Gaelic Games

Shane O’Donnell shows full range of his threat as Clare defeat Tipperary

Banner set up Munster final rematch with Limerick after seeing off a Tipp side that showed plenty of spirit

Diarmuid Ryan scores Clare's first goal during the Munster SHC Round 5 game against Tipperary at FBD Semple Stadium. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Diarmuid Ryan scores Clare's first goal during the Munster SHC Round 5 game against Tipperary at FBD Semple Stadium. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Stephen Barry at FBD Semple Stadium
Sun May 26 2024 - 18:58
Munster SHC Round 5: Tipperary 0-24 Clare 1-24

A third consecutive win powered Clare into a Munster final rematch with Limerick thanks to Diarmuid Ryan’s goal and an exhibition of set-up play by Shane O’Donnell.

Already eliminated, Tipperary showed plenty of spirit and saw Jake Morris shoot 0-11, five from play. But Banner full forward O’Donnell scored two points, instigated the goal, was fouled for six scoreable frees (five of which were converted), and directly assisted three more scores.

It means second place in the round-robin and a third successive decider against the All-Ireland champions in a fortnight’s time back in Thurles.

Liam Cahill made seven changes, with first championship starts for Seán Kenneally and Andrew Ormond and returns from injury for Barry Heffernan and Brian McGrath. Johnny Ryan also came into the defence, while there was a new midfield pairing in Paddy Cadell and Willie Connors.

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A lower-leg injury for Michael Breen in the warm-up forced another alteration minutes before throw-in, with Eoghan Connolly taking his place. Brian Lohan made one late switch as Conor Leen replaced Rory Hayes.

Tipp’s newcomers showed their fight early on in front of a 19,418 crowd. A four-point burst gave them a 0-5 to 0-2 lead, with Heffernan, Kenneally and Morris all finding the target. They also had four first-half yellow cards, including two of their full back line in Craig Morgan and Ryan.

Morris’s third from play pushed them four ahead and he would soon take over the free-taking after Gearóid O’Connor was called ashore before half-time.

But Clare began to pick them apart to retake the lead with six of the next seven points, including Aidan McCarthy scores from either sideline.

They had a pair of goal chances in that purple patch but O’Donnell fired wide and Peter Duggan had an effort blocked by Ronan Maher. Mark Rodgers tidied up the break for a point.

An overlapping Diarmuid Ryan score and a David Fitzgerald point after O’Donnell robbed Paddy Cadell looked set to send Clare in ahead but Morris tied it up with a stoppage-time brace to leave it all square, 0-11 apiece at the break.

But once Clare got to grips with Tipp’s long puck-outs and O’Donnell grew in influence, they raced clear.

Clare’s Shane O’Donnell surrounded by fans after the game. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Clare’s Shane O’Donnell surrounded by fans after the game. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

They blitzed the next 1-5 without reply. O’Donnell completed the set of all six forwards scoring before he was directly involved in another 1-3. From a Tipp puck-out, Cathal Malone found O’Donnell and the sliotar passed through Fitzgerald to Diarmuid Ryan to find the net.

O’Donnell laid on a point for Darragh Lohan and was fouled for back-to-back McCarthy frees, including one where he hit the post before play was called back. That made it 1-17 to 0-12.

One of the loudest cheers of the day followed for Tony Kelly’s introduction and he immediately hooked Bryan O’Mara before opening his account from another O’Donnell assist.

If Clare thought they were home and hosed, Tipp had other ideas. They rallied with six of the next seven points, with three from the impeccable Morris as O’Mara, Noel McGrath and Connolly also chipped in.

That made it 1-20 to 0-20 with eight minutes to play. But that man O’Donnell found the response. He caught a long delivery for a point before being fouled again for a Rodgers tap-over free.

Ronan Maher and a Morris free brought Tipp within a score as four minutes of stoppage-time were announced.

A Rodgers free and a huge Connolly score cancelled each other out before Kelly landed a free from his own 45 to make it safe, despite Ronan Maher’s late free.

TIPPERARY: B Hogan; Johnny Ryan, C Morgan, E Connolly (0-2); B McGrath, R Maher (0-2, one free), B Heffernan (0-1); P Cadell, W Connors; A Tynan (0-1), J Morris (0-11, 0-6f), S Kenneally (0-3); A Ormond, G O’Connor (0-2, 0-2f), M Kehoe.

Subs: D Stakelum for O’Connor (29 mins); B O’Mara (0-1) for Heffernan (44); N McGrath (0-1) for Cadell (45); C Stakelum for Ormond (52); P Maher for Kehoe (56).

CLARE: E Quilligan; C Leen, C Cleary, A Hogan; D Ryan (1-2), J Conlon, C Galvin; C Malone, D Lohan (0-1); D Fitzgerald (0-3), D Reidy (0-1), P Duggan (0-1); A McCarthy (0-8, 0-6f), S O’Donnell (0-2), M Rodgers (0-3, 0-2f).

Subs: T Kelly (0-2, 0-1f) for Reidy (47 mins); I Galvin (0-1) for McCarthy (54); P Donnellan for Lohan (64); A Shanagher for Duggan (68).

Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).