Agony for Tipperary U20s, who lose out to Clare after Munster final penalty shootout drama
Tipperary defeated Clare in the Munster U20 Hurling Championship Final on Wednesday
Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20 Hurling Championship Final
Tipperary 2-24
Clare 2-24
AET (Clare win 4-3 on penalties)
Penalty shootout heartache was the penance for Tipperary in TUS Gaelic Grounds on Wednesday night, in an incredible Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20 hurling Championship final.
After 80 minutes of pulsating drama where both teams left everything on the pitch, the dreaded penalty shootout had to be used, with Clare goalkeeper Mark Sheedy proving to be the hero, saving three penalties to sink the reigning champions in Limerick.
The defeat will be harder to stomach for Tipperary with the fact that a late Cormac Fitzpatrick free in the last minute of extra time, to essentially win the game, cannoned off the post, and it will be a case of ‘what if’.
There was nothing to separate the team throughout the game, and considering the drama the teams produced in the round robin game a month ago, they have given plenty of entertainment to their respective supporters.
The break for Tipperary leading into this final seemed to do them no favours in the opening minutes, with Clare, fresh from their epic semi-final win over Cork last week, the much sharper outfit.
Within a minute after throw-in, a goal chance unfolded for the Banner when an unchecked 30-metre run from Marco Cleary, inside the Tipperary goalmouth, led to a hand pass to the waiting Paul Rodgers, but he was closed down well by Paddy McCormack, which left Rodgers having to settle for the point.
They were far hungrier in the proceeding minutes, and even against the wind, were posing problems with further scores from Michael Collins and a first free from the laser-accurate Fred Hegarty, putting them 0-3 to nil to the good after four minutes.
A sequence of poor wides in the first five minutes was a sign of what was to come for the first period for Tipp, as they would strike 13 wides to Clare’s zero, and the reigning champions had to wait six minutes for a flag to wave when Charlie Ryan found his range from midfield.
It got them moving in the scoring stakes, with three in a row up to the tenth minute putting Tipp ahead for the first time, with senior player Stefean Tobin nailing two lovely scores after an early sighter, while Robbie Ryan found the target also.
Still, Clare were far more economical into the teeth of the stiff breeze and with Tipperary testing the shoulder mobility of the umpires - pumping wide after wide - Clare made hay and were 0-8 to 0-6 ahead after 20 minutes with three Fred Hegarty frees, and two fine scores from Daniel Costelloe and Ronan Kilroy putting them in a healthy spot with ten to go before the break.
Mercifully, despite the wides causing widespread groans in the Tipperary section of the Mackey Stand, they would hit a flurry before the interval, with David Costigan making up for poor wides earlier to hit a brace, a third for Stefan Tobin, and Shane Cleary point after a sojourn helped the cause.
But the big score came in added time, when a direct ball into Robbie Ryan broke in behind and with Jamie Ormond in space in the middle unmarked, Ryan pinged it to hand as the JK Brackens man stepped inside the goalie to slot home a big score for the Premier, who would take a 1-11 to 0-10 lead at the interval.
However, the start to the second half was less than ideal, to say the least, from a Tipperary viewpoint. Clare substitute Graham Ball won possession from the throw-in, and a direct ball inside was left to drop inside the 14-yard line, where Marco Cleary had the easy task of flicking the ball into the hand and burying to the net.
Jamie Ormond’s goal seemed to spring him into life in the early throes of the restart and had whipped over two points within eight minutes as Clare’s impressive shooting showed no signs of slowing, with Fred Hegarty and Michael Collins landing scores; Tipp ahead 1-14 to 1-13 after 38 minutes.
The Banner were bringing the energy again, and by the third quarter had a two-point lead, one of which was gifted by Paddy McCormack from a slack puckout, Ronan Kilroy with a class effort before the first of the day for a quieter than usual Thomas O’Connor.
It looked like Tipp were fading, but big players in the forwards brought them to the surface in the next three minutes, first with an Ormond third before Stefan Tobin produced a class solo goal, sprinting at least 40-metre in on goal before unleashing an unstoppable shot to the net.
Now ahead 2-15 to 1-17, Tipp pushed for home, and the introduction of Oisin O’Donoghue after that goal was perfectly timed and was closely followed by a Fitzpatrick free and O’Donoghue’s first from range to give Tipp a three-point lead.
There were twists to come, though and with six minutes left, Clare were awarded a dubious enough penalty with Evan Morris adjudged to have dragged down Thomas O’Connor. Up stepped Fred Hegarty to bury the chance.
Clare had the gander up now and hit the lead soon after, Hegarty still on a high, producing a wonderful solo run and strike to send the Banner faithful wild. Tipp running out of time, one behind with four minutes to play.
There was late drama, though, as Tipp received an equally soft free to level the game through Fitzpatrick in the second minute of added time, but Clare had one more shot from Michael Collins 25 metres out, excellently blocked by a stretching, diving David Costigan as the final whistle sounded as the ball broke. Extra time was to come.
The extra-time break took a while, and the resumption began under dramatic circumstances, as a Clare mentor was booked for abusing the referee, and the new dissent rule came into play, with the half starting with an easy 21-yard free for Cormac Fitzpatrick.
Extra time was no different than the rest of the game as it turned out, with nothing to separate the sides.
Clare managed to nose in front after the first period, with four Fred Hegarty frees and a Sean Arthur point doing the damage, while Tipp were dragged forward by two incredible scores from Jamie Ormond, along with a first from play from Cormac Fitzpatrick.
The tension was incredible, and despite Clare taking a two-point lead early in the second period, Tipp did all the hurling in the remainder, eventually levelling the game through David Costigan and a class effort from substitute Eoghan Doughan.
Incredibly, Tipp had a chance to win it with a minute left after Oisin O’Donoghue drew a free from Robert Loftus on the far 65, and despite Cormac Fitzpatrick striking it well, the ball cannoned off the post and into the grateful possession of Mark Sheedy.
There was no separating the sides. A repeat of the 2022 Munster Minor Hurling final between the sides would be repeated in a penalty shootout.
In the end, the excellence of Mark Sheedy was the deciding factor, with the Sixmilebridge netminder denying Oisin O’Donoghue, Cormac Fitzpatrick, and finally Stefan Tobin in sudden death to give Clare their fifth U20/U21 provincial title.
Scorers: Tipperary: Jamie Ormond 1-5, Cormac Fitzpatrick (0-7, 0-6f), Stefan Tobin 1-3, David Costigan 0-3, Charlie Ryan 0-2, Shane Cleary, Oisin O’Donoghue, Robbie Ryan, Charlie Ryan all 0-1 each.
Clare: Fred Hegarty (1-14, 0-11f), Marco Cleary 1-0, Michael Collins 0-3, Ronan Kilroy, Daniel Costelloe 0-2 each, Thomas O’Connor, Paul Rodgers, Sean Arthur all 0-1 each.
Tipperary: Paddy McCormack (Moneygall); Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross Ballycahill), Evan Morris (Holycross Ballycahill), David Ryan (Arravale Rovers); Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Euan Murray (Thurles Sarsfields), Shane Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Charlie Ryan (Boherlahan Dualla), Sam Rowan (Mullinahone); Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swans), Tiarnan Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill), David Costigan (Moycarkey Borris); Robbie Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens), Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch).
Subs used: Patrick Ryan (Borris-Ileigh) for T Ryan (21); Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs) for Rowan (46); Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall) for R Ryan (60); Jake Donelan Houlihan (Nenagh Éire Óg) for Cleary (ET); Sam Rowan for Murray (ET); Jack Hayes (Moycarkey Borris) for C Ryan (ET)>
Clare: Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge); Eoghan Gunning (Broadford), Robert Loftus (Éire Óg Ennis), Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge); Jamie Moylan (Cratloe), James Hegarty (Inagh Kilnamona), Ryan Hayes (Tulla); Daniel Costelloe (Ballyea), Ronan Keane (Killanena); Ronan Kilroy (Banner), Michael Collins (Clonlara), Fred Hegarty (Inagh Kilnamona); Marco Cleary (Éire Óg Ennis), Thomas O’Connor (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield), Paul Rodgers (Scariff).
Subs used: Graham Ball (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield) for Keane (HT); Sean Arthur (Newmarket-on-Fergus) for P Rodgers (49); Harry Doherty (Clarecastle) for Costelloe (55); Darren Moroney (Éire Óg Ennis) for Hayes (HT, ET); Jack Mescall (Inagh Kilnamona) for Collins (ET); Daire Neville (Cratloe) for Gunning (ET); Sean Boyce (O’Callaghan’s Mills) for Cleary (ET).
Referee: Nicky O’Toole (Waterford)