2020 Munster GAA Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final – Tipperary 2-11 Clare 1-11

Tipperary defeated Clare by 2-11 to 1-11 in the 2020 Munster GAA Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final on Sunday November 1st at Semple Stadium Thurles.

REPORT: Quickfire goals in at the start of either half helped @TipperaryGAA secure a deserved win over @GaaClare to set up a Munster semi final showdown against @LimerickCLG. #GAA #GAABelong

— The GAA (@officialgaa) November 1, 2020

Munster SFC quarter-final: Tipperary lower the Banner

Tipperary 2-11 Clare 1-11

Report By Derrick Lynch at Semple Stadium for GAA.ie

Quickfire goals in at the start of either half helped Tipperary secure a deserved win over Clare to set up a Munster semi final showdown against Limerick.

A late Clare fightback, which saw them hit the last 1-2 of the contest, was not enough as David Power’s outfit held out to survive that late scare.

The home side in Semple Stadium had a dream start as captain Conor Sweeney punished sloppy play to slot neatly to the net after just five minutes. That score set Tipperary on their way to a 1-3 to 0-1 opening quarter lead with Sweeney (2) and Jack Kennedy finding the range from placed balls to punish indisciplined Clare defending.

The Banner did rally in the second quarter as two Eoin Cleary frees and a fine Jamie Malone effort narrowed the gap to two, but further defensive indescretions were punished by Kennedy while a brilliant Liam Casey score from distance helped them to lead 1-6 to 0-5 at the break. Poor conditions in the opening half made handling difficult but Tipperary were deserving of their lead with some slick movements opening up the Clare defence on several occasions. Clare were forced to live off turnover possession but all too often found the Tipperary defence in no mood to allow them past.

Bill Maher was on hand to slip inside the cover less than a minute into the second half to register Tipperary’s second goal with a composed finish. Sweeney added a point soon after with a free from Eoin Cleary coming in response, but at the turn of the final quarter it was Tipperary 2-7 to 0-6 clear and well on top. That dominance helped Tipperary to maintain that six point cushion with ten minutes to go, with subs Emmet Moloney and Liam Boland contributing to that total.

Clare were handed a lifeline as the game entered injury time as Gary Brennan was fouled in the square but Evan Comerford produced a brilliant save to deny David Tubridy from the spot. A goal did arrive when Jimmy Feehan deflected Gavin Cooney’s effort into the net to cut the gap to four and while Gary Brennan’s late mark left just one score between them, Clare could not find that crucial second green flag as Tipperary marched on to the last four.

Scorers for Tipperary: Conor Sweeney (1-4, 2f), Jack Kennedy (0-3, 3f), Bill Maher (1-0), Liam Casey (0-2), Emmet Moloney and Liam Boland (0-1 each).

Scorers for Clare: Eoin Cleary (0-4, 4f), Gavin Cooney (1-0), Podge Collins (0-2), Keelan Sexton (0-2, 1f), Gary Brennan (0-1, 1m), Jamie Malone and Cathal O’Connor (0-1 each),

Tipperary: Evan Comerford; Alan Campbell, Jimmy Feehan, Colm O’Shaughnessy; Bill Maher, Kevin Fahey, Robbie Kiely; Steven O’Brien, Liam Casey; Jack Kennedy, Michael Quinlivan, Conal Kennedy; Jason Lonergan, Conor Sweeney, Colman Kennedy
Subs: Brian Fox for Lonergan (33), Liam Boland for O’Brien (47), Emmet Moloney for Coleman Kennedy (60), Paraic Looram for Maher (71), Kevin O’Halloran for Casey (73)

Clare: Stephen Ryan; Gordon Kelly, Kevin Harnett, Eoghan Collins; Pearse Lillis, Cillian Brennan, Alan Sweeney; Gary Brennan, Cathal O’Connor; Ciaran Russell, Eoin Cleary, Jamie Malone; Keelan Sexton, Joe McGann, Cian O’Dea
Subs: David Tubridy for McGann (21), Podge Collins for Russell (39), Emmet McMahon for Sweeney (39), Sean Collins for Kelly (50), Gavin Cooney for Sexton (66)

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The Tipperary senior hurlers head to Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday, November 1st, to play Limerick in the Munster SHC Semi-Final where throw-in is at 4pm. Also on Sunday, the Tipperary senior footballers will play Clare in the MSFC Quarter-Final at 1pm. https://t.co/kiIravzJYT pic.twitter.com/JwC1W5h4Pi

— Tipperary GAA (@TipperaryGAA) October 30, 2020

Clare Team to face Tipperary in the Munster SFC Quarter Final pic.twitter.com/n75EZFBdlS

— Clare Gaa (@GaaClare) October 30, 2020