Early goal glut key as Tipp hold off desperate Clare fightback

Mathematically, Clare are still breathing. Their pulse, though, is almost impossible to find after the prolific John McGrath helped Tipp come to the home of the champions and give their own championship new life

HOW SWEET IT IS: Noel McGrath of Tipperary after the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 3 match between Clare and Tipperary at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg in Ennis, Clare. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Munster SHC: Clare 2-21 Tipperary 4-18

Tipperary moved out of intensive care. Their bed immediately filled. The patient’s report at the foot of the champions’ bed reads terminal. Champions for not much longer.

Mathematically, Clare are still breathing. Their pulse, though, is almost impossible to find. 

There are few permutations that will elevate the Banner from the foot of the Munster table into the third and final qualifying spot. Of those that do, they require Cork to overturn Limerick in the latter’s backyard next Sunday and then do same when they travel to the Gaelic Grounds on the closing Sunday of action. They also need their conquerors here to beat Waterford in their final outing.

All that gets Clare to three points, level with Limerick, but progressing on a superior head-to-head.

A long shot. A very, very long shot. In the five-year history of the Munster round-robin, three points have never been sufficient to advance.

For embattled and now emboldened Tipp, a first Munster championship victory since April 23, 2023. 748 days later, at the same venue, against the same opposition, they managed an unlikely same outcome.

FORDE FOCUS: Jason Forde of Tipperary scores a point under pressure from Rory Hayes of Clare during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 3 match between Clare and Tipperary at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg in Ennis, Clare. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

The opening half did a fine impression of the 2023 Munster championship first-half between the same pair. On that occasion, Tipp were 3-7 to 0-7 ahead by the 22nd minute. That same stunned expression was worn by Clare crowd here. By the 23rd minute, they’d again been hit for a feast of Tipp majors and trailed 4-4 to 0-6.

The Tipp puckout had been devoured in two of their last three outings. In the first half of the League final, Cork struck 2-4 off Barry Hogan’s restarts. That figure was 2-3 in the opening half of their Munster championship clash three weeks later.

Here, Rhys Shelly started ahead of Hogan. We counted only two first-half puckouts lost. We counted 2-4 Tipp mined off their own restart. A sensational turnaround.

The Clare net was shaking from the sixth minute onward. Alan Tynan to John McGrath. His opening-round Thurles exploits revisited. The visitors suffocated their hosts from the off. They feasted on dreadful Clare passing. The fear from the visiting perspective was that all this early superiority was not carrying onto the scoreboard at either end.

After 11 minutes, Tipp’s report card showed five wides, a point attempt dropped short, and a second John McGrath goal opportunity, fashioned by the unmatched vision of his older brother, that flashed over.

A minute later, Cahill’s charges began to make amends for all of the above. Jason Forde assumed control of a long delivery. The offload to Andrew Ormond. Goal.

Eibhear Quilligan denied them a third goal with their fourth goal opportunity on 14 minutes. A fine save to deny Jake Morris. Jason Forde did at least convert the 65. 2-3 to 0-4.

The openings kept opening. And while enterprising, Tipp’s forward movement and passing wasn’t anything particularly extraordinary. Clare, quite simply, were a shambles at the back. Their unorganised state fed chaos. Conor Cleary was never so lamented. The absence of half their All-Ireland winning defence - John Conlon was a late withdrawal - was never so obvious.

Of the remaining half, Conor Leen was pulled after 20 minutes. He was pulled after John McGrath left him for dust on the road to his second green flag and Tipp’s third.

The fourth, on 23 minutes, began with a lost Tipp restart. David McInerney lost possession. Noel McGrath moved the sliotar and began the move. Forde’s piledriver was parried by Quilligan, Ormond’s rebound was not. Add on a pair of Forde frees and the scoreline on 29 minutes read a scarcely believable 4-6 to 0-6.

Clare, who’d registered just two points from play in the opening half an hour, had taken their summer back from the brink by half-time. Rodgers produced a stunning catch, from a David Reidy floated pass, and then produced a so desperately needed goal.

4-9 to 1-9, with the wind to come, was not an insurmountable nine-point deficit.

Rodgers converted free after free upon the restart. Shane O’Donnell was introduced on 44 minutes. His first involvement was to pull down a Quilligan puckout and be pulled down himself for a converted free. On 55 minutes, Tony Kelly won and buried a penalty.

Frees won by O’Donnell and fellow sub David Fitzgerald enabled Clare to final achieve parity on 63 minutes. Amazingly, though, they’d never hit the front and added just a solitary white flag across the remaining 12 minutes.

Tipp’s final push was defiant. Michael Breen prevented Ian Galvin pulling the trigger for goal. Peter Duggan was stopped and somehow swallowed. John McGrath capitalised on a Daithí Lohan slip. McGrath was then fouled for a Forde converted free. Full-back Eoghan Connolly’s third and sub Seán Kenneally completed a four-in-a-row. A winning four-in-a-row. Jake Morris cleared the last ball from deep in the heart of his defence.

Tipp came to the home of the champions and gave their championship a pulse.

Scorers for Tipperary: J McGrath (2-3); J Forde (0-8, 0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘65); A Ormond (2-1); E Connolly (0-3, 0-2 frees); J Morris (0-2); S Kenneally (0-1).

Scorers for Clare: M Rodgers (1-13, 0-13 frees); T Kelly (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free); S Rynne (0-3); R Taylor (0-2); C Malone, P Duggan (0-1 each).

TIPPERARY: R Shelly; M Breen, B O’Mara, E Connolly; R Maher, C Morgan, R Doyle; S O’Farrell, A Tynan; C Stakelum, A Ormond, N McGrath; J Forde, J McGrath, J Morris.

SUBS: O O’Donoghue for Stakelum (47); S Kennedy for Kennedy (55-59, temporary); W Connors for N McGrath (58); S Kennedy for O’Farrell (62); D Stakelum for Tynan (63); S Kenneally for Forde (66).

CLARE: E Quilligan; Darragh Lohan, A Hogan, C Leen; Daithí Lohan, C Galvin, D McInerney; R Taylor, C Malone; T Kelly, D Reidy, P Duggan; S Rynne, M Rodgers, S Meehan.

SUBS: Rory Hayes for Leen (20); S O’Donnell for Mehan (44); D Fitzgerald for Rynne (59); I Galvin for Reidy (63); J Conlon for Daithí Lohan (68).

REFEREE: J Owens (Wexford).