Sensational comeback halted as late goal sinks Tipperary minors in final round Munster clash

Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship - Phase 1 - Round 3

Tipperary 2-6

Clare 2-8

The Tipperary minor footballers found a new and definitively devastating way to be downtrodden in Clarecastle on Monday evening, falling to an injury-time goal to hosts Clare despite a terrific last quarter fightback in the final round of the Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship.

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Having barely landed a blow in the first two-thirds of play - and played against a strong first-half wind - a converted 37th-minute penalty from Conor O’Meara injected life into the Tipperary challenge later on, having only registered a single point from a Danny Cashin 45 up to that point.

It gave renewed energy to the players, and a flurry of points followed through Cillian Morrissey, Conor O’Meara (free) and Jack Donnelly to bring the contest back into the melting pot. 

Six minutes from time, the comeback was well and truly on the cards when Hugh Carolan landed a booming two-point effort from the tip of the arc, slicing an outside-of-the-boot effort over the black spot. The comeback well and truly on now.

Clare were at sixes and sevens and, from the result kick-out after the Carolan effort, Tipp turned over possession, steeling in behind as Cillian Morrissey and Carolan linked up close to goal to allow the Moyle Rovers man to bat home the leading score.

However, a dubious decision would go against Tipperary in the third minute of injury time when a Clare attacker cut in from the left-hand touch line, unleashed a shot and with Danny Cashin making the save, the ball fell into the path of Thomas Dillon to bat home despite clearly being in the square at the time.

Tipperary tried in vain to find an equalising two-pointer to draw, or another goal to win it in the remaining minutes, but the opportunity never came as the group suffered a third consecutive loss in Phase 1.

As has been typical of games across codes and pitches in the country, strong winds in Clarecastle made this one another game of two halves, and it was the Banner who would benefit in the first half, having won the toss.

They would dominate possession in the opening quarter, but the hard-working Tipperary defence would frustrate them in that period as Clare led 0-2 to no score after 13 minutes through two Liam Keane points.

However, the dangerous Liscannor forward would change the tape for his side, though, burying home a slick move set in motion by teammate Thomas Dillon to raise the green flag.

The former added his name to the scoresheet with a close-range free to beef out the lead to 1-3 to nil, and it would take a full 19 minutes before Tipp would register a score, coming through a well-struck Danny Cashin 45.

However, Tipperary were well off the pace, and even allowing for the strong breeze into their faces, Clare were well in control with points from Liam Keane (2) and a fine Robbie Kelly score putting Clare into a strong position at the break, leading 1-6 to 0-1.

Clare were in the driving seat and looked likely to coast to victory after scoring the first two points of the resumption with Zak O’Shea slotting over his first, before Tipp breached up top to allow Liam Keane to slot over an easy close-range free.

It looked all over bar the shouting, but the young Tipperary men showed some serious mettle to pull themselves back into contention in the final 20 minutes. 

A powerful run from deep by Ciaran Hennessy via a sweeping Tipperary attack led to Clare’s Tristan O’Callaghan being black-carded and punished with a penalty that Conor O’Meara smashed to the net with precision.

That started a scoring burst of 1-5 in the next 15 minutes, with Cillian Morrissey, Jack Donnelly, Conor O’Meara, along with a stunning two-pointer from Hugh Carolan, pushing Clare to their limits, and when Moyle Rovers’ Morrissey batted home a goal four minutes from time, it looked like a miraculous resurrection was taking place.

Unfortunately, the late Clare response was clinical despite the clear square ball, with the late major summing up Tipperary’s campaign in Phase 1, ending with three losses from three in a disappointing campaign despite the best efforts of the players.

Scorers: Tipperary: Conor O’Meara (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1f), Cillian Morrissey 1-1, Hugh Carolan (0-2, 1x 2pt), Jack Donnelly 0-1, Danny Cashin 0-1 45.

Clare: Liam Keane (1-5, 0-3f), Thomas Dillon 1-1, Zak O’Shea, Robbie Kelly 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Danny Cashin (Killenaule); Nicholas Walsh (Cashel King Cormacs), Oisin McCarthy (Moyle Rovers), Conor Hurley (Moyle Rovers); Reuben Grace (Galtee Rovers), Evan Lonergan (Emly), Oisin O’Reilly (Clonmel Óg); Cian Cahill (JK Brackens), Adam O’Callaghan (Portroe); Charlie Brazil (Aherlow), Hugh Carolan (Moyle Rovers), Jack Donnelly (Golden Kilfeacle); Cillian Morrissey (Moyle Rovers), Conor O’Meara (Grangemockler Ballyneale), Tadhg Dunlea (Ballylooby Castlegrace).

Subs used: Donal O’Callaghan (Clonmel Commercials) for Walsh (HT); Rory Dunphy (Clonmel Commercials) for Cahill (50); Eoin O’Connell (Aherlow) for Dunlea (56).

Clare: Conor Griffin (Ennistymon); Tristan O’Loughlin (St Breckan’s), Siney Neenan (Kiladysart), Caelum Killeen (Liscannor); Darren Fitzpatrick (St Breckan’s), Shane Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Stephen O’Neill (Éire Óg Ennis); Tadhg Bane (Banner), Jack Lavin (Ennistymon); Rian Cotter (Kilrush Shamrocks), Robbie Kelly (Kiladysart), Zak O’Shea (Doonbeg); Michael Normoyle (St Breckan’s), Liam Keane (Liscannor), Thomas Dillon (Doonbeg).

Subs used: John Greene (Corofin) for Lavin (39); Eoin Soffe (Kilrush Shamrocks) for Fitzpatrick (50); Gavin Browne (Cooraclare) for Bane (53, inj); Niall Burke (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for Neenan (56, inj); Iarla Byrne (St. Breckan’s) for O’Shea (57).

Referee: Ciaran Murphy (Cork)

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