Tipp complete Banner double to set up key Cork clash

GAA: Dalata Hotel Group Munster Under 20 Football Championship Phase 2 Round 2

Tipperary 2-16

Clare 0-17

Report: Michael Dundon in New Inn

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Daithi Hogan (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Daithi Hogan 1-3; Paddy O’Keeffe 1-0; Thomas Charles, Dylan Cotter (frees), Ben Carey (free), James O’Keeffe, Joe Higgins 0-2 each; Darragh O’Connor, Killian Butler, Tommy O’Connor 0-1 each.

Clare: Daire Culligan (1 free), Sean McMahon 0-4 each; Sean Fennell 0-3; Conor Hill, Luke Pyne, Darragh Killeen, Darren Keane, Tom Curran, Darragh Townsend 0-1 each.

After their loss to Kerry in round 1 of phase 2, Tipperary got their Munster Under 20 Football Championship campaign back on track with a hard-fought win over Clare at New Inn on Tuesday evening, setting them up for a winner-takes-all clash with Cork next Tuesday in Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Tipperary had beaten Clare by an injury time point from Daithi Hogan in Phase 1 of the competition last month, and even if the winning margin was greater this time, it was again a closely contested affair.

Tipp’s excellent opening seventeen minutes saw them run up a 1-9 to 0-3 lead, ultimately tipping the scales in their favour. Clare subsequently tried hard to make up the ground lost but it was a bridge too far for them.

“This is where we want to be,” admitted Tipp manager Niall Fitzgerald of where they stand with one group game to go.

“This was our aim from the start, going into the last round playing for a place in the Munster final. I’m delighted.”

He had his reservations too, however.

“There were times when we moved the ball really well but at other times, we were sloppy and we will need to work hard to sort this out,” he added.

Tipperary’s first half purple patch decided the game. Their football was pacey, and positive as they opened up the Clare defence with some incisive passing and movements. Clare had the first point but then Tipp reeled off the next four scores, including two two-pointers from Paddy O’Keeffe and Thomas Charles to establish a 0-7 to 0-2 lead by the tenth minute. Daithi Hogan kicked two points in that spell with Killian Butler notching the other.

In the eleventh minute, Paddy O’Keeffe pounced on the break of a high delivery into the Clare square to bang home a Tipp goal. He might have had another four minutes later but further points from Ben Carey and Joe Higgins had Tipp 1-9 to 0-3 clear by the eighteenth minute and looking likely easy winners.

There was no dramatic shift in the share of possession but Clare, growing in confidence as the game progressed, outplayed Tipp 0-7 to 0-2 in the closing stages of the half, Dylan Cotter’s pointed free in injury time giving the home side an interval advantage of 1-11 to 0-10. The momentum was now with Clare and the challenge for Tipp was to re-establish control.

The second half was very competitive as Clare sought to keep their championship hopes alive and Tipp worked hard to contain them. Tipp had a narrow escape early on when Eoin O’Connell scooped a goal-bound effort off the line to safety. A Clare goal then could have brought about a different result.

By the 41st minute Clare had narrowed the deficit to two points (1-12 to 0-13). Tipp’s situation was precarious, and their resolve was being seriously tested but to their credit they responded in the best possible way.

Joe Higgins’ aerial power, so evident all through, at this stage was crucial, and it was from his delivery that Daithi Hogan got the decisive second Tipp goal in the 55th minute for a 2-16 to 0-14 lead. That was the killer blow. There was really no way back for Clare now though they did register the last two points of the game.

“We made hard work of it after getting a great start but any day you beat Clare at this level is a good day,” Fitzgerald added as he turns his focus to the clash with Cork in what is essentially a Munster semi-final. Clare last round game with Kerry is the proverbial “dead rubber.”

There were some really high quality performances in the Tipp display. Daithi Hogan continues to be the poacher supreme with 1-3 from play. Joe Higgins was supreme in the air and surging forward from midfield and his club and midfield partner Darragh O’Connor also had a big influence on the game. Team captain Charlie King anchored the defence astutely, while Ballina clubmate JP Mbokha Tansia, who passed a late fitness test to participate, was very busy in the link-up play all through. His Ballina clubmate Cillian Ryan got into the action late on and made his presence felt.

Clare gave it their best shot but suffered for their poor start to the game. When they got moving, they were every bit as effective as Tipp, but overall Tipp were the more dominant outfit, and the Banner boys can have no complaint about the result. They were beaten by a better team. In Daire Culligan and Sean McMahon, they had lively attackers who each bagged four points. Sean McAllister, Luke Pyne, and Sean Fennell also did well

TEAMS – Tipperary: Robbie McGrath (Galtee Rovers); Emmet Bonner (Galtee Rovers), Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore/Castleiney), JP Mbokha Tansia (Ballina); Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers), Charlie King (Ballina, Capt), James O’Keeffe (Clonmel Commercials); Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials), Darragh O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials); Thomas Charles (Clonmel Commercials), Ben Carey (Ballylooby/Castlegrace), Dylan Cotter (Thurles Gaels); Daithi Hogan (St. Patricks), Paddy O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers), Tommy O’Connor (Kilsheelan/Kilcash).

Subs: Liam Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash) for T O’Connor (40); Cillian Ryan (Ballina) for Bonner (56); Dayle Hogan (JK Brackens) for P O’Keeffe (59).

Clare: Eoin Byrne; Conor Hill, Daire Hill, Michael Kelly; Sean Conneally, Caoimhin O’Donovan, Luke Pyne; Evan Cahill, Sean McAllister; Odhran O’Connell, Sean Fennell, Darragh Killeen; Daire Culligan, Colin Riordan, Sean McMahon.

Subs: Darragh Townsend for Conneally (16 inj), Tom Curran for Riordan (HT); Diarmuid McMahon for O’Connell (48); Darren Keane for Culligan (56); Cathal Talty for Fennell (59).

Referee: Eoin Morrissey (Waterford).

TablePWDL+/-Pts

Kerry2200+224

Cork2101-12

Tipperary 2101-72

Clare2002-140

Round 2 Result: Kerry 1-22 Cork 1-12

Round 3 Fixtures: Tuesday, 15th April @ 7.00pm – Kerry v Clare; Cork v Tipperary