Clare ... 1-12 Tipperary ... 1-6Clare avenged last week's McGrath Cup final defeat by Tipperary when they swept past the home side with a spirited performance in this well-contested tie at Ardfinnan yesterday.

Having conceded the opening pointed free to Tony Doyle, Clare, playing with the wind, dominated the exchanges and with points from Alan Clohessy (2), David Russell, Paul Hehir and Dara Blake to lead 0-5 to 0-1 on 17 minutes. With their midfielders Ger Quinlan and David Russell and their defenders, led by Noel Griffin, in control, they tightened their grip with points from Clohessy and Stephen Hickey.

Full forward Declan Browne raised Tipperary hopes with a scrambled goal on 31 minutes, leaving one point between the sides - 0-7 to 1-3. But Clare put in a strong finish with Clohessy pointing two more frees and Ger Quinlan also hitting the target, making it 0-10 to 1-3 at half time.

A rampant Clare finished with points by Odran O'Dwyer and Denis O'Driscoll in response to Tipperary's Doyle and Browne to leave it 0-12 to 1-6 with time running out. In injury time centre forward Stephen Hickey put the seal on Clare's impressive win with a goal.

CLARE: D O'Brien; C Whelan, D O'Sullivan, D Blake (0-1); D Hedigan, N Griffin, M O'Connell; G Quinlan (0-1), D Russell (0-1); D O'Driscoll (0-1), S Hickey (1-1), A Clohessy (0-5, frees); J Enright, P Hehir (0-1), R Donnelly. Subs: O O'Dwyer (0-1) for R Donnelly, J Considine for G Quinlan, P McMahon for A Clohessy.

TIPPERARY: B Enright; B Hahessy, N Kelly, D Byrne; S Maher, D Fanning, N Fitzgerald; E Hanrahan, F O'Callaghan; P Hally, A Fitzgerald, B Hickey; T Doyle (0-3, 2 frees), D Browne (1-3, 2 frees), D Byrne. Subs: P Cahill for D Byrne, P Lambert for E Hanrahan, JP Looby for B Hickey.

Referee: P Daly (Westmeath).