Tipperary Under 20 footballers record their third win in five games

Tipperary 1-10   Clare 0-7

Tipperary made it three wins from five outings in the EirGrid Munster Under 20 Football Championship when they overcame Clare at Ardfinnan on Wednesday evening. This game was a Phase 2, Round 2 encounter played before an estimated 300 patrons at this picturesque venue, with a strong diagonal wind blowing away from the village end.

Following last week’s defeat to Cork in Round 1, a victory here was a must for Tipperary to stay in the competition, before the final group game away to Kerry in Tralee next Wednesday. 

Against the wind, Tipperary were slow to get into the game and it was nine minutes before they got the scoreboard moving.  The sides were level four times in the opening 25 minutes before Clare edged in front with a point four minutes before the interval. 

A Michael Freaney goal and a converted free by Orrin Jones in injury time  gave the home side a three-point advantage at the break, 1-5 to 0-5.

Clare pulled a point back on 35 minutes. Tipperary created two goal chances, which came to nothing before Darragh O’Brien got their opening score of the half after 46 minutes. A further point on 51 minutes eased them into a four-point advantage. More chances were created but didn’t transfer to the scoreboard. Orrin Jones had the ball in the Clare net after a good run but was judged to have over-carried. 

As the clock headed towards the 60th minute Clare had the lead reduced to three, but Tipperary finished well with three further points in added time. 

Tipp owned the ball for long periods, creating some good scoring chances, but the finish let them down. The loss of those scores could yet prove costly, particularly if they overcome Kerry next week and the final two places are decided on score difference.

Clare played with the aid of the wind for the opening half and Darren Keane eased them into the lead early on with a converted free. Orrin Jones got the scoreboard ticking for Tipp on nine minutes from a converted free, following a foul on local man Shane Ryan. Five minutes later Jones doubled his tally from open play, before Tom Curran equalised from a mark. From the resulting kick-out, Clare forced a turnover and Conor Fennell split the posts to put them back in front.

Shane Ryan tied the game for the third time from a free before Robbie McGrath converted a 45 with nine minutes remaining before the break. Clare came bouncing back with two points in as many minutes, the first from Conor Fennell and the second from Tom Curran.

Tipperary eventually got the break they needed on 27 minutes, when Joe Lawrence linked up with Orrin Jones and the Rockwell Rovers man cut in from the side to put the ball across the goal, where Michael Freaney was on hand to force the ball over the line. One minute into injury time Orrin Jones converted a free to put his side three to the good, 1-5 to 0-5 at half-time.

Tipp had the aid of the wind for the second period, but Clare's Darren Keane had the opening score of the half. Tipp attacked in numbers but the final ball let them down, especially around the 38th and 39th minutes when two goal chances didn’t materialise. 

Darragh O’Brien got Tipp back on the scoreboard on 46 minutes when he put over following a good ball from Orrin Jones. Tipperary’s best goal chance of the second half came two minutes later when Joe Lawrence split the Clare defence before passing to Shane Ryan, whose low shot was just outside the post.

Paddy O’Keeffe had been introduced around midfield before the three-quarter stage and his presence began to yield dividends. His point on 51 minutes gave Tipp a four-point advantage at a vital stage. Orrin Jones then split the Clare defence before blasting to the top of the net, but the goal was disallowed when he was judged to have over-carried. 

With six minutes of normal time remaining, Clare were reduced to 14 players when Sean McAllister was sent off following a second yellow card. As the clock headed towards the 60th minute, Darren Keane converted a free to leave just a goal between the teams. 

Tipp dominated the four minutes of added time, with Daithí Hogan converting two frees and also putting Paddy O’Keeffe through for his second minor. That means it's all to play for next week in the final round robin game in Tralee.

Tipperary: Robbie McGrath (Galtee Rovers 0-1 free), Jack O’Neill (Ardfinnan), Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore/Castleiney), Mark Corcoran (Clonmel Commercials), Charlie King (captain, Ballina), Sean O’Meara (Grangemockler/Ballyneale), Darragh O’Brien (Aherlow 0-1), Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials), Eoin Doocey (Arravale Rovers), Thomas Charles (Clonmel Commercials), Joe Lawrence (Rockwell Rovers), Michael Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 1-0), Orrin Jones (Arravale Rovers 0-3, 2 frees), Tommy O’Connor (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Shane Ryan (Ardfinnan 0-1 free).

Subs: Daithí Hogan (St Patrick’s 0-2 frees) for Tommy O’Connor (40), Paddy O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers 0-2) for Joe Higgins (43), Niall O’Connor (Clonmel Og) for Joe Lawrence (57), Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers) for Eoin O’Connell (injured, 60+3).

Clare: Cian Corry, Aaron Kelly, Sean McCallister, Conor Kearney, Joshua Moloney, Odhrán Cunningham, Michael Kelly, Joshua Vaughan, Éanna Rouine, Pádraic O’Dwyer, Séan McMahon, Darren Keane (0-3 2 frees), Conor Fennell (0-2), Daire Culligan, Tom Curran (0-2, 1 mark).

Subs: Luke Pyne for Michael Kelly (HT), Sean Neylon for Pádraic O’Dwyer (43), Colm Meany for Daire Culligan (45), Caoimhín O’Donovan for Sean McMahon (50), Evan Cahill for Joshua Moloney (injured,59).

Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry).