There were wins for Clare and Waterford in the Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship this evening.
Electric Ireland Munster MHC round 4
Tipperary 0-19 Clare 4-11
Limerick 1-14 Waterford 4-12
By Stephen Barry
Liam Murphy struck a poacher’s hat-trick as All-Ireland champions Clare extended their winning run in the Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship.
Their four-goal blast ended Tipperary’s unbeaten start and their defence held tight for a third consecutive clean sheet, which leaves them in a strong position to make it back to the provincial final.
Conor Ralph finished the other goal and in the absence of injured free-taker Marc O’Brien, the contributions of Matthew Corbett (0-5) and Harry Doherty (0-3) from placed balls got them over the line at FBD Semple Stadium.
Clare had neither scored nor conceded a goal in their opening two games. Here, they blasted three between the eighth and 17th minutes.
Tipp had started the brighter with three points from Euan Murray, Cillian Minogue, and Tiarnan Ryan but that good work was cancelled out by Conor Ralph racing through the defence to rifle home.
Cathal O’Reilly produced a brilliant block and hook on Clare’s next visit but they couldn’t clear and at the third opportunity, Paul Rodgers recycled for Liam Murphy to swipe the sliotar off the post and across the line. 2-0 to 0-3.
Ralph’s crossfield pass then allowed Murphy to battle in along the endline and his deflected flick found its way to the net via the keeper’s hurley. 3-2 to 0-4 now.
Puck-out target Doherty had a point and snatched four long balls from the air in the first half, while Darren Moroney, Dara Kennedy, and James Cullinan excelled down the heart of their defence.
Despite seven wides and three more shots dropped short, Tipp ground their way back into this contest by the break. They finished as they started by reeling off three points in a row via Eoghan Doughan, Minogue, and a turnover effort from Murray, who accounted for 0-4 across the hour.
The gap was four, 3-4 to 0-9, at half-time.
They were able to swarm out space for the Clare attack and when Doughan converted five frees without reply, the sides were level for the second time; 3-7 to 0-16 after 45 minutes. The Moneygall marksman would finish with 0-9 to his name.
Murphy had been denied a hat-trick by O’Reilly’s well-timed flick but he wouldn’t be stopped a second time. When Jerry O’Connor’s shot came back off the post, the O’Callaghan’s Mills clubman reacted fastest of all.
Clare didn’t hit a second-half wide until the game was entering stoppage time but they had enough done by then, thanks to the long-range shooting of Corbett and Cullinan.
In the meeting of the two sides yet to win, Waterford’s four-goal blitz secured the vital points from Limerick to ensure their place in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals.
It was a Power-packed performance, too, with De La Salle twins Shane (2-3) and Conor Power (1-0) sharing three goals and Jack Power (1-2) providing the other.
They had the dream start at TUS Gaelic Grounds when Shane finished to the net in little over two minutes. Jack had supplied that goal but he finished the next himself to make it 2-5 to 0-6 at midway.
Patrick Kearney (0-7) landed a superb off-the-hurley point to keep the Treaty in touch but Conor Ryan was sent off for two yellows and Shane Power had his second goal before long to make it 3-8 to 0-9.
Malachy McKenna pulled one back for the hosts but a surging Conor Power made sure entering stoppage time.