Tipperary keep Munster U-20 hopes alive with win over Clare

Munster U-20 football championship, phase 2, round 2: Tipperary 1-10 Clare 0-7

Tipperary secured a six-point victory over Clare.

Tipperary’s hopes of reaching a first Munster U-20 football final since 2021 may be slender but they do travel to Tralee next week with a chance after finally seeing off a stubborn Clare side in Ardfinnan.

With Michael Freaney’s 27th-minute goal decisively turning the tide in the home side’s favour to lead by 1-5 to 0-5 by the break with the wind to come, they certainly made hard work of cementing victory but did eventually settle matters in injury-time with the last three insurance points.

Five missed goal chances and seven second-half wides left the home support utterly frustrated for the majority as a gritty Banner side were still only three in arrears by the hour mark.

However, the late dismissal of Clare full-back Sean McAllister on a second yellow allied to Tipperary’s fresh legs from the bench up front would ensure victory as substitute Daithi Hogan converted two late frees while also teeing up fellow replacement Paddy O’Keeffe for another as they completed back-to-back wins over the Banner.

Clare for their part led three times in the opening period, with Conor Fennell and Tom Curran both raiding for braces to lead by 0-5 to 0-4 by the 26th minute.

However, a scrambled Michael Freaney rebound goal in the next passage of play would flip the script and once they welcomed the wind for the new half, Tipperary had enough chances to win two games before eventually prevailing for their fourth win of the campaign.

Scorers - Tipperary: O Jones 0-3 (2f); M Freaney 1-0; P O’Keeffe, D Hogan (2f) 0-2 each; S Ryan (f), R McGrath (’45), D O’Brien 0-1 each

Scorers - Clare: D Keane 0-3 (2f); C Fennell, T Curran (1m) 0-2 each

Tipperary: R McGrath; J O’Neill, E O’Connell, M Corcoran; D O’Brien, S O’Meara, C King; J Higgins, E Doocey; M Freaney, J Lawrence, T Charles; S Ryan, T O’Connor, O Jones Subs: D Hogan for O’Connor (40), P O’Keeffe for Higgins (43), B Carey for Charles (50), N O’Connor for Lawrence (57), K Butler for O’Connell (63)

Clare: C Corry; C Kearney, S McAllister, A Kelly; M Kelly, O Cunningham, J Moloney; J Vaughan, E Rouine; P O’Dwyer, S McMahon, D Keane; T Curran, D Culligan, C Fennell Subs: L Pyne for Kelly (HT), S Neylon for O’Dwyer (43), C Meaney for Culligan (45), C O’Donovan for McMahon (50), E Cahill for Moloney (60, inj)

Referee: S Mulvihill (Kerry)