Liam Murphy's hat-trick edges Clare past Tipperary in Munster Minor Hurling Championship

While not guaranteeing their place in the Munster final, the win leaves the Banner in the strongest position heading into the final round of games.

HAT-TRICK HERO: Liam Murphy in action for Clare. Picture : Eamon Ward

Munster MHC

Clare 4-11

Tipperary 0-19

Clare preserved their unbeaten run in the Munster minor hurling championship with a four point victory over Tipperary on Thursday night in Semple Stadium.

While not guaranteeing their place in the Munster final, the win leaves them in the strongest position heading into the final round of games.

Tipperary started brightly under the FBD Semple Stadium floodlights reeling off the first three points of the game.

The sweeping Jake Donelan Houlihan was central in the creation of all three, with a Tiarnan Ryan effort sandwiched in between a pair from Durlas Óg club-mates Cillian Minogue and Euan Murray.

But then came the Clare goal-spree. Nobody was thinking goal when, after seven minutes, Conor Ralph latched onto a scuffed line-ball from Dara Kennedy on the 45 yard line.

Nobody apart from Ralph himself. The Clarecastle club-man set off on a mazy run before finishing into the corner of the net.

Clare’s second goal came only three minutes later after Liam Murphy and Paul Rodgers fashioned something out of nothing.

It looked like the attacking duo had spurned the opportunity before their persistence was rewarded when Murphy’s drop-shot found the net.

Harry Doherty scored a free won by Rodgers from the resulting puck-out and suddenly Clare were in business, leading by 2-1 to 0-3 after eleven minutes.

Tiarnan Ryan claimed a point for Tipperary but the respite was only momentary as Murphy soon got in for his second goal of the game. He was aided by a deflection this time around but it was no less than his pace, trickery and sense of adventure deserved.

Eoghan Doughan responded with a free for Tipperary before Kennedy and Doherty linked up down the right wing for Clare, with Doherty pointing. Doughan scored the game’s next three points, two frees and a beauty from play.

It could have been curtains for Tipp moments later only for a Donelan Houlihan block from the rampaging Murphy, who was eyeing up his hat-trick. Minogue and Murray scored a quickfire brace of points to give Tipperary something to cling to at the break, when the scoreboard read 3-4 to 0-9.

Clare picked up where they left off with a brace of Corbett frees before Killian Cantwell replied for James Woodlock’s side. Euan Murray scored a beauty off the left before a brave block by Clare sub Jerry O’Connor set up Finneran for his second of the day. Corbett tacked on another free.

This was followed by a spell of Tipperary dominance, and a string of Eoghan Doughan frees. He scored five in a row in a seven minute spell to level up the scores. 3-7 plays 0-16.

But just when Clare needed him, that man Murphy stepped up again, lighting onto a break before giving Evan Sherlock no chance in the Tipperary nets.

That was the hat-trick. Euan Murray scored a brilliant point for Tipp, before sub O’Hora added another but centre back James Cullinan halted chants of Tipp, Tipp, Tipp with the score that would see the Banner through to a four point win.

Scorers for Clare: L Murphy (3-0), M Corbett (0-5, 4f), H Doherty (0-3, 2f) C Ralph (1-0) P Finneran (0-2), J Cullinan (0-1).

Scorers for Tipperary: E Doughan (0-9, 7f), E Murray (0-3), C Minogue, T Ryan (0-2 each), K Cantwell, D O’Hora (0-1 each).

Clare: M Crotty (Scariff); D Moroney (Éire Óg), S McNamara (Clooney-Quin), S Óg Kilkenny (Bodyke); D Kennedy (Ballyea), J Cullinan (Ruan), R Mulcahy (Éire Óg); G Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), M Corbett (Clooney-Quin); D McNamara (Clooney-Quin), P Finneran (Clooney-Quin), H Doherty (Clarecastle); C Ralph (Clarecastle), P Rodgers (Scariff), L Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills).

Subs: J O’Connor (Clooney-Quin) for McNamary (HT), R Hayes (Tulla) for Mulcahy (40) T Lohan (Cratloe) for Finneran (47), D Ball (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield) for Rodgers (49), E Collins (Cratloe) for Kilkenny (52).

Tipperary: E Sherlock (Kiladangan); S Ryan (Killenaule), C O'Reilly (Holycross Ballycahill), P Ryan (Borris-Ileigh); D Ryan (Arravale Rovers), O O'Dwyer (Killenaule), J Donelan Houlihan (Nenagh Éire Óg), T Ryan (Holycross Ballycahill), K Cantwell (Moycarkey Borris); A Ryan (Arravale Rovers), E Murray (Durlas Óg), B O'Brien (Nenagh Éire Óg); E Doughan (Moneygall), S Tobin (Carrick Swan), C Minogue (Durlas Óg).

Subs: A Cagney (St Mary’s) for Minogue (50) for D O’Hora (Solohead) for Cantwell (54), P Cummins (Ballybacon Grange) for A Ryan (57), J Cahill (Ballingarry) for Doughan (57) K Rossiter (Durlas Óg) for B O’Brien (60+1).

Referee: Seaghan Walsh (Waterford).