Clare start as they mean to go on with U20 win over Tipp

The Banner ended a run of four successive reverses to the Premier County in both phases over the previous two seasons.

It'll be a top-of-the-table clash between the Déise and Clare next Saturday. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Munster Under 20 Football Championship Round 1: Clare 1-16 Tipperary 1-11 

Clare would finally break their Tipperary hoodoo to get off to va winning start in the Munster Under 20 Football Championship Phase 1 round robin in Páirc Naomh Mhuire in Quilty.

Having suffered four successive reverses to the Premier County in both phases over the previous two seasons, Clare, in their only home outing, fully capitalised by leading for the final 50 minutes of this derby opener.

Against the stiff conditions, it was Sean Fennell’s spectacular 1-4 blitz in just 90 seconds that completely flipped the script for the hosts as the Kilrush native kicked a two-pointer from each leg to sandwich an emphatic top corner finish in the 13th minute.

It completed a 1-6 unanswered rally to catapult the Banner into a 1-8 to 0-4 cushion by the turn of the second quarter. A shellshocked Tipperary did get a timely lifeline in the 18th minute when Liam Freaney’s point attempt dropped short and wasn’t held by goalkeeper Harry O’Gorman as opportunist Liam Kiely nipped it to flick the ball over the line.

Buoyed by that fortuitous score, the resurgent visitors duly lessened the deficit to just two by the 25th minute after successive points through Shane Ryan and chief marksman Freaney.

Not to be outdone, Clare decisively struck for a brace of points either side of the interval to restore a six point gap. The incessant running of Donncha O’Dwyer yielded a free for captain Daire Culligan to convert before doubling his bounty thanks to a breach to ensure a 1-10 to 1-06 half-time edge.

Now backed by the conditions, Clare consolidated their healthy position thanks to early strikes from Darragh Townsend and Sean Fennell within two minutes of the resumption. Tipperary manager Paddy O’Gorman wasn’t afraid to reshuffle his pack though, with substitute Emmet Bonner providing the sufficient impact to rally the visiting troops to kick the next three points, two from free taker Freaney at 1-12 to 1-09.

The Premier even had a glorious opportunity to regain full parity at the three-quarters mark when Oran Gahan played a one-two with Mark Neville to bear down on goal. However, the midfielder snatched at the attempt which drifted agonisingly wide, a miss that allowed their relieved hosts to breath once more.

Sean Fennell and Donncha O’Dwyer matched frees from Freaney and Mark Neville to keep that three point margin between the sides entering the final ten minutes. Precariously balanced, it was captain Culligan that fittingly provided the assurance coming down the final straight as he arrowed over a brace of frees to cement a first victory over Tipperary at this level since 2023.

With Waterford seeing off Limerick in convincing fashion, a top-of-the-table clash is set for Lemybrien between the Déise and Clare next Saturday (2pm) whereas it’s effectively last-chance saloon in terms of qualification for Tipperary and Limerick in New Inn at the same time.

Scorers for Clare: S Fennell 1-6 (2tp, 2f); D Culligan 0-7 (5f); D Townsend 0-2; D O’Dwyer 0-1 

Scorers for Tipperary: L Freaney 0-5 (4f); Liam Kiely 1-1; James Power 0-2 (1tp); Gavin Neville 0-2; Shane Ryan 0-1 

Clare: H O'Gorman (Cooraclare); L Griffin (Ennistymon), D Boyle (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), A Killeen (Lissycasey); D Brody (Ennistymon), S Murphy (St Joseph’s Miltown), M Kelly (Lissycasey); E Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane), S Fennell (Kilrush Shamrocks); D O’Dwyer (St. Breckan’s), C Breen (Corofin), D Townsend (Cooraclare); D Culligan (Lissycasey), D McMahon (Lissycasey). R Fallon (Kilmurry Ibrickane) 

Subs: C Cummins (Corofin) for Griffin (HT, inj), S Kirby (Corofin) for Fallon (60), S O'Dea (Cooraclare) for Breen (61) 

Tipperary: P Boland (Moyle Rovers); J McGonigle (Rockwell Rovers), C Ryan (Ballina), J Kearney (Ballyporeen); G Neville (Fethard), D Morris (Clonmel Commercials), J O’Keeffe (Clonmel Commercials); O Gahan (St. Patrick’s), S Griffin (Upperchurch Drombane), L Freaney (Kilsheelan Kilcash), D Cotter (Thurles Gaels), L Kiely (Fethard); M Neville (Fethard), J Power (Clonmel Commercials), S Ryan (Ardfinnan) Subs: E Bonner (Galtee Rovers St. Pecaun’s) for Morris (38), J Cronin (Moyle Rovers) for Kiely (46), C Walsh (Fethard) for Cotter (48), D Bresnan (Arrival Rovers) for Ryan (51), C Kelly (Arravale Rovers) for Neville (56), P Chapman (Aherlow) for Bonner (63, BS) 

Referee: E Ó Muircheartaigh (Kerry)