Tipp impress in seeing off Clare
GAA: Munster Senior Football Championship Quarter Final
Tipperary 2-11
Clare 1-11
Report: Liam Hogan at Semple Stadium
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Jimmy Feehan (Tipperary)
SCORERS - Tipperary: Conor Sweeney 1-4 (0-2 frees); Jack Kennedy 0-3 frees; Bill Maher 1-0; Liam Casey 0-2; Liam Boland, Emmett Moloney 0-1 each.
Clare: Eoin Cleary 0-4 frees; Jimmy Feehan 1-0 own goal; Podge Collins, Kealan Sexton (1 free) 0-2 each; Cathal O’Connor, Gary Brennan 0-1 each.
Goals at the beginning of each half gave Tipperary a deserved three point win over Clare and a place in the Munster senior football semi-final.
It was a game they should have won by much more but were relieved to see Evan Comerford at his best with a wonder penalty save in the dying minutes.
In the team’s first championship meeting since 2002 it was a great win for Tipp, especially when one considers they played with fourteen men for ten minutes following Coleman Kennedy’s black card in the 46th minute.
Rain fell incessantly before the game and eased as it progressed, yet the game was entertaining. Clare lived in the Tipp half for the opening three minutes but were unable to score before Conor Sweeney fifth minute goal gave Tipp the perfect start. Kealan Sexton replied with a point three minutes later and after both sides indulged in a string of handpassing moves back and forth it was Sweeney on target with two close range frees in the ninth and twelfth minutes.
Three minutes later, Conor Sweeney was first to Bill Maher’s through ball and won a free which Jack Kennedy converted.
The first water-break provided Clare vital breathing space and in the 21st minute Eoin Cleary pointed a free following a foul on Gary Brennan. Brennan and Cathal O’Connor had the upper hand at midfield as Tipp struggled due to Steven O’Brien being clearly unfit with a hamstring injury he sustained against Offaly two weeks previous.
Clare continued their best phase as Jamie Malone and Eoin Cleary (free) added points. In the 27th minute, Liam Casey got Tipp back on track before Jack Kennedy’s second free a minute later with the Commercials man continued his successful free-taking off the ground with his third point to bring Tipp five clear approaching half time before their lead was cut after Keelan Sexton narrowed the gap with a pointed free in the third minute of added time for a 1-6 to 0-5 half time score line.
The second half was just fifty seconds old when Bill Maher had Tipp’s second goal. It was a thing of beauty after a well-intentioned fifty metre pass by Colman Kennedy found Conor Sweeney who in turn found Maher off his shoulder and the Kilsheelan man drove a left footed effort to the corner of Stephen Ryan’s net.
Seven minutes later Sweeney increased Tipp’s lead, a lead that stood until Eoin Cleary’s third pointed free arrived in the 49th minute.
Tipp led 2-7 to 0-6 at the final water break and after resumption they scored again as Liam Boland pointed when intercepting Stephen Ryan’s poor kickout in the 54th minute. Colman Kennedy returned after his ten-minute sabbatical just in time for Conor Sweeney to increase Tipp’s lead to eight.
But approaching the hour Clare kept up the fight but Robbie Kiely denied the Banner the chance of a goal before points by Cathal O’Connor and Podge Collins left Tipp 2-9 to 0-9 in front with nine minutes remaining.
The six point lead looked safe and when sub Emmett Moloney and Liam Casey added a point each there didn’t appear to be anyway back for Clare that was until Eoin Cleary 45 metre free to the edge of the small square saw Jimmy Feehan lose his footing and foul Gary Brennan resulting in a penalty. Up stepped David Tubridy but his shot was excellently saved by Evan Comerford.
Clare refused to bow and after Podge Collins point, Clare had the ball in the Tipp net in the 73rd minute when Jimmy Feehan turned Gavin Cooney’s shot into his own net.
At the other end, Conor Sweeney should have increased Tipp’s lead after his free kick from a mark was too low and Ryan saved before Clare turned defence into attack for Gary Ryan earned his mark and tapped the free over the bar.
There was another two minutes of action as Clare tried to piece together a plan in scoring a goal but Tipp held out.
TIPPERARY: Evan Comerford (Kilsheelan-Kilcash); Alan Campbell (Moyle Rovers), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule), Colm Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan); Bill Maher (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Kevin Fahy (Clonmel Commercials), Robbie Kiely (Barryroe); Steven O’Brien (Ballina), Liam Casey (Cahir); Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Michael Quinlivan (Clonmel Commercials), Conor Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials); Jason Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials), Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen), Colman Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials).
Subs: Brian Fox (Eire Og Annacarty) for Lonergan (34); Liam Boland (Moyle Rovers) for O’Brien (48); Emmett Maloney (Drom & Inch) for Conal Kennedy (61); Padraic Looram (Clonmel Commercials) for B Maher (70+3); Kevin O’Halloran (Portroe) for Casey (70+3).
Clare: Stephen Ryan; Gordan Kelly, Cillian Brennan, Eoghan Collins; Pearse Lillis, Kevin Harnett, Alan Sweeney; Gary Brennan, Cathal O’Connor; Ciaran Russell, Eoin Cleary, Jamie Malone; Kealan Sexton, Joe McGann, Cian O’Dea.
Sub: David Tubridy for McGann (22); Podge Collins for Russell (39); Emmet McMahon for Sweeney (41); Sean Collins for Kelly (51); Gavin Cooney for Sexton (67).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork