Tipperary advance to semi-final as late goals end Clare’s brave resistance
In front of a crowd of 1,191, Liam Cahill’s charges were never led over the hour but nevertheless, they relied on the late strikes to wrap it up. With two minutes of normal time on the clock, Clare trailed by three and endeavoured to send the tie to extra-time. But Tipp full-forward Cian Darcy fired past Killian Nugent’s to relieve the danger, a feat he failed to do a minute earlier, when Nugent produced a fine save. Then for good measure, deep into injury time, substitute Dylan Walsh wrapped it up with another goal.
Tipp held the upper hand in the opening half, going in 0-12 to 0-5 in front at the break. The visitors grabbed the opening three scores between the third and eighth with points by Jerry Kelly, Lyndon Fairbrother, and Shane Neville. But Clare were level by the 10th minute after good points by Ian Murray, Sean O’Loughlin, and Conor Tierney. That was as close as it got and from then on, the Premier County controlled matters.
