Clare SHC Semi-finals:For the first time since 1933, Tulla will contest a Clare county hurling final.
They defeated favourites Clarecastle by 1-13 to 0-9 at Cusack Park yesterday to set up a decider with neighbours Crusheen, who beat Sixmilebridge on a 1-15 to 0-13 scoreline at the same Ennis venue on Saturday.
Tulla led for the entire game after opening the scoring and had a 0-6 to 0-4 advantage at the break. Victory was sealed in the 48th minute when, leading by 0-12 to 0-7, Tulla scored the only goal of the game.
An Andrew Quinn free from deep inside his own half landed in front of the Clarecastle goal and corner forward Aidan Lynch got a vital touch to it in a goalmouth scramble to put Tulla out of reach.
In Saturday's semi-final Crusheen also pulled off something of a upset in defeating Sixmilebridge with Paddy Meaney grabbing the only goal late in the game to put his team into their first county senior hurling championship final since 1974.
SCORERS
Tulla: A Quinn 0-6 (four frees, one 65); A Lynch 1-1; B Lynch 0-3; M Murphy 0-2; D O'Halloran 0-1. Clarecastle: K Ralph 0-5, one 65; D Quinn (free), T Kearse, J Pyne, C Plunkett (0-1) each.
Crusheen: G O'Grady 0-6 (four frees); C O'Doherty 0-3 (two frees, one 65); P Meaney 1-0; P Vaughan 0-2; Cian Dillon, T Meaney, F Kennedy (free), G O'Donnell 0-1 each. Sixmilebridge: N Gilligan 0-9 (five frees, two 65s); J Reddan 0-2; B Culbert, S Fitzpatrick 0-1 each.
