Munster U-20 Hurling Championship: Clare 0-20 – Tipperary 0-20
Terrence Fahy’s charges will have to be content with a share of the spoils in the opening round of the Munster U-20 Hurling Championship following a dramatic battle with Brendan Cummin’s Tipperary in Cusack Park.
There was little to separate the sides in the opening half where both combatants enjoyed respective spells of clear dominance.
The Premier were first off the mark with Sean Keneally & Clonoulty-Rossmore’s Stephen Ferncombe splitting the posts with his first of many converted frees throughout the afternoon.
The Banner response was emphatic as Clare would hit seven points without reply through the sticks of Niall O’Farrell, Seán Rynne, Keith Smyth & David Kennedy to lead by 0-08 to 0-02 on the tenth minute mark.
However, Clare’s early purple patch would shudder to an abrupt halt as the repetitive concession of soft frees provided the catalyst for Tipperary to outscore Clare by eight points in the final quarter.
Contributions from Daithí Lohan & Conor Whelan as well as a superb save from netminder, Aaron Shanahan mitigated the damage for the Banner during this spell, however the Premier were in the ascendency on the half-time whistle by the minimum at 0-12 to 0-11.
The second half took flight in a similar vein to its predecessor with each team once again holding the whip hand in various stages and by the 45th minute Tipperary had stretched their advantage to four heading down the home stretch with Eddie Ryan, Stephen Ferncombe & Peter McGarry leading the charge.
From this juncture however, Clare took control of proceedings once again with braces from Scariff’s Patrick Crotty & Crusheen’s Oisín O’Donnell either side of a Jarlath Collins point putting Clare back in front by the minimum at 0-18 to 0-17 with just nine minutes remaining.
There was never a dull moment in Cusack Park however as follow up scores from Tipperary’s Darragh McCarthy & Jack Leamy either side of a Keith Smyth free in the closing stages left the sides deadlocked once again at 0-19 apiece.
With seconds left on the clock Borris-Ileigh’s Eddie Ryan hit his third and final score of the day to seemingly break Banner hearts, however it was Scariff supremo, Patrick Crotty who would have the final say splitting the posts with the last action of an action packed afternoon in the county grounds to ensure a share of the spoils.
Clare manager Terence Fahy spoke with Clare FM’s Derrick Lynch after the game