Late Stakelum point seals brilliant comeback win for Tipperary over Clare in Thurles

Allianz National Hurling League - Division 1A - Round 6

Tipperary 0-22

Clare 1-18

By John O'Shea

Tipperary completed their Allianz Hurling Division 1A round-robin campaign with a dramatic added-time victory over the holders and All Ireland champions, Clare, before an attendance of 6,351, at FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday night. 

Prior to this encounter, Tipperary had already secured their place in the final, while Clare were destined for the relegation drop. 

Tipperary trailed by eight points, 1-14 to 0-9, ten minutes into the second half, before staging a memorable comeback that culminated with Darragh Stakelum sealing victory with a dramatic point, three minutes into added time.

They outscored the holders 0-13 to 0-4 in the final thirty minutes, having trailed 0-10 to 0-8 at the break and conceded a Mark Rodgers goal within forty seconds of the restart. 

This score sparked a Clare revival as they tacked on a further four points. A Jake Morris goal-bound shot was excellently saved, at the expense of a 65, by Eibhear Quilligan in the 43rd minute and that along with a triple substitution signalled the start of the Premier comeback.

Darragh Stakelum made an immediate impact and split the posts with his first play. The substitutes brought a new energy to the contest and Jason Forde’s contribution from placed balls can’t be overlooked. 

With midfield and defence coming more into the game, Clare were limited to just one point from Tony Kelly between the 42nd and 62nd minutes, while the home side chipped in with nine minors, five from the stick of Jason Forde, to tie the game for the sixth time.

The final eight minutes of normal time plus four of added time showed the resilience of Liam Cahill's side, as Clare led by two coming up towards the end of the seventy minutes. 

However, Tipperary finished the stronger in those dying minutes with three late points,  a Jason Ford 65 followed by a huge effort fro Eoghan Connolly before Darragh Stakelum’s late winner, to put the home side in front for the only time in the game.

Tipperary will now meet Cork in the decider in two weeks, their first meeting in a final since the 1959/60 season, hoping to claim a first league title since defeating Galway in 2008.

Clare were first to get the scoreboard moving when David McInerney fired over within two minutes. Brian McGrath brought the sides level for the first time, 60 seconds later, before Mark Rodgers hit his opening score from a placed ball. 

Jason Forde and Conor Cleary were the recipients of yellow cards from Colm Lyons, before Ford pulled a 50-meter free, wide of the posts at the Killinan end.

Scores were at a premium during the opening ten minutes with neither side laying down a marker. 

Tony Kelly hit a long-range free before points from Dylan Walsh and a long-range effort from Ronan Maher brought the sides level on ten Minutes. Kelly and Rodgers got in for minors either side of Jason Forde opening his account.

Jake Morris then had a point for the equaliser overturned by the linesman for a foul on John Conlon in the build-up. This resulted in yellow cards for both Morris and Conlon in the 20th minute. Tony Kelly, from a free, and Conor Bowe traded points before Eoghan Connolly landed a huge point from a placed ball.

Rodgers and Ford were again on the mark from placed balls, before Sean Rynne and Robin Mounsey gave the Banner a two-point cushion with four minutes of normal time remaining before the break. 

Eoghan Connolly landed another long-range free before Tony Kelly put two between the sides in added time after dispossessing Brian McGrath. Half-time score, Clare 0-10, Tipperary 0-8.

Tipperary had the benefit of the wind after the restart, but it was Clare who raced out of the blocks following the throw-in. Sean Rynne won possession before finding Mark Rodgers, who split the defence and fired past Barry Hogan. 

David Reidy, who had replaced Robin Mounsey at half-time, quickly tacked on a minor, before Aaron Shanaher, a late replacement for Gearóid Sheedy before the start, got in for the first of his three second-half points. 

Clare were really motoring at this stage with full-back Conor Cleary adding a point before a Rodgers free put them eight to the good by the 42nd minute.

Conor Bowe set up Jake Morris and the Nenagh Eire Óg man split the Clare defence wide open with a piercing run but his goal-bound shot to the corner brought the best out of Eibhear Quilligan, who got down well to save at the expense of a 65, which came to nothing.

Liam Cahill then made a triple substitution and this seemed to energise the home side. Darragh Stakelum pointed from his first play to signal a comeback. 

Noel McGrath’s effort dropped over the head of Quilligan but Adam Hogan saved the day with a goal-line clearance. 

Jason Forde added three on the bounce, one from open play before Gearóid O’Connor and Jake Morris cut the deficit to two with fifteen minutes remaining.

Tony Kelly put a brief stop to the comeback, with his fifth point of the game and his only second-half score. 

The Premier responded in triplicate with Jake Morris adding his second before a pair of frees from Jason Forde tied the game, 0-18 to 1-15, with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

A brace from open play by Aaron Shanagher restored the Banner lead. Noel McGrath popped over a minor before Mark Rodgers eased the lead back out to two, as the game entered added time. 

Tipperary finished out the game on a high with a Jason Forde 65, followed by a huge effort from Eoghan Connolly to bring the sides level before Darragh Stakelum had the final say as Tipperary completed a memorable comeback.

Scorers: Tipperary: Jason Forde (0-9, 0-7f, 0-1 65), Eoghan Connolly (0-3, 0-2f), Jake Morris, Darragh Stakelum 0-2 each, Conor Bowe, Gearoid O’Connor, Noel McGrath, Ronan Maher, Dylan Walsh, Brian McGrath all 0-1 each. 

Clare: Mark Rodgers (1-6, 0-4f), Tony Kelly (0-5, 0-2f), Aron Shanagher 0-3, Sean Rynne, Conor Cleary, David McInerney, David Reidy all 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen; Joe Caesar, Ronan Maher, Brian McGrath; Willie Connors, Craig Morgan; Seamus Kennedy, Jake Morris, Noel McGrath; Dylan Walsh, Jason Forde, Conor Bowe.

Subs used: Gearoid O’Connor for Kennedy (46); Bryan O’Mara for B McGrath (46); Darragh Stakelum for Connors (46); Andrew Ormond for Walsh (51); Sean Kenneally for Bowe (63).

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Shane Woods; Daithí Lohan, John Conlon, David McInerney; Ryan Taylor, Cathal Malone; Tony Kelly, Robin Mounsey; Seán Rynne; Aron Shanagher, Shane Meehan, Mark Rodgers. 

Subs used:  David Reidy for Mounsey (HT); Darragh Lohan for McInerney (47); Aidan McCarthy for Meehan (53); Patrick Crotty for Rynne (64); Paddy Donnellan for Malone (72).

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)