher’s pin-point clearance found Jake Morris who again set up Callanan for his second goal – game over with Tipp ahead 2-14 to 1-6.

 

MATCH DIGEST

Man of the Match: Padraic Maher (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Seamus Callanan 2-7 (0-6 frees, 0-1 pen), N McGrath 0-3 (1 sideline), Jake Morris 0-2; Alan Flynn, Michael Breen, Willie Connors, Robert Byrne 0-1 each.

Clare: P Duggan 0-4 (3 frees, 1 65); Niall Deasy 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1 free); Tony Kelly (1 sideline), Michael O’Malley (1 free, 165) 0-2 each; Podge Collins, John Conlon 0-1 each.

 

TEAMS – Tipperary: Brian Hogan; Cathal Barrett, Padraic Maher, Donagh Maher; Alan Flynn, Ronan Maher, Brian Heffernan; Michael Breen,  Robert Byrne; Dan McCormack, Noel McGrath, Patrick Maher; Willie Connors, Seamus Callanan, Jake Morris.

Subs: Mark Kehoe for McGrath (60); John O’Dwyer for Morris (64); Niall O’Meara for McCormack (69); Killian O’Dwyer for D Maher (70); Cian Darcy for Byrne (70+1).

Clare: Donal Tuohy; Jason McCarthy, David McInerney, Jack Browne; Aidan McCarthy, Conor Cleary, Cathal Malone; Shane Golden, Tony Kelly; Diarmuid Ryan, Niall Deasy, Ryan Taylor; Colin Guilfoyle, John Conlon, Michael O’Neill.

Subs: Peter Duggan for Deasy (HT); Colin Galvin for J McCarthy (HT); Podge Collins for O’Neill (HT); Michael O’Malley (6) for Taylor (51), Ian Galvin for Conlon (63).

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)