Clare 1-23
Tipperary 0-12
AARON SHANAGHER HIT 1-13 as Clare saw off 12-man Tipperary in tonight’s Munster minor hurling playoff in Ennis to set up a semi-final clash with Waterford.
A dominant second-half display saw Clare run out winners on a night when Tipperary had three players sent-off. The victory sets Clare up with a Munster semi-final meeting with Waterford in June and provides the Banner with a chance to avenge their opening round loss by five points earlier this month against the Deise.
Tipperary exit the championship after this result which followed their opening round defeat against Limerick. Tommy Nolan’s dismissal just before half-time left the Premier with an uphill task for the second-half despite the fact that they were ahead 0-10 to 0-9 at the interval.
But Clare took control in the second-half – restricting Tipperary to just two points – and Shanagher was the scoring star. The Wolfe Tones youngster did not notch his first point of the game until the 15th minute but he raised four more white flags before the break and struck 1-8 in the closing period.
Tipperary’s woes were compounded when Willie Connors was shown a red card for a striking incident in the 50th minute and three minutes later substitute Chris McCullagh was sent-off for a similar offence.
Tipperary had made the early running to be in front by 0-7 to 0-3 by the 13th minute with Alan Tynan and Stephen Quirke excelling in attack. But Clare closed out the half strongly and only trailed by the minimum at the interval.
Tipperary bagged the first point after the break through wing-back Andrew Coffey but then Clare gained the initiative for the remainder of the second-half. The Banner fired 1-13 without reply before Tipperary landed their only other score of the second-half through Michael Dunne.
Shanagher spearheaded Clare’s scoring spree and he crashed a 50th minute penalty to the net after Ian Galvin, who impressed throughout, was fouled.
Scorers for Clare: Aaron Shanagher 1-13 (0-10f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 ’65), Ian Galvin, Brian Guilfoyle 0-2 each, Jason McCarthy (0-1f), Michael O’Malley, Michael O’Shea, Colin Corbett, Liam O’Donovan, Stephen Conway 0-1 each.Scorers for Tipperary: Alan Tynan 0-5 (0-3f), Stephen Quirke 0-4, Andrew Coffey, Tommy Nolan, Michael Dunne 0-1 each.
CLARE
1. Jason Loughnane (Sixmilebridge)
2. Ciaran Cooney (O’Callaghan Mills)
3. Seamus Downey (Clonlara)
4. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
5. Jason McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona)
6. Darragh Walsh (Éire Óg)
7. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)
8. Michael O’Malley (Kilmaley)
9. Padraic McNamara (Kilmaley)
10. Colin Corbett (Tulla)
11. Michael O’Shea (Smith O’Briens)
12. Ian Galvin (Clonlara)
13. Liam O’Donovan (Ruan)
14. Aaron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones)
15. Brian Guilfoyle (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield)
Subs
Stephen Conway (Feakle) for O’Donovan (44)
Darren Chaplin (Broadford) for Corbett (59)
Con Smyth (Feakle) for O’Shea (59)
Colm Fitzgerald (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield) for Guilfoyle (59)
Conor O’Halloran (Eire Og) for O’Malley (60)
TIPPERARY
1. Brian Hogan (Lorrha and Dorrha, capt)
2. Conor Ryan (Nenagh Eire Og)
3. Jack Skehan (Holycross-Ballycahill)
4. Willie Connors (Kildangan)
5. Paul Maher (Kilsheelan Kilcash)
6. Darragh Peters (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
7. Andrew Coffey (Nenagh Éire Óg)
8. Bill O’Connell (Loughmore-Castleiney)
9. Billy McCarthy (Thurles Sarsfields)
10. Alan Tynan (Roscrea)
11. Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers)
12. Liam McCutcheon (Templederry Kenyons)
13. Tommy Nolan (Drom and Inch)
14. Michael Dunne (Mullinahone)
15. Paul Ryan (Toomevara)
Subs
Pa Ryan (Newport) for McCutcheon (27)
Liam Fahey (Rockwell Rovers) for McCarthy (32)
Chris McCullagh (Moycarkey-Borris) for Paul Ryan (43)
Referee: Nathan Wall (Cork)
