Cork’s quest for a first All-Ireland minor title since 2000 remains on course after they held off a good comeback by Monaghan in an exciting clash at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

Clare put in a superb performance to beat Tipperary on a 3-12 to 0-6 scoreline in the Munster Minor Football Championship Phase One final at the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

Tipperary's minor footballers did enough on home turf to qualify for the phase one final of the Munster championship: but only just.

It is expected that these sides will meet again before the championship is out should Tipperary overcome Limerick in their final round-robin meeting, so it comes as no great shock that this 60 minutes resembled a game of cat and mouse, with neither side keen to go at full tilt.