Clare get out of jail

Clare's flair for the dramatic brought the curtain down on yesterday's riveting Guinness Munster hurling semi-final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh with the county's Munster title still just about intact.

An injury-time flourish produced a raid on goal with Niall Gilligan sending in a good ball to Conor Clancy. As the replacement full forward lay on the ground after being hauled down by marker Fergal Heaney and some of his cohorts, referee Dickie Murphy came running like some (itals) deus ex machina - his arms spread wide to signal the penalty.

Apparently when Clare goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald practises penalties the panel is unable to find anyone with a sufficiently eroded survival instinct to stand in goal and defend them. Tipperary had no such craven options available but it made no difference. Fitzgerald rifled his shot just inside Brendan Cummins's left-hand post.

It was an injustice to Tipperary, who had dominated enough not to have left themselves vulnerable to such late smash-and-grab larceny.

Yet it was fitting that Fitzgerald should have had the final say as he had saved Clare's bacon four minutes earlier when Tipperary's bullish full forward Paul Shelly had rounded Frank Lohan and unleashed a fine shot which drew an even finer save from Fitzgerald.

It was an afternoon for goalkeepers. Tipperary's Brendan Cummins was majestic, soaring out under high balls and supplementing his full-back line. Like Fitzgerald, who nervelessly collected a barrage of dropping ball, Cummins was utterly dependable.

Maybe after next Saturday's replay, we'll all look back and say this was Clare's last hurrah or maybe in three months' time, we'll hardly remember how close the team was to elimination. Either way, the team looked in decline yesterday. Perhaps Ger Loughnane and his management had gambled on a long runway like two years ago, when at less than full tilt they were pushed hard by Cork before winning. Or perhaps last year's tumult has eaten further into their reserves of self-confidence than had been thought.

Perhaps the injury to Ollie Baker and the fatigue of the Doora-Barefield contingent took its toll. Whatever happened to Clare yesterday, it was a most subdued performance against opposition which has normally set their blood coursing.

In an exciting match, few aspects of play matched general expectation. Clare's defence wasn't as formidable as of old, with the exception of Brian Quinn and a marvellous Liam Doyle, but then again, neither were Tipperary's established forwards. In fairness to John Leahy, a calf-muscle injury restricted his mobility and captain Tommy Dunne again took his scores well, including three from play.

Nonetheless Declan Ryan failed to thrive in conditions where Sean McMahon was finding it hard to impose himself and had to cope with a hand injury which produced so much blood it looked as if the great centre back had had a couple of fingers shot off.

McMahon upped his performance in the second half without reaching the levels of domination associated with his game.

One aspect of play which was turned out as anticipated was the impact the absence of Ollie Baker had on Clare. Without his elemental force, midfield didn't go decisively either way and although Colin Lynch was the best of the four and debutant Enda Flannery did a number of good things, Eddie Enright and Conor Gleeson hurled competitively.

For Clare, there was no sense of menace up front. Like last year, the wildly-rotating forwards dug out enough scores to save the day but it was a close-run thing. Lacking a target man, Clare played quick ball into the attack and although the forwards buzzed around, they fumbled the ball and bunched too much.

Tipperary's backs never gave them the amount of time necessary to make space and were well on top. Stephen McNamara's anonymous performance helped bring debutant full back Fergal Heaney into the match until the 40th minute when Baker stepped gingerly onto the edge of the square and began to compete physically - a process intensified by the arrival of Conor Clancy for the last 10 minutes.

Gilligan sniped well for his two points and gave the final ball for both of Clare's goal-scoring movements but he hadn't the physical presence to cope with David Kennedy, Tipperary's impressive championship newcomer at centre back.

As Clare fought to save the game, Barry Murphy began to turn up the heat on Donncha Fahy and rounded him on a number of occasions, more than once taking the scenic route.

Jamesie O'Connor had a subdued game. It is a testament to his powers of concentration that he worked as hard as he did under tight supervision from all the opposing half backs at various stages and also after sustaining a nasty bang on the head.

Furthermore, a return of 1-2 (including a free awarded for a foul on him) isn't bad for an off-day. But there were none of the trademark runs from deep and the creation and execution of several scoring chances. A howler of a wide from a close-in 53rd minute free was also uncharacteristic.

He took his goal very well, sent in on goal by Gilligan and cracking into the far corner for a vital score when Tipperary looked like pulling away at the start of the second half.

Yet the initiative was again wrested away. Liam Cahill pushed Tipperary into the lead again with the third point of a great afternoon's display which saw him give Frank Lohan much trouble - although the defender saved Clare on two occasions with timely interventions on Brian O'Meara - and survive the attentions of Brian Lohan after the brothers had switched.

Shelly gave Brian Lohan an uncomfortable afternoon, using his bulk to win possession, but not scoring in a decent proportion although his two points were well taken. The second looked to have settled the issue in the 68th minute, giving Tipperary a three-point lead.

Instead it only set the stage for a memorable denouement.