Tipperary 2-16 Clare 3-21: Rampant Banner leave feeble Tipp on the Munster brink

Clare's Shane O'Donnell and Dillon Quirke of Tipperary
Clare’s blistering first half virtually put paid to Tipperary’s hopes of advancing from this year’s Munster senior hurling championship.
The home side looked feeble in the face of Clare’s movement and after a second successive loss appear to be dead ducks going into their remaining games against Limerick and Cork.
Trailing by 13 at the break, 0-7 to 3-11, Tipperary raided for goals in the second half, the first coming from a lengthy solo run from Ger Browne two minutes into the new half. A second to make it a nine-point game came in the 49th minute as Eibhear Quilligan misjudged Barry Heffernan’s dropping shot.
Tipperary got as close as seven points but Shane O’Donnell was a guiding hand as Clare steadied themselves and their advantage was back to double digits by the 65th minute.
Notwithstanding the wind advantage, Clare’s start was brighter. They found it easier to create space in the Tipperary half of the field and were 0-3 to 0-1 when they hit the net for the first time in the eighth minute. Brian Hogan pushed Peter Duggan’s shot onto the crossbar but Ian Galvin was waiting to catch the deflection and fire it home.
Clare led by three points when they combined for 1-2 in less than 120 seconds, a point from Tony Kelly and Rory Hayes either side of a Duggan goal in the 21st minute. John Conlon had the freedom to maruade forward before striking. Again, Hogan denied Conlon but the ball ballooned nicely for Duggan to tap in.
The margin grew to 11 when Brian McGrath, fresh from replacing James Quigley, conceded a penalty for holding Duggan’s jersey and Kelly’s finish from the placed ball was emphatic.
Tipperary looked a sorry bunch, sorrier than their 2018 version, and continued to struggle to clear their lines. A Barry Heffernan mistake resulted in a 33rd minute point by Ian Galvin. From the puck-out, Catha Barrett was blown for overcarrying and Kelly duly sent over the free.
J. Forde (0-7, 4 frees, 2 65s, 1 sideline); G. Browne (1-3); B. Heffernan (1-0); R. Maher (0-2, 1 free); C. Barrett, N. McGrath, M. Breen, M. Kehoe (0-1 each).
T. Kelly (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-5 frees); I. Galvin, P. Duggan (1-2 each); R. Mounsey, R. Taylor, S. O’Donnell (0-2 each); D. Fitzgerald, R. Hayes, D. Ryan, D. McInerney (0-1 each).
Brian Hogan; C. Barrett, J. Quigley, C. Morgan; D. Quirke, R. Maher (c), S. Kennedy; D. McCormack, B. Heffernan; J. Morris, N. McGrath, M. Breen; J. Forde, M. Kehoe, J. McGrath.
G. Browne for J. McGrath (inj 23); B. McGrath for J. Quigley (inj C. Stakelum for D. McCormack (h-t); G. O’Connor for J. Morris (50); A. Flynn for B. Heffernan (65).
E. Quilligan; R. Hayes, C. Cleary, P. Flanagan; D. Ryan, J. Conlon, D. McInerney; R. Taylor, C. Malone; D. Fitzgerald, T. Kelly (c), S. O’Donnell; I. Galvin, P. Duggan, R. Mounsey.
P. Crotty for I. Galvin (49); D. McMahon for D. Fitzgerald (62); S. Golden for R. Mouney (70); J. McCarthy for S. O’Donnell (70+1); J. Browne for R. Taylor (70+5).
Referee: J. Owens (Wexford).