Callanan Double Sours Clare’s League Opener

National Hurling League Division 1A

Tipperary 2-16 Clare 1-11

Tipperary exacted revenge in Semple Stadium as they beat Clare by eight points.

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Two Seamus Callanan goals in a minute ensured Liam Sheedy’s charges overturned their 10-point Munster Hurling League Final defeat 13 days previously.

And to compound Clare’s misfortunes, captain Tony Kelly was sent off for a straight red card early in the second half leaving them playing for nearly half an hour with just 14 men.

Tipperary took advantage of the strong wind in the first half as Callanan and Noel McGrath found the target while  the latter also sent over an excellent sideline cut.

That came after they had an early penalty only for Callanan to be denied by a superb Donal Tuohy save.

On 13 minutes, Clare got off the mark through Niall Deasy but the Premier County continued with another hat-trick as Callanan, Jake Morris and Alan Flynn made it 0-6 to 0-1.

It took the 20 minute mark before Clare’s first from play as the returning John Conlon profited from great industry by Ryan Taylor.  But Tipperary continued as two Callanan placed balls and Morris made it 0-9 to 0-2 on 26 minutes.

The Banner needed a lift to spark a revival and it came on 27 minutes as Colin Guilfoyle was fouled by Conor Barrett despite putting the sliothar between the posts.

Referee Colm Lyons awarded the penalty and Deasy did the necessary hitting the net to reduce Clare’s lead to four.

But Tipperary didn’t relent.  Willie Connors and McGrath got the Premier County’s scoring ticking again.

And after Tony Kelly finished off a good one-two with Shane Golden, Tipperary obliged with another brace giving them a 0-13 to 1-3 interval lead.

Managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor made three changes at half-time including introducing Podge Collins who pointed within 80 seconds.

With the elements, Clare were mounting a comeback as Kelly and Peter Duggan also tallied but sandwiched between those was Kelly’s dismissal.

Still the gap was reduced to just four points on 45 minutes but within the next six minutes, Tipperary ensured this result.

Callanan put over a free but the next score was major as he finished off Tipperary’s first goal on 50 minutes.  Sixty seconds later, he took advanage of Jake Morris’ efforts to get the second and Sheedy’s league return yielded a resutl.

Tipperary were 2-14 to 1-6 clear as the pace dropped significantly in the closing stages.  Callanan had another penalty before the finish but opted for the point.  And Robert Byrne concluded their account.

Clare finished with five placed balls – three for Duggan and two for Mikey O’Malley.  But thoughts already have turned to Kilkenny in Cusack Park next week as the 2019 spring began in sobering fashion.

Scorers – Clare: Niall Deasy 1-1 (1-0 penalty, one free), John Conlon 0-1, Tony Kelly 0-2 (one sideline), Peter Duggan 0-4 (three frees, one ’65), Mikey O’Malley 0-2 (one free, one sideline), Podge Collins 0-1.

Scorers – Tipperary: Seamus Callanan 2-7 (six frees, 0-1 penalty), Noel McGrath 0-3 (one sideline), Jake Morris 0-2, Alan Flynn 0-1, Willie Connors 0-1, Michael Breen 0-1, Robert Byrne 0-1.

Clare: Donal Tuohy; Jason McCarthy, David McInerney, Jack Browne; Aidan McCarthy, Conor Cleary, Cathal Malone; Shane Golden, Tony Kelly; Diarmuid Ryan, Niall Deasy, Ryan Taylor; Colin Guilfoyle, John Conlon, Michael O’Neill.

Subs used: Podge Collins for O’Neill (HT), Peter Duggan for Deasy (HT), Colm Galvin for J McCarthy (HT), Mikey O’Malley for A McCarthy (58 mins), Ian Galvin for Conlon (63 mins).

Tipperary: Brian Hogan; Cathal Barrett, Padraic Maher, Donagh Maher; Alan Flynn, Ronan Maher, Barry Heffernan; Michael Breen, Robert Byrne; Dan McCormack, Noel McGrath, Patrick Maher; Willie Connors, Seamus Callanan, Jake Morris.

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)