Tipperary 2-15
Clare 0-12
TWO LATE GOALS finally catapulted Tipperary into the last four of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship in Cusack Park this evening in front of an attendance of 1,191.
Despite holding a commanding seven point lead by the midway point, Tipperary certainly needed a strong finish after a resurgent Clare whittled the deficit to just three with only minutes remaining.
However, after a Mark Kehoe shot was excellently saved by home goalkeeper Killian Nugent, Tipperary would make the breakthrough in the next passage of play as Kehoe seized upon a defensive error to unleash the unmarked Cian Darcy to billow the net.
It seemed to lift a weight off the visitors’ shoulders as they finished with aplomb, with substitute Dylan Walsh firing to the net with his first touch to flesh out the final margin.
Clare are the first team out of this year’s championship, having been sucker-punched by a late brace of goals in both their derby outings against Limerick and Tipperary. However, with ten wides over the hour, the Banner will rue missed chances against a physically superior Premier side.
Level at 0-4 to 0-4 by the end of the first quarter, Tipperary upped the ante considerably until the break as they outscored their hosts by 0-8 to 0-1 including three superb Ger Browne points to power to a 0-12 to 0-5 interval advantage.
Clare hit back with four points in as many minutes in the third quarter, two from Ian Murray but with Browne and Kehoe in excellent scoring form, they would restore a six point lead entering the final quarter.
Captain Sean O’Loughlin, Murray and substitute Conor Lynch set up a tense climax as Clare halved the arrears by the 57th minute but a lack of physicality meant that they never looked like getting an equalising goal.
Instead, it was the visitors who found the net when it mattered most to set up a semi-final meeting with Cork in Pairc Uí Rinn on Thursday, 30 June.
Meanwhile, in tonight’s Leinster minor football championship game, Offaly edged past Wicklow by a single point at Aughrim. The visitors prevailed 1-13 to 2-9.
Scorers for Tipperary: Ger Browne (0-4), Mark Kehoe (0-4); Cian Darcy (1-1); Dylan Walsh (1-0); Lyndon Fairbrother (0-2, 1f), Shane Neville (0-2); Jerry Kelly (0-1), Paddy Cadell (0-1)
Scorers for Clare: Ian Murray (0-5, 4f); Sean O’Loughlin (0-2); Conor Tierney (0-1), David Fitzgerald (0-1), Sean Kennedy (0-1), Kieran Galvin (0-1), Conor Lynch (0-1)
Tipperary
1. Ciaran Barrett (Clonmel Óg)
2. Cillian O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
6. Michael Whelan (Carrick Davins)
5. Gavin Dunne (Holycross-Ballycahill)
4. Jerome Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
17. Cian Flanagan (Newport)
3. Brian McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
10. Ger Browne (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)
18. Paddy Cadell (JK Brackens)
20. Rian Doody (Cappawhite)
14. Cian Darcy (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
12. Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)
15. Lyndon Fairbrother (JK Brackens)
21. Jerry Kelly (Borris-Ileigh)
13. Shane Neville (Lattin Cullen)
Subs:
8. Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill) for Cadell (39 mins)
9. Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg) for Kelly (42 mins)
11. Dillon Quirke (Clonoulty-Rossmore) for Neville (48 mins)
19. Kieran Breen (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams) for Fairbrother (54 mins)
22. Dylan Walsh (Ballingarry) for Doody (62 mins)
Clare
1. Killian Nugent (O’Callaghan’s Mills)
2. Cian McInerney (Inagh-Kilnamona)
3. Damien O’Loughlin (Corofin)
4. Keith White (Inagh-Kilnamona)
5. Tobias O’Meara (Killanena)
6. Cathal Noonan (Killanena)
7. Ross Hayes (Crusheen)
8. Kieran Galvin (Clonlara)
9. David Fitzgerald (Clonlara)
10. Gary Cooney (O’Callaghan’s Mills)
11. Conor Tierney (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
12. Sean Kennedy (Kilmaley)
14. Sean O’Loughlin (Kilmaley)
13. Ian Murray (Bodyke)
15. Aidan Kennedy (Kilmaley)
Subs:
17. Sean Costelloe (Wolfe Tones) for Hayes (half-time)
19. Tadhg Connellan (Éire Óg) for Tierney (half-time)
20. Conor Lynch (Ballyea) for Fitzgerald (37 mins)
24. Bryan Conway (Wolfe Tones) for Galvin (51 mins)
Referee: Joe Larkin (Cork)
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Great great player and as tough as they come. Highly regarded in NZ . R I P
They broke the mold when they made him, as tough as a rhinos armor on the field, as gentle as a lamb off it. Way too young to die, a sad day for the entire Irish sports community, not just rugby. Condolences to his family who have obviously lost more than an Irish sporting icon. May he RIP.
Legend.R.I.P.
A hard player and a gent by all accounts. Absolute head of Eric Miller in that photo, uncanny.
r.i.p
Teak tough was Willie Duggan
God rest his soul RIP
@John McCabe: One of the true legends of the game. He will be sadly missed by all fans and all provinces.
@Trevor Johnston: Trevor wasn’t he a hard man in the true sense?
@John McCabe: Yes. I once met the great French Robert Paperemborde. He only knew four words of English. ‘Willie Duggan boom boom’
That was a tribute in its own.
Sadly Robert is also now gone from us
Hard on the field and a Gentleman off. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam.
On his retirement Serg Blanco was asked what player he admired most in his career, Willie Duggan of Ireland came the response, Why , he was asked, because ” he smoked more at halftime than I did “
One of the all time greats of Irish rugby. Part of a glorious backrow with O’Driscoll and Slattery. A pleasure to watch him in action.
@Aidan Kearney: Great back row
A true legend of his time rip
First man to be sent off in a five nations game. Completely different beast! RIP
Condolences to his family. A lot of great rugby players seem to pass way too young.
Sad news. His name is synonymous with the amateur game.
Self and a friend after dinner went looking for bob a job, 10/11 yrs old, knocked on his door, Full, Massive Cabbage bacon and Spuds. Spuds were boulders, we didn’t like CBS or want it. We finished it. Sweating cabbage. Don’t think we would of done it for anyone else.
Are you getting warmed up. “Fags and radiator in the car, plenty warmed up” RIP
@seanofiachra: not sure what you try to type…m8¡
@Fank Pulman: Your loss Fank, your loss! RIP Willie.
@Fank Pulman:
A feed of CBS for bob a job, Frank!
Late Willie put it up to 2 youngsters, for the craic.
Heard that one years ago about fags and car rad
Rip to an Irish Rugby Legend
Not a rugby head.,but if I recognise the name ,he had to be great. RIP.
May the great Willie Duggan rest in peace.