Gilligan steers Clare to win over Tipp

Clare 1-20 Tipperary 1-15

Clare skipper Niall Gilligan was to prove pivotal at Cusack Park as he scored nine points (3frees) and the opening points of both halves as the Banner men claimed the pre-Munster championship bragging rights in a 1-20 to 1-15 victory.

Gilligan won the toss and it was the corner forward who pointed for the home side after 25 seconds into the town end. He added a second from play in the third minute but the opening exchanges were Tipperary’s.

Gilligan tried for a goal from a 20-metre free on 7 minutes but missed out, and rued his luck when a quick point from Paddy O’Brien and a John Carroll goal two minutes later handed Tipp a 1-01 to 0-02 lead.

With Ronan O’Looney being forced on twice as a blood substitute for Clare, the visitors saw O’Brien, Lar Corbett and Benny Dunne point them into a 1-04 to 0-04 lead on 18 minutes.

Gilligan, who hit over five points in the opening period, rallied the Banner fight, as did centre half-forward Colin Lynch who pointed three scores from play on 17, 28 and 32 minutes.

Tipperary’s Benny Dunne was again on target on 27 minutes to level at 1-06 to 0-9, but Clare’s forward advantage, outscoring the visitors 1-04 to 0-02 in the final six minutes, proved key as a Lynch hand pass was goaled by Frank Lohan with two minutes remaining.

Clare’s 1-13 to 1-08 half-time lead was increased by two snappy points from Gilligan, the first from play and the second a free on 38 minutes. Seamus Butler and O’Brien replied for the Premier county with two points apiece to draw within three, at 1-15 to 1-12.

The final ten minutes saw the Clare back line hold firm, with Brian Lohan coming through his test at full-back, and Tipp goalkeeper Brendan Cummins had to be alert to save a left-sided shot from replacement Daithi O’Connell on 61 minutes.

Jerry O’Connor and Tony Griffin pointed with six minutes remaining for a 1-18 to 1-12 lead and Gilligan’s eighth and ninth scores rapped up the win, with Dunne (0-02) and Carroll closing out the Tipp tally.