Tipp coast into league final

Clare 0-14, Tipperary 0-22 (full-time)

An eight point winning margin over Clare put Michael Doyle's Tipperary through to this year's National Hurling League Final.

They fully deserved the victory over a Clare side who they meet in three weeks' time in the first round of the Munster Championship.

Both sides fielded teams short a number of first choice players in what was essentially an exercise in shadow-boxing.

Clare got off to the better start and led by 3-0 after five minutes. It took Tipperary until the 22nd minute to draw level when midfielder Tommy Dunne equalised to make it eight points apiece.

Moments later Dunne gave Tipp the lead for the first time in the game and by half-time, the visitors led by 11-9. Coming up to the break, Clare squandered a number of chances, with Niall Gilligan blazing wide of Brendan Cummins goal.

In the second-half, a more fluid Tipperary forward line, with Lar Corbett, Eugene O'Neill and Eoin Kelly in fine form, pulled away taking their scores with ease and coasting into the league final.