Stephen Barry reports from Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg
CLARE’S ALL-IRELAND TITLE defence is on the rocks after two goals apiece from John McGrath and Andrew Ormond sent Tipperary home with a three-point victory from Ennis.
All four goals arrived in the first half, but the Premier’s 12-point cushion was wiped out with seven minutes remaining.
Led by McGrath, Tipp dug in for four points on the trot in front of a sold-out 20,685 crowd. He pickpocketed the sliotar for the first before winning a tap-over free for Jason Forde. An Eoghan Connolly free and Seán Kenneally rounded out their scoring.
Mark Rodgers took his total to 1-13 (13 frees) and Clare had one last goal opening. However, Ryan Taylor’s pass to Peter Duggan didn’t go to hand, and Jake Morris cleared.
For Tipp, it marked a first Munster Championship win in 10 attempts and gives them a route to qualification at home to Waterford.
Clare’s slim prospects require victory over Limerick and other results to swing their way.
Brian Lohan called upon the fit-again Tony Kelly, who finished with 1-1, and Shane O’Donnell returned off the bench.
He made three changes in all, including a late call-up for Daithí Lohan in place of centre-back John Conlon. The younger Lohan joined Seán Rynne in making their championship debuts.
Free-taker Aidan McCarthy played for his club Inagh-Kilnamona earlier on Saturday, having been omitted.
Liam Cahill drafted in goalkeeper Rhys Shelly for his first championship start since the 2023 All-Ireland quarter-final.
With Darragh McCarthy suspended, the Tipp boss also revamped his forward line, introducing Conor Stakelum, Ormond, and Noel McGrath.
There were echoes of Tipp’s last Munster Championship victory right from the start.
They scored five goals that day in Ennis. This time around, they netted four in the first half. It could’ve been six.
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The first arrived in the sixth minute from a Ronan Maher interception on David McInerney. Morris, Ormond, and Alan Tynan were all involved to feed John McGrath for the finish.
Noel McGrath picked out his younger brother for another goal chance, but John fired over from close range.
Cathal Malone registered Clare’s first score from play in the 11th minute, but Tipp went straight downfield for their second goal. Forde won possession and squared for Ormond to bounce home. That made it 2-2 to 0-3.
Ormond handed off the next goal chance to Morris, but Eibhear Quilligan got down low to save.
In the 17th minute, Robert Doyle’s ball in behind was hoovered up by John McGrath, who jinked left to make sure of the finish.
Six minutes later, McInerney lost possession and Noel McGrath poked the sliotar forward for Morris. He was again denied by Quilligan but Ormond snatched the rebound to finish off. Two Forde frees made it 4-6 to 0-6.
Clare’s comeback attempt began with a 1-2 streak. David Reidy struck the side-netting with their first shot on goal. Moments later, he fed Rodgers to finish off the second opportunity.
Tipp responded well with three points in a row for a 4-9 to 1-9 half-time cushion.
Tipp’s trouble was their tally of four yellow cards in the first half. Their fouling continued as Rodgers converted three frees to start the second half.
John McGrath broke that streak but the Clare crowd were in full voice when O’Donnell appeared off the bench between Peter Duggan and Rynne points. The Hurler of the Year soon caught a puck-out for another Rodgers free.
Kelly was standing up to the mark too. He lost his hurley but brilliantly flicked the sliotar up with his boot to tee up Rynne’s third point.
In their next attack, Kelly read the breaking ball to race through and draw a penalty from Michael Breen. The Ballyea man stepped up to dispatch the sliotar to the top corner.
They finally levelled with in the 63rd minute after two more Rodgers frees. They just couldn’t maintain that momentum.
Scorers for Clare: Mark Rodgers 1-13 (13f), Tony Kelly 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Seán Rynne 0-3, Ryan Taylor 0-2, Cathal Malone 0-1, Peter Duggan 0-1.
Scorers for Tipperary: John McGrath 2-3, Jason Forde 0-8 (6f, 1 65), Andrew Ormond 2-1, Eoghan Connolly 0-3 (2f), Jake Morris 0-2, Seán Kenneally 0-1.
Clare
1. Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
4. Conor Leen (Corofin), 2. Adam Hogan (Feakle), 3. Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones na Sionna)
17. Daithí Lohan (Wolfe Tones no Sionna), 7. David McInerney (Tulla), 5. Cian Galvin (Clarecastle)
9. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), 13. Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin)
10. Tony Kelly (Ballyea, captain), 15. David Reidy (Éire Óg Ennis), 14. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
Subs: 19. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones na Sionna) for Leen (20), 25. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg Ennis) for Meehan (45), 22. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Rynne (58), 24. Ian Galvin (Clonlara) for Reidy (62), 6. John Conlon (Clonlara) for Daithí Lohan (68).
Tipperary
1. Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey-Borris)
4. Michael Breen (Ballina), 7. Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill), 3. Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs)
6. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields, captain), 9. Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs), 2. Robert Doyle (Clonoulty-Rossmore)
8. Alan Tynan (Roscrea), 5. Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Éire Óg)
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Tipp hold off All-Ireland champions Clare to ignite their Munster campaign
Clare 2-21
Tipperary 4-18
Stephen Barry reports from Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg
CLARE’S ALL-IRELAND TITLE defence is on the rocks after two goals apiece from John McGrath and Andrew Ormond sent Tipperary home with a three-point victory from Ennis.
All four goals arrived in the first half, but the Premier’s 12-point cushion was wiped out with seven minutes remaining.
Led by McGrath, Tipp dug in for four points on the trot in front of a sold-out 20,685 crowd. He pickpocketed the sliotar for the first before winning a tap-over free for Jason Forde. An Eoghan Connolly free and Seán Kenneally rounded out their scoring.
Mark Rodgers took his total to 1-13 (13 frees) and Clare had one last goal opening. However, Ryan Taylor’s pass to Peter Duggan didn’t go to hand, and Jake Morris cleared.
For Tipp, it marked a first Munster Championship win in 10 attempts and gives them a route to qualification at home to Waterford.
Clare’s slim prospects require victory over Limerick and other results to swing their way.
Brian Lohan called upon the fit-again Tony Kelly, who finished with 1-1, and Shane O’Donnell returned off the bench.
He made three changes in all, including a late call-up for Daithí Lohan in place of centre-back John Conlon. The younger Lohan joined Seán Rynne in making their championship debuts.
Free-taker Aidan McCarthy played for his club Inagh-Kilnamona earlier on Saturday, having been omitted.
Liam Cahill drafted in goalkeeper Rhys Shelly for his first championship start since the 2023 All-Ireland quarter-final.
With Darragh McCarthy suspended, the Tipp boss also revamped his forward line, introducing Conor Stakelum, Ormond, and Noel McGrath.
There were echoes of Tipp’s last Munster Championship victory right from the start.
They scored five goals that day in Ennis. This time around, they netted four in the first half. It could’ve been six.
The first arrived in the sixth minute from a Ronan Maher interception on David McInerney. Morris, Ormond, and Alan Tynan were all involved to feed John McGrath for the finish.
Noel McGrath picked out his younger brother for another goal chance, but John fired over from close range.
Cathal Malone registered Clare’s first score from play in the 11th minute, but Tipp went straight downfield for their second goal. Forde won possession and squared for Ormond to bounce home. That made it 2-2 to 0-3.
Ormond handed off the next goal chance to Morris, but Eibhear Quilligan got down low to save.
In the 17th minute, Robert Doyle’s ball in behind was hoovered up by John McGrath, who jinked left to make sure of the finish.
Six minutes later, McInerney lost possession and Noel McGrath poked the sliotar forward for Morris. He was again denied by Quilligan but Ormond snatched the rebound to finish off. Two Forde frees made it 4-6 to 0-6.
Clare’s comeback attempt began with a 1-2 streak. David Reidy struck the side-netting with their first shot on goal. Moments later, he fed Rodgers to finish off the second opportunity.
Tipp responded well with three points in a row for a 4-9 to 1-9 half-time cushion.
Tipp’s trouble was their tally of four yellow cards in the first half. Their fouling continued as Rodgers converted three frees to start the second half.
John McGrath broke that streak but the Clare crowd were in full voice when O’Donnell appeared off the bench between Peter Duggan and Rynne points. The Hurler of the Year soon caught a puck-out for another Rodgers free.
Kelly was standing up to the mark too. He lost his hurley but brilliantly flicked the sliotar up with his boot to tee up Rynne’s third point.
In their next attack, Kelly read the breaking ball to race through and draw a penalty from Michael Breen. The Ballyea man stepped up to dispatch the sliotar to the top corner.
They finally levelled with in the 63rd minute after two more Rodgers frees. They just couldn’t maintain that momentum.
Scorers for Clare: Mark Rodgers 1-13 (13f), Tony Kelly 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Seán Rynne 0-3, Ryan Taylor 0-2, Cathal Malone 0-1, Peter Duggan 0-1.
Scorers for Tipperary: John McGrath 2-3, Jason Forde 0-8 (6f, 1 65), Andrew Ormond 2-1, Eoghan Connolly 0-3 (2f), Jake Morris 0-2, Seán Kenneally 0-1.
Clare
1. Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
4. Conor Leen (Corofin), 2. Adam Hogan (Feakle), 3. Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones na Sionna)
17. Daithí Lohan (Wolfe Tones no Sionna), 7. David McInerney (Tulla), 5. Cian Galvin (Clarecastle)
9. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), 13. Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin)
10. Tony Kelly (Ballyea, captain), 15. David Reidy (Éire Óg Ennis), 14. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
8. Seán Rynne (Inagh-Kilnamona), 11. Mark Rodgers (Scariff), 12. Shane Meehan (Banner)
Subs: 19. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones na Sionna) for Leen (20), 25. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg Ennis) for Meehan (45), 22. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Rynne (58), 24. Ian Galvin (Clonlara) for Reidy (62), 6. John Conlon (Clonlara) for Daithí Lohan (68).
Tipperary
1. Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey-Borris)
4. Michael Breen (Ballina), 7. Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill), 3. Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs)
6. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields, captain), 9. Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs), 2. Robert Doyle (Clonoulty-Rossmore)
8. Alan Tynan (Roscrea), 5. Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Éire Óg)
10. Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), 11. Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens), 12. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
13. Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg), 14. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), 15. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
Subs: 23. Oisín O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs) for C Stakelum (47), 20. Séamus Kennedy (St Mary’s) for Maher (55-58, temp), 18. Willie Connors (Kiladangan) for N McGrath (58), 20. Kennedy for O’Farrell (62), 25. Darragh Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields) for Tynan (62), 19. Seán Kenneally (Moneygall) for Forde (66).
Referee: James Owens (Wexford).
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