Minor Footballers progress with late late show

GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Phase 1 Round 3

Tipperary 1-14

Clare 1-12

Report: Michael Dundon in Templetuohy

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Darragh Bresnan (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Ned O’Meara 0-6 frees; Dylan McCormack 1-1 (1-0 pen); Killian Smith, Sean Burke, Aaron McAndrew, Ruben Grace, Luke McKeogh, Darragh Bresnan 0-1 each.

Clare: Conor Burke 1-8 (0-4 frees); Liam Casey, Cathal McNamara, Jack O’Loughlin, Ollie Sherlock 0-1 each.

For sheer drama, this Munster Minor Football Championship phase 1 round 3 tie on Monday evening will be hard to beat.

Trailing by nine points at half-time, still nine down nearing the end of the third quarter, Tipp produced a thrilling last quarter to snatch victory with a penalty goal in injury time to progress to the next phase, pipping Limerick on score difference by three points.

The win sets up a re-match with Clare in the Darrel Darcy Cup final next Monday, their reward for finishing in the top two spots, with both progressing to the Munster semi-finals against Cork or Kerry.

Tipp joint-manager Shane Hennessy could not hide his delight afterwards. “A winning goal in injury time, I’m delighted,” he began.

“In the last quarter, we threw everything at them and our subs also made a big contribution. We were nine points down at half-time but we knew there was something in these lads.

“Small things were catching us and we were getting punished for them. Like against Limerick every time we made a mistake we got punished.

“This win though will give the lads a lot of self-belief.”

It was an extraordinary comeback by Tipperary. They trailed 0-3 to 1-9 at half-time, having scored only one point from play by Sean Burke in the 23rd minute, after two earlier pointed frees by captain Ned O’Meara.

They were struggling in all departments with a Clare rout very much on the cards, even allowing for the fact that the banner boys had the aid of the breeze.

Tipp’s anxiety reflected itself in a double substitution at half-time, but no great headway was made in the third quarter. O’Meara’s pointed free in the 44th minute initiated the recovery but there was no great surge forward. Three further unanswered points followed from Luke McKeogh, Darragh Bresnan and Killian Smith leaving Tipp five adrift after 53 minutes.

Clare’s Sherlock pointed in the 57th minute and a Clare win still seemed the most likely outcome though Tipp were now playing with greater urgency and conviction. Time was their greatest enemy. Ned O’Meara pointed two more frees and Ruben Grace added another point in the 62nd minute. The fourth official had earlier indicated four minutes added time. O’Meara pointed a 63rd minute free to leave two points in it.

A goal was needed as the clock ticked over the 64 minute mark and dramatically, in the 66th minute, Tipp’s Dylan McCormack was hauled to the ground in the square as he bore down on goal. Referee Jack Bray signalled a penalty, and McCormack showed coolness beyond his years to confidently steer is shot to the net for the winner.

There was jubilation in the Tipp camp at the final whistle sounded, understandably so. Lazarus-like, they had come back from the dead and the win was hailed by joint-manager Hennessy.

“We have been beaten in the Darcy Cup final for the last three years having given good performances,” he continued.

“We want to be playing against teams like Cork and Kerry because that’s where you find out if you’re good enough and it’s the way forward for Tipp football.”

While the management team will take great heart from the battling last quarter, what went before will give them cause for concern as they prepare for the re-match with Clare in the Darcy Cup final.

In the opening half, Tipp struggled to match the pace and intensity of their Clare opponents and while their recovery speaks volume for their spirit and ability, a repetition of the earlier below-par effort will surely cost them dearly.

While Dylan McCormack was the hero with the winning goal from the last kick of the game, Tipp’s recovery owed much to the endeavours of such as Darragh Bresnan, who had a powerful game, Sean Griffin, Aaron McAndrew, Killian Smith, and Conor Hurley, while Ballina’s Luke McKeogh’s contribution was also significant when introduced for the second half.

Clare are a good side and will not easily be beaten in the Darcy final. They had won both their opening games and in those early stages showed their quality, though their last quarter collapse will give them something to mull over. In Conor Burke they have a player of great promise. He has recorded big scores in their previous games and his 1-8 in this outing, 1-4 from play, was immense. He was ably supported by Danny Lyne, Shane Cahill, Aidan O’Connell, Ruben Fallon, and Eoin Murphy.

TEAMS – Tipperary: James O’Brien (Moyle Rovers 6); Cormac McInerney (Cashel King Cormacs 6), Daniel Charles (Clonmel Commercials 7), Aaron Brazil (Lattin Cullen 6); Darragh Bresnan (Arravale Rovers 9), Conor Hurley (Moyle Rovers 7), Jack Kearney (Ballyporeen 6); Sean Griffin (Upperchurch/Drombane 7), Aaron McAndrew (Moyle Rovers 7); Sean Burke (JK Brackens 6), Ned O’Meara (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone, Capt 6), Sean Cleary (Knockavilla-D Kickhams 6); Killian Smith (Clonmel Commercials 6), Dylan McCormack (Clonmel Og 7), Dara Maher (Clonmel Commercials 6).

Subs: Luke McKeogh (Ballina 7) for Brazil (HT); Niall Delaney (JK Brackens 6) for Cleary (HT); Andy Williams (Killenaule 6) for Maher (52); Killian Morrissey (Moyle Rovers 6) for Kearney (55); Ruben Grace (Galtee Rovers 6) for Burke (59).

Clare: Oisin Tierney (6); Cian Corry (6), Aidan O’Connell (7), James Rafferty (6); Eoin Murphy (7), Shane Cahill (7), Ajay Daly (7); Donncha Dwyer (7), Ruben Fallon (7); Liam Keane (6), Jack O’Loughlin (6), Danny Lyne (7); Conor Burke (8), Liam Casey (6), Cathal McNamara (6).

Subs: Aaron Kelly (6) for McNamara (40); Ollie Sherlock (6) for Loughlin (47); Sean Hegarty (6) for Lyne (51); Garreth Murphy (6) for Keane (55).

Referee: Jack Bray (Waterford).