Superior goalscoring helps Clare claim early silverware with win over Tipp
Early silverware to Clare, who picked up the Co-Op Superstores Munster SHL trophy yesterday in the Gaelic Grounds before 4,531 spectators. The Banner’s goalscoring ability proved crucial in an entertaining game.
Tipperary started with the breeze, and a sideline cut pointed by Jason Forde, while Clare hit early wides before Colin Guilfoyle tied the game up. A Seamus Callanan 65 was the other score in a low-key opening ten minutes.
Callanan (free), Alan Flynn and Jason Forde pushed Tipp’s lead to 0-4 to 0-1 when Clare struck on 17 minutes - a long delivery spilled to Cathal McInerney near the square, and he buried a goal: 1-1 to 0-5.
The game picked up in intensity. Diarmuid Ryan levelled for Clare and they goaled again, a sweet passing move involving Michael O’Neill and Cathal McInerney ended with Tony Kelly batting to the net. Forde pointed on the puck-out and Callanan added a free: 2-2 to 0-7 on 25 minutes.
Ryan and Niall Deasy (free) pushed Clare three ahead by the half-hour, but Forde, Flynn and Mark Kehoe levelled with three on the spin. There was time for Ryan Taylor and Forde to swap points, leaving it 0-11 to 2-5 at the break.
Clare resumed with a Shane Golden point and a Colin Guilfoyle goal from close range after a good run, with Callanan pointing a free in reply. A Kelly point and it was 3-7 to 0-12 on 40 minutes.
Clare were now on top - a long-range effort from Kelly went all the way to the net on 44 minutes and Ryan, Deasy, Taylor and Guilfoyle points pushed them to 4-13; all Tipperary had in response was a Mark Kehoe point, making it 4-13 to 0-13 at the three quarter stage.
The Banner duly pushed on for the win, despite a late goal by Tipp sub Dan McCormack.
T. Kelly (2-3)(1 free); C. Guilfoyle (1-3); C. McInerney (1-2); N. Deasy (2 frees), D. Ryan (0-3 each); S. Golden, R. Taylor (0-2 each); M. O’Malley (0-1).
S. Callanan (0-8)(6 frees, 1 65); J. Forde (0-5)(1 sideline, 1 free); D. McCormack (1-0); A. Flynn, M. Kehoe (0-2 each); N. McGrath (0-1).
D. Tuohy, J. McCarthy, D. McInerney, R. Hayes, A. McCarthy, C. Cleary, C. Malone, S. Golden, T. Kelly (c), D. Ryan, N. Deasy, R. Taylor, C. Guilfoyle, C. McInerney, M. O’Neill.
P. Collins for O’Neill (53); D. Conroy for Ryan (55); M. O’Malley for A. McCarthy (58); G. Cooney for C. McInerney (65); J. Browne for Hayes (67).
B. Hogan, C. Barrett, Padraic Maher, D. Maher, A. Flynn, S. Kennedy, J. O’Dwyer, W. Connors, M. Breen, J. Forde, Patrick Maher, C. English, M. Kehoe, S. Callanan, J. Morris.
R. Maher for Connors (HT); N. McGrath for Morris (44); D. McCormack for Kehoe (48); K. O’Dwyer for Barrett (57); R. Byrne for Kennedy (inj, 57).
T. Walsh (Waterford).
