Clare Complete Dramatic Division Two Survival Mission

National Football League – Sunday, 24th March 2019

Clare 3-15 Tipperary 1-19

Clare produced the great escape in Semple Stadium to survive in Division Two of the National League as Tipperary and Cork headed down to the third tier.

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In a pulsating contest, it looked like the game was up for Colm Collins’ team when they trailed 1-19 to 2-13 entering injury time.

But when Keelan Sexton rolled the ball into the net on 70 minutes, the whole complexion changed and in the 74th minute, Gary Brennan calmly converted to put the Banner ahead.

And with Cork on course to beat Armagh, Clare could take no chances and David Tubridy got the insurance score in the sixth minute of added time.

It was a game with so many swings. Conor Sweeney got a third minute goal as Tipperary went 1-1 to 0-0 ahead.

But Gavin Cooney profited from Gary Brennan’s delivery to overturn the deficit while Cathal O’Connor and Sean O’Donoghue also found the target.

Tipperary hit four in succession but Eoin Cleary, Jamie Malone and David Tubridy made it 1-7 to 1-5 in Clare’s favour on 24 minutes. But they found themselves five behind at half-time as Liam Casey led Tipperary to a 1-13 to 1-8 lead.

But Clare came out of the traps after the restart with 1-5 unanswered. David Tubridy, Keelan Sexton, Eoin Cleary and Gary Brennan got points before David Tubridy’s 42nd minute goal made it 2-13 to 1-13 for the visitors.

However, it would be 28 minutes before they scored again as six points from Liam McGrath, Conor Sweeney and Steven O’Brien had Tipperary in control entering the closing stages.

But when Keelan Sexton got the third goal, the momentum changed and Clare’s footballers gave their supporters a memory they won’t forget for some time.