Tipp minor hurlers see off Clare to reach Munster semi-final
GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship Group 2 Round 2
Tipperary 2-13
Clare 0-13
Report: Michael Dundon at FBD Semple Stadium
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Damien Corbett (Tipperary)
SCORERS – Tipperary: Damien Corbett 0-9 (6 frees); Tom Delaney, Paddy McCormack 1-1 each; Joe Egan, Ciaran Foley 0-1 each.
Clare: Cian Neylon 0-4 (2 frees); Oisin Whelan 0-3 frees; Michael Collins 0-2; Frankie Lyons, Jack O’Neill, Piaras O Se, James Organ 0-1 each.
Tipp minor hurling manager James Woodlock was pleased that his charges’ second Munster championship win, a two-goal verdict over Clare last evening, which secured for his team a Munster semi-final spot with home advantage to boot.
“That was the carrot for us tonight. A win to top the group and then have the Munster semi-final at home,” he said after the game, the result of which sees Tipperary unbeaten in their section of the round-robin series (they beat Waterford initially) and with momentum building for the knock-out stages of the championship.
But it was not all sunshine for the Drom & Inch clubman. He was happy with the team’s second half performance but not so much so the first half. Tipperary had started with a flourish, points from Paddy McCormack, Ciaran Foley and Joe Egan sending them three clear of a Clare side that squandered three good scoring chances in the same period, one from a very pointable free.
Clare were lively and enthusiastic and over the next ten minutes hit six points to Tipp’s sole effort from Tom Delaney to propel themselves into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead. Struggling at that stage, Tipp began to re-assert themselves and Damien Corbett hit four points in the closing ten minutes of the half, two from play, to Clare’s two, to level the game at 0-8 each at half-time.
Indeed, Clare might well have been ahead but Cian Neylon’s injury time levelling point could well have been a goal, the Kilmayley clubman kicking the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Initially, Clare swooped for two points on resuming and looked to be motoring but then Tipp scuppered them with two goals in two minutes that decided the game. First, in the 36th minute, Paddy McCormack got his stick to a Damien Corbett side-line cut to deflect the ball to the Clare net and put Tipp in front 1-9 to 0-10.
Clare were still reeling two minutes later as Joe Egan, and Damien Corbett combined to set up Tom Delaney for Tipp’s second goal and with Corbett adding a brace of points, Tipp were 2-11 to 0-10 ahead at the start of the final quarter.
Advantage Tipperary! Clare hadn’t scored for twenty minutes but points from Cian Neylon and James Organ helped keep Tipp focussed with no room for complacency. Clare were going for broke, but Tipperary absorbed the challenge comfortably, Damien Corbett rounding off a fine individual performance with his ninth point from an injury time free in the third minute of added time.
Tipperary’s semi-final opponents are yet to be determined as they will determined by the outcome of the final round of games, plus the subsequent quarter finals, with an impressive Cork side having progressed straight to the semi-finals from the other group.
While Damien Corbett’s scoring ability was crucial to the Tipp win, nine points, three from play, the great work of Paddy McCormack and Joe Egan in attack was also admirable while further back Aaron O’Halloran, Jack O’Callaghan and Sam O’Farrell were very influential.
This was Clare’s first outing, and they will benefit from the game, but they will need to improve on some wayward shooting and will be concerned at their second half fade-out. Cian Neylon, Michael Collins, Jack O’Neill, Rian McNamara and Eoin Gunning were their top performers.
TEAMS – Tipperary: Eoin Horgan (Knockavilla Kickhams); Chris O’Donnell (Ballylooby/Castlegrace), Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan), Jack Quinlan (Fethard); Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og, Capt), Tadhg Sheehan (St Mary’s), Jack O’Callaghan (Portroe); Ciaran Foley (Borrisokane), Adam Daly (Knockavilla Kickhams); Cathal English (Fr Sheehy’s), Joe Egan (Moycarkey/Borris), Paddy Phelan (Upperchurch/Drombane); Damien Corbett (Gortnahoe/Glengoole), Tom Delaney (Cahir), Paddy McCormack (Borris-Ileigh).
Subs: Sam Rowan (Mullinahone) for English (41), Conor Martin (Cappawhite) for Phelan (52), Evan Morris (Holycross/Ballycahill) for O’Donnell (55 inj); Senan Butler (Kilsheelan/Kilcash) for Delaney (57); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara) for Daly (59).
Clare: Mark Sheedy; Eoin Gunning, Fionnan Treacy, John Cahill; Rian McNamara, James Hegarty, Fiachra O Brion; Piaras O Se, Diarmuid Stritch; Michael Collins, Jack O’Neill, Frankie Lyons; Dannan Fox, Oisin Whelan, Cian Neylon.
Subs: Dylan Keane-Hayes for Lyons (40), James Organ for Whelan (42), Matthew O’Halloran for O Brion (44); Eoin O’Regan for O Se (48); Sam Scanlon for Fox (51).
Referee: Nick Barry (Waterford)