'A hugely, hugely important win,' said Tipperary match winner John McGrath

A significant total of 2-3 - all from play - played a crucial part in Tipperary taking away two vital points on the road in the defeat of All-Ireland champions Clare on Saturday afternoon.

The middle McGrath - John - provided that total and played a pivotal part in Tipperary holding off a late comeback from the Banner, and the relief and delight was clearly visible in the reactions and body language of every Tipperary person inside Zimmer Biomet Pairc Chiosóg in Ennis.

“A hugely, hugely important win,” said match winner John McGrath on the pitch afterward.

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“We knew coming down here that it would have to be by any means necessary. There wasn’t going to be anything too stylish about the basics, we just had to get out with two points.

“A massive battle, and I suppose we were pre-warned a couple of weeks ago because we saw what they did against Cork a couple of weeks ago; we knew it was going to be a big battle.

“We played against the wind in the second half, and it was just about grinding it out when things weren’t flowing or going for us, so that’s hugely pleasing from our end, I suppose.”

That brilliant start from Tipperary was as much a shock to the small and partisan Premier support in situ, as it was for the large Clare following in Ennis, and in the second half, the ensuing Clare purple patch extended for far longer than expected, as they wiped out that nine point half-time lead with seven minutes to go.

However, it was the impact of John McGrath late in the game that was as crucial as his first-half brace; the Loughmore Castleiney man got a vital score to put Tipp back into the lead, and won a vital free soon after. That was a settling period from him.

“I didn’t actually realise they got level, but we got some huge energy and impact there from the bench,” McGrath reflected on the edgy nature of the final ten minutes.

“Some lads came out with great balls there near the end - Sean Kenneally on the end of a score with a couple of minutes to go.

“Everyone has their role to play, and even though lads might be disappointed during the week, you have to come with your best frame of mind and attitude because you don’t know who’s going to be called on. Little moments can tip the scales one way or the other.”

The four goal onslaught from the Tipperary attack in the first half played its part in how the game unfolded and it will be a huge positive for the side to see green flags being raised going into the Waterford game, but McGrath felt that the forward unit left a lot of scores behind them in that period of dominance that very nearly came back to bite them in the end.

“I suppose, if the opportunity presents itself, you really do have to go for it,” when speaking about the goal chances created.

“We needed them in the finish today. You’d be looking at things in the last five minutes that make the difference, but things that happen in the first five or ten minutes of the match are just as important, and it's just about being clinical when those chances come.

“We probably left a lot of scores behind us in the first half, too, that we would be a little disappointed with, even though we were well on top, and we just about hung on which is the important thing.” he finished.

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