Fulfil Munster U20 Final: Clare triumph after penalties drama

Fulfil Munster U20 Hurling Championship Final

Clare 2-24 Tipperary 2-24 AET

Clare win 4-3 on penalties

By Stephen Barry at TUS Gaelic Grounds

Mark Sheedy saved three penalties and scored one as Clare won their fifth Fulfil Munster U20 hurling title, and first since 2014, in a drama-packed shoot-out.

It was the second time in four years that a Clare-Tipperary decider required penalties, with Banner keeper Sheedy among the handful of players involved in that 2022 Munster minor final.

He saved efforts from Oisín O’Donoghue and Cormac Fitzpatrick to take a 3-1 lead before Paddy McCormack denied Seán Arthur and Ronan Kilroy’s winning attempts.

Fred Hegarty nailed three penalties, including two in the shoot-out, among a 1-14 total. His clubmate James Hegarty scored the other before Sheedy saved Stefan Tobin’s second penalty to start the celebrations in front of 6,442 fans.

They advance to an All-Ireland final against either Galway or Kilkenny.

The first half was remarkable for the wide count. Wind-assisted Tipp scattered 13 shots either side of the posts and dropped two short. Clare had no wide and just one goal chance saved, which they tidied up for a point. From 27 shots, Tipp converted 1-11. From 11 shots, Clare left with 0-10.

Tipp missed their first four attempts, while Clare countered for the first three points. In their first attack, Paul Rodgers was charged down by the advancing McCormack, but regathered to score.

Tipp briefly composed themselves for four in a row of their own. Charlie Ryan broke their duck, Tobin slotted back-to-back points, and Robbie Ryan turned from creator to scorer for the fourth.

Clare had five of the next seven white flags, including three Fred Hegarty frees, to lead by 0-8 to 0-6 after 20 minutes. They would only get off two more shots in the remainder of the half.

While Tipp were mopping up possession, they were slow to make it count. After a David Costigan score, they shot six consecutive wides. Finally, Tobin and Costigan found the target to nudge them ahead.

Hegarty levelled from play before a hard-earned Shane Cleary point lifted the Premier crowd. They added a goal on the half-hour. Cathal O’Reilly and Adam Ryan did the defensive graft before Robbie Ryan benefited from Robert Loftus over-committing to the long ball. He picked out Jamie Ormond to tap in from close range.

Daniel Costello and Charlie Ryan traded points to leave it 1-11 to 0-10 at half-time.

Clare had a goal back within 10 seconds of the restart. Half-time sub Graham Ball’s first involvement was to win the throw-in and drive in the sliotar. As Cathal O’Reilly slipped, Marco Cleary spun in behind to tuck past the keeper.

Ball struck Clare’s first wide in the 34th minute, while Tipp didn’t add another miss until the 51st minute.

Clare enjoyed a run of five points to one to push them two ahead, 1-16 to 1-14, by the 43rd minute. Michael Collins slotted two of those after turning over opposition puck-outs.

Tipp flipped that lead with the next 1-1. Adam Ryan brilliantly tracked back to sweep the sliotar off the advancing Ronan Kilroy’s hurley. Charlie Ryan fed Tobin, who raced away before firing to the net.

The Tipp cheers rose as O’Donoghue entered the fray. When he pointed in the 54th minute, they led by three.

The game turned again as Nicky O’Toole awarded a penalty for Evan Morris playing Thomas O’Connor’s arm as they grappled under Jamie Moylan’s dropping ball. Hegarty’s finish was precisely placed to tie it up at 2-17 apiece.

Hegarty immediately pushed Clare ahead, but after a series of wides at both ends, Patrick Ryan won a free for Fitzpatrick to bring it to extra-time.

O’Toole blew for full-time just as Kilroy gathered the sliotar. A Clare mentor rushed in to protest, resulting in the referee beginning extra-time with a tap-over free for Tipp.

Having chosen to play against the wind, Tipp limited the deficit to one, 2-23 to 2-22, at the change of ends.

The Banner had four Hegarty frees and an Arthur point, while Ormond clipped two of Tipp’s 0-4.

Jack Hayes had a goal chance hooked by Matthew O’Halloran as Tipp laboured to get back level. They eventually did so with two minutes remaining as Eoghan Doughan converted from the sideline.

Clare had four wides in the second added period before Fitzpatrick hit the post with a late free.

Scorers for Clare**:** Fred Hegarty 1-14 (1-0 pen, 11fs); Marco Cleary 1-0; Michael Collins 0-3; Daniel Costello, Ronan Kilroy 0-2 each; Thomas O'Connor, Paul Rodgers, Seán Arthur 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tipperary**:** Jamie Ormond 1-5; Cormac Fitzpatrick 0-6 (5fs); Stefan Tobin 1-3; David Costigan 0-3; Charlie Ryan, Robbie Ryan 0-2 each; Shane Cleary, Eoghan Doughan, Oisín O'Donoghue 0-1 each.

Clare: Mark Sheedy; Eoghan Gunning, Robert Loftus, Matthew O’Halloran; Ryan Hayes, James Hegarty, Jamie Moylan; Daniel Costelloe, Ronan Keane; Ronan Kilroy, Michael Collins, Fred Hegarty; Marco Cleary, Thomas O’Connor, Paul Rodgers.

Subs: Graham Ball for Keane (h-t), Seán Arthur for Rodgers (49), Harry Doherty for Costello (55), Darren Moroney for Hayes (e-t), Jack Mescall for Collins (69), Daire Neville for Gunning (74, inj), Seán Boyce for Cleary (78).

Tipperary: Paddy McCormack; David Ryan, Evan Morris, Cathal O’Reilly; Adam Ryan, Euan Murray, Shane Cleary; Charlie Ryan, Sam Rowan; Stefan Tobin, Tiarnán Ryan, David Costigan; Robbie Ryan, Jamie Ormond, Cormac Fitzpatrick.

Subs: Patrick Ryan for T Ryan (21), Oisín O’Donoghue for Rowan (46), Eoghan Doughan for R Ryan (60), Jake Donelan-Houlihan for Cleary (67), Rowan for Murray (h-t e-t, inj), Jack Hayes for C Ryan (73).

Referee: Nicky O’Toole (Waterford).