Champions set up showdown with Cork

Tipperary 3-19 Clare 1-5

following their crushing defeat of Clare in the opening round at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

Such is the depth of talent available to the Premier County at this level they fielded just three of last year's side and still proved far too good for Clare.

Tipp, aided by the strong wind, got off to a flying start when Tony Scroope careered right through the Clare defence to rattle home a goal after just 18 seconds and it set the scene for a totally one-sided contest.

Hurling with supreme confidence all over the field, Tipp proceeded to carve open the tissue-like Clare defence at every opportunity and the scores flowed freely.

Full-forward Tom Moylan was hugely effective and his goal, Tipp's second, in the sixth minute, opened the floodgates.

Ronan O'Brien, who was a late replacement for Tommy Connors, excelled at wing-forward and showed marvellous pace and skill to knock over three points. At the end of the opening quarter, Tipp led by 2-6 to 0-0.

A totally inept Clare attack never threatened the score in that period and their cause wasn't helped when Brian O'Donnell failed to rise the sliothair from a penalty in the 18th minute.

However, following a period of sustained pressure, the Bannermen finally opened their account with a John Punch goal but it was really only a token score as Tipp hit back with three unanswered points to lead 3-14 to a goal at the break.

With the strong wind and rain to their backs in the second half, Clare threatened early but enjoyed no luck around the Tipperary goal.

John O'Donnell had a 20-metre free blocked and his colleague John Punch was denied a goal from the rebound, all in the opening minutes of the second half.

While they enjoyed the lion's share of play, Clare could make no impression in attack against a very solid Tipp defence in which goalkeeper Dermot Hogan, centre-back Shane Maher and wing-back Colm Everard were hugely impressive. Only John Punch posed any real danger and he was to emerge Clare's top scorer with 1-3.

Clare tightened up considerably in defence from the opening half and the scores didn't come as freely for Tipp but they still managed to out-score Clare by a point, 5-4. In the end the game petered out as Tipp set up a semi-final meeting with Cork on June 8 in Thurles.

Scorers, Tipperary: T Moylan 1-4, K Neylon, T Scroope (0-1 free) 1-1 each, S Everard, R O'Brien 0-3 each, E Ryan 0-2, B Horgan, B McGrath, L O'Connor, H Moloney, T Slevin 0-1 each.

Clare: J Punch 1-3 (0-1 free), C Egan (free), B O'Donnell 0-1 each.

TIPPERARY: D Hogan, G Griffin, P Buckley, M Phelan, C Everard, S Maher, H Moloney, T Slevin, B Hogan, E Ryan, T Scroope, R O'Brien, K Neylon, T Moylan, S Everard. Subs. B Gaynor for Phelan, J Moran for B Hogan, L O'Connor for Nealon, E Hanley for C Everard, S Maher for Ryan.

CLARE: B O'Donnell, P Kelleher, N O'Connor, J O'Gorman, B Duggan, P O'Connell, J O'Connor, I Conway, M Shannon, A Flaherty, C Egan, J Punch, C Early, B O'Donnell, K Neylon. Subs. C Naughton for O'Connor, D Fitzsimons for Shannon, C Daly for Kelleher, J Molloy for Flaherty.

Referee: K Healy (Cork).