Five-goal Tipp get the better of Clare

GAA: Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 1

Clare 3-23

Tipperary 5-22

Report: Shane Brophy in Ennis

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Jake Morris (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Clare: Aidan McCarthy 1-12 (0-6 frees, 0-2 65s); Mark Rodgers 2-1; Ryan Taylor, Ian Galvin, Shane Meehan 0-2 each; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, Tony Kelly, Robin Mounsey 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Jason Forde 2-6 (1-0 pen, 1-1 s-cuts, 0-5 frees); Jake Morris 2-4; Sean Ryan 1-1; Noel McGrath 0-3; Gearoid O’Connor 0-2; Brian McGrath, John McGrath, Alan Tynan, Conor Bowe, Mark Kehoe, Seamus Kennedy 0-1 each.

Tipperary got their Munster Senior Hurling Championship campaign off to a winning start with a five-point win over Clare on Sunday afternoon.

The Premier County started superbly well with captain Noel McGrath pointing twice and brother Brian adding a third before Jason Forde goaled on four minutes as his side-line cut from fifty yards went all the way to the net.

Clare responded well and rattled off the next six points without reply to level by the twelfth minute before Tipp reasserted themselves with points from Forde and Noel McGrath before Jake Morris goaled in the seventeenth minute as he robbed a dithering Eamonn Foudy to fire to an empty net.

The Clare keeper was beaten for a third time on 23 minutes as John Conlon lost a short puckout and Jake Morris ran on to get his second goal and put Tipp nine in front.

When Gearoid O’Connor became the latest Tipp player to get on the scoresheet, the lead out to ten on 29 minutes but Clare finished the half strongly with Mark Rodgers catching a high ball ahead of Michael Breen before finishing well and Rodgers scored a second three minutes after the Tipp defence was cut open.

However, points from Jake Morris and Gearoid O’Connor gave Tipp a 3-12 to 2-11 lead after a wind assisted first half.

The expected Clare barrage after half time never came, not helped by some poor shooting with the home side hitting fifteen wides. Jake Morris continued where he left off with a point before he was hauled down on route to goal by David McInerney in the 41st minute which saw the Clare defender black-carded, and Jason Forde bury the resulting penalty for a six-point lead.

Tipp maintained that advantage throughout the sin-bin period, but Tony Kelly’s only point of the game had Clare within four just as McInerney was coming back on the pitch. However, Tipp weathered every pressure point from Clare with Jason Forde landing crucial frees while John McGrath landed a big point from play.

Tipp virtually put the game to bed in the 64th minute with their fifth goal, scored by debutante Sean Ryan with his first touch after coming on, played in by Mark Kehoe who was also impactful off the bench.

Clare kept coming though and an injury time goal from Aidan McCarthy provided a few anxious moments for Tipp before Jason Forde brought his tally to 2-6 to seal a five-point win and the perfect start to the Munster Championship.

Tipperary’s next game is against Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday, 6th May at 7.00pm.

TEAMS – Clare: Eamonn Foudy; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Paul Flanagan; Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney; Shane O’Donnell, Cathal Malone; Peter Duggan, Ryan Taylor, Aidan McCarthy; Ian Galvin, Tony Kelly, Mark Rodgers.

Subs: Rory Hayes for Hogan (44); Shane Meehan for Galvin (51); Aron Shanagher for Rodgers (62); Robin Mounsey for Taylor (67); Jack Kirwan for Duggan (70+1).

Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Michael Breen, Cathal Barrett, Johnny Ryan; Brian McGrath, Bryan Mara, Ronan Maher; Dan McCormack, Alan Tynan; Gearoid O’Connor, Noel McGrath, Seamus Kennedy; Jason Forde, John McGrath, Jake Morris.

Subs: Conor Stakelum for Tynan (46); Mark Kehoe for J McGrath (59); Sean Ryan for O’Connor (63); Conor Bowe for N McGrath (70+1); Enda Heffernan for B McGrath (70+3).

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)

Attendance: 17,971