Tipperary's Celtic Challenge teams have mixed results in respective round two games in Thurles

Electric Ireland Celtic Challenge - Group 1 - Round 2

Tipperary Gold 0-11

Clare Blue 1-16

By Michael Dundon

An improved second-half showing was not enough to redress a 13-point first-half deficit as the Tipperary Gold selection fell well short of what was required to get the better of Clare Blues in the second round of the Celtic Challenge U17hurling competition at Coolmore Morris Park on Saturday.

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The Celtic Challenge is an inter-competition for players in development squads but outside of the county minor teams, with counties each fielding two teams in a round-robin series leading to qualification for the knock-out stages. A week previously, Tipperary Gold beat Dublin, but in a wind-dominated encounter on Saturday, they failed to deliver against a very slick Clare team.

A strong and bitterly cold wind into the road goal dictated the terms of this game. Clare had it behind them in the first half, and they made the fullest use of it to establish a 1-11 to 0-1 lead by half-time. Tipp’s only score came from Darragh Cornally’s free just before the break, and their situation looked beyond redemption at that stage.

Clare had four points on the board after 11 minutes, and then they hit Tipp with a Sean Reilly goal two minutes later. Tipp were on the back foot for most of the half, but some solid defending prevented a bigger deficit at the break.

Tipp needed a good start to the second half and a goal to bolster their challenge. The scores did come, mainly through the accuracy of Darragh Cornally from frees, but they came too slowly and entering the last quarter, the home side were still nine points adrift, 0-7 to 1-13.  Darragh Cornally (4), Thomas Deegan, and Shane Gleeson were the Tipp marksmen.

The Tipp lads were doing the bulk of the attacking but never really threatened to close the gap on their rivals, whose ability to pick off a point in a counterattack kept them comfortably clear to the finish. The goal Tipp needed to galvanise their challenge never looked likely, the eight-point winning margin a tad flattering to the visitors.

It was a disappointing showing by Tipp lads, who are, however, still well-placed to qualify from the group for the knock-out stages. The conditions were not conducive to good hurling, but of course, were the same for both teams and so cannot be offered as an excuse. 

There were some good performances on the Tipp team with the inside back trio of Adam White, Fionn Ivers and Harry O’Connor standing up well to the pressure on them in the first half. Further upfield, James Heffernan worked very hard, while Darragh Cornally was the most productive attacker. Sean Óg Hayes and Ultan O'Donoghue also did their bit.

Losers in their first round to the other Tipp selection, this Clare side stepped up considerably on that showing and had quality players in James Canny, Barry Murphy, Ollie Sherlock, Evan Cusack and Fergal Queally.

Scorers: Tipperary: Darragh Cornally (0-8, 0-5f), Shane Gleeson, Fionn Ivers, Thomas Deegan all 0-1 each.

Clare: Ollie Sherlock (0-5, 0-3f), James Canny 0-3, Sean Reilly 1-0, Marc Kennedy, Ross Kearney, Grady Hogan all 0-2 each, Evan Cusack, Brian Conheady 0-1 each.

Tipperary Gold: Evan O’Donoghue (Newport); Adam White (Toomevara), Fionn Ivers (Boherlahan Duall), Harry O’Connor (Cashel King Cormacs); Shane O’Mahoney (Ballylooby Castlegrace), Mark Hoare (Silvermines), Thomas Deegan (JK Brackens); Sean Óg Hayes  (Drom & Inch), James Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg); Dara Beckett (St Mary’s), Ultan O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs), Darragh Cornally (Durlas Óg); Pat Ryan (Killenaule), Michael Dooley (Roscrea), Conor Doherty (Moycarkey Borris).

Subs used: Cathal Ivers (Ballingarry); Shane Gleeson (Gortnahoe Glengoole); Niall Gleeson (Durlas Óg); Fred Baker (St Mary’s); Conor Kelly (Arravale Rovers); Evan Ryan (Cashel King Cormacs); Dara Gaynor (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Eoin Anderson (Borris-Ileigh).

Clare Blue: Sean O’Gorman; Podge Looney, Fergal Queally, Lewis O’Dwyer; Sean Reilly, Barry Murphy, Ross Kearney; Evan Cusack, Tadhg Hassett; Ollie Sherlock, Marc Kennedy, Brian Conheady; James Canny, Grady Hogan, Donnagh Walsh-Forde.

Subs used: Sean Meere; Darragh White; Eoin McCarthy.

Referee: Paul Guinan (Killenaule)

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