Tipperary deficiencies exposed by clinical Clare in opening round loss of Munster U20 campaign

Dalata Hotel Group GAA Under 20 Munster Football Championship

Tipperary 1-11

Clare 1-16

An impressive flurry of 1-4 that included two beautiful two-pointers and a sensational goal from Clare talisman Sean Fennell halfway through the first half proved to be the undoing of Tipperary who lost out to a slicker and more clinical Clare side in the opening round of the Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20 Football Championship in Quilty on Saturday afternoon.

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Played in beautiful spring sunshine on the Atlantic coast, it was as close to perfect conditions as you could expect at the moment. Unfortunately, from a Tipperary viewpoint, the home team were keen to make the most of home comforts, and after Fennell opened up a seven point gap around the 15th minute, Tipperary didn’t have the scoring nous to bring down the deficit sufficiently for the remainder.

Liam Kiely’s opportunistic goal in the 19th minute gave Tipperary a decent platform to make their way back into the game, but they just couldn’t take advantage of the openings they created at times throughout, and the inability to win possession from kickouts at both ends was also a major handicap in the wind up.

Paddy O’Gorman’s charges did start the second half well and cut the gap to three points by the 40th minute with vice-captain Emmet Bonner’s introduction making a big difference around the middle third. Clare though, from here, always had a response and managed to get the scores to keep Tipperary at bay for the rest of the second half.

More to follow………

Scorers: Tipperary: Liam Freaney (0-5, 0-4f), Liam Kiely 1-1, James Power (0-2, 1x2pt), Gavin Neville, Mark Neville, Shane Ryan all 0-1 each.

Clare: Sean Fennell (1-6, 2x2pt, 0-2f), Daire Culligan (0-7, 0-5f), Darragh Townsend 0-2, Donncha O'Dwyer 0-1.

Tipperary: Peter Boland (Moyle Rovers); Jack McGonigle (Rockwell Rovers), Cillian Butler (Ballina), Jack Kearney (Ballyporeen); Gavin Neville (Fethard), Danny Morris (Clonmel Commercials), Jamie O’Keeffe (Clonmel Commercials); Oran Gahan (St Patrick’s), Dylan Cotter (Thurles Gaels); James Power (Clonmel Commercials), Sean Griffin (Upperchurch Drombane), Liam Kiely (Fethard); Mark Neville (Fethard), Liam Freaney (Kilsheelan Kilcash), Shane Ryan (Ardfinnan).

Subs used: Emmet Bonner (Galtee Rovers) for Morris (38); Charlie Walsh (Fethard) for Cotter (46); John Cronin (Moyle Rovers) for Kiely (46); Darragh Bresnan (Arravale Rovers) for C Ryan (51); Paddy Chapman (Aherlow) for Bonner (64, blood sub).

Clare: Harry O’Gorman (Cooraclare); Louie Griffin (Ennistymon), Stephen Murphy (St Joseph’s Milltown Malbay), Aaron Killeen (Lissycasey); Daniel Brody (Ennistymon), Diarmuid Boyle (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield), Michael Kelly (Lissycasey); Evan Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Sean Fennell (Kilrush Shamrocks); Darragh Townsend (Cooraclare), Colm Breen (Corofin), Donncha O’Dwyer (St Breckan’s); Diarmuid McMahon (Lissycasey), Daire Culligan (Lissycasey), Ruben Fallon (Kilmurry Ibrickane).

Subs used: Christian Cummins (Corofin) for Griffin (HT); Seanan Kirby (Corofin) for Fallon (61); Sean O’Dea (Cooraclare) for Breen (62).

Referee: Eoghan Ó Muircheartaigh (Kerry)

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