Tipperary Under 20 footballers looking good after another victory

Tipperary 0-15 Clare 0-14

Drangan’s Daithi Hogan popped over a point three minutes into injury time to give Tipperary their second win in Phase 1 of the Dalata Hotel group Munster Under 20 Football Championship at FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday, denying Clare the share of the spoils that looked likely at that stage.

It was a close call but still a deserved win for the Premier County boys, and, coupled with the victory over Limerick in their first game, they face into the final round in phase one against Waterford in Clonmel this Saturday topping the group but still needing at least a draw to be absolutely certain of making the final.

Clare, who shipped four goals in a shock defeat by Waterford in round one, were a very different side for this game and played some excellent football but Tipp, despite some shooting lapses, were the more threatening in front of goal, though they still had to hit the last two points in the 60th and 63rd minutes to secure the victory.

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It all made for a very exciting encounter, with both sides adapting well to the new rules. Possession was fairly evenly shared early on but Tipp, with scores from Paddy O'Keeffe (two), Dylan Cotter and a Daithi Hogan free were more clinical in front of goal, as they established a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the 10th minute.

The visitors then found their feet, with the very impressive Sean Fennell landing a two-pointer in the 14th minute to put them 0-5 to 0-4 ahead. Tipp responded well to hit the front again with points by Billy Tierney and Ben Carey, but by the break Clare were ahead by 0-8 to 0-7, with Jamie O'Keeffe on target for Tipp in the 22nd minute.

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The scoreline was a fair reflection of the closeness of the exchanges, Fennell’s two-pointer for Clare the difference between the sides at the break. The trend was similar in the second half, with the sides level on no fewer than five occasions in a ding-dong battle. Early points from Tommy O'Connor and Darragh O'Connor nudged Tipp ahead on resuming but a Culligan free levelled for Clare before Daithi Hogan restored Tipp’s lead after 42 minutes.

Tipp were let off the hook a minute later when Sean Fennell should have netted for Clare but blazed over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Tipp took advantage of that let-off, with Joe Higgins’ two-pointer, followed by a Dylan Cotter point opening a three point gap (0-13 to 0-10) and looking to have Tipp on course for victory with 12 minutes to play.

Now it was Clare’s turn to show their mettle and this they did, drawing level by the 51st minute and when they edged ahead with an Odhran O Connell point in the 58th minute, it looked as though the honours would be theirs. Tipp never faltered, however, and Charlie King surged forward from defence to level the game on the hour mark.

Clare had a great chance of taking the lead but Diarmuid McMahon was off target. It was a costly lapse, it transpired, as a Tipp attack in the last minute of added time ended with Daithi Hogan showing great composure to shoot the winning point, to the delight of the Tipp fans in the small attendance.

With two wins under their belt, Tipp face into the closing round in buoyant mood, but there is no room for complacency. Waterford’s win over Clare should alert them to the magnitude of the task facing them, but this side has a lot of quality and the spirit shown in digging out this win was admirable. Clearly, manager Niall Fitzgerald has his charges in good fettle, the wins building confidence and self-belief.

Fitzgerald will be happy with the overall performance and in particular with the defending of Eoin O'Connell, Charlie King and Jamie O'Keeffe. Tipp had their problems at midfield dealing with Clare’s very talented Sean Fennell, but in attack five players scored, with Paddy O'Keeffe, Dylan Cotter and Daithi Hogan being most impressive.

Though they have lost both their games, Clare could still figure in the final of the group if they beat Limerick in the next round and Waterford lose to Tipp. Their results do not do them justice and with players of the calibre of Sean Fennell, Evan Cahill, Sean McMahon, Sean McAllister and Luke Pyne, they are capable of finishing on a winning note, leaving them to hope that the other result goes their way. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that these sides could meet again in the phase one final.

Tipperary: Robbie McGrath (Galtee Rovers); Emmet Bonner (Galtee Rovers), Eoin O'Connell (Loughmore/Castleiney), Billy Tierney (Clonmel Commercials, 0-1); Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers), Charlie King (Ballina, 0-1), Jamie O'Keeffe (Clonmel Commercials, 0-1); Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials, 0-2), Darragh O'Connor (Clonmel Commercials, 0-1); Thomas Charles (Clonmel Commercials), Ben Carey (Ballylooby/Castlegrace 0-1,f), Dylan Cotter (Thurles Gaels, 0-2); Daithi Hogan (St Patrick’s, 0-3,1f), Paddy O'Keeffe (Moyle Rovers, 0-2), Tommy O'Connor (Kilsheelan/Kilcash, 0-1).

Subs: Shane Ryan (Ardfinnan) for T O'Connor (47 mins), J P Mbokha Tansia (Ballina) for Cotter (55 mins), Liam Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash) for O'Keeffe (55 mins).

Clare – Eoin Byrne; Conor Hill, Daire Hill, Michael Kelly; Ewan Wragg, Sean McAllister, Luke Pyne; Evan Cahill, Sean Fennell (0-7, one 2 pt), Caoimhin O'Donovan, Darragh Killeen, Daire Culligan (0-1f); Sean McMahon (0-2), Colin Riordan, Diarmuid McMahon.

Subs: Conor Fennell (0-1f) for Riordan (38 mins), Darragh Townsend for D McMahon (45 mins), Odhran O'Connell for Culligan (51 mins), Tadhg Lysaght for S McMahon(59 mins).

Referee: Eoin Morrissey (Waterford).