Munster SH Cup Semi-final: Tipperary 3-14 Clare 1-14: A late Tipperary surge, which yielded 1-6 in the closing 10 minutes, ensured a deserved victory over an experimental Clare side at Meelick yesterday.
The visitors started well and after eight minutes Stephen Lillis found the net. Declan O'Rourke kept Clare in touch with three points before Eoin Kelly cracked home a free in the 17th minute to extend Tipperary's lead.
Kelly's strike was sweet revenge when, in the act of shooting, he was caught late by centre back Colm Forde. Following the ensuing melee Forde was forced to leave the field with blurred vision.
However, Clare fought back to draw level, 2-5 to 1-8, at half-time after Andrew Quinn flicked Pat Vaughan's free past Brendan Cummins and Derek Quinn pointed from a close-range free.
From the restart Tipperary withstood a strong Clare challenge until Micheál Webster deflected the flight of Lar Corbett's speculative long-range shot past Philip Brennan in the Clare goal on 50 minutes.
The goal turned the game and Tipperary ran out six-point winners with points coming from Lar Corbett, Eoin Kelly, Paul Kelly, Pa Bourke, Tony Scroope and Darragh Hickey.
TIPPERARY: B Cummins; E Buckley, P Maher, P Stapleton; V Doheny, S Maher, D Fanning; A Fitzgerald, S Lillis (1-0); T Scroope (0-2), E Kelly (1-5, 1-2 frees, 0-1 '65), L Corbett (0-2); P Kelly (0-1), M Webster (1-0), P Bourke (0-3). Subs: D Hickey (0-1)for Fitzgerald (42 mins), J Carroll for Stapleton (50 mins), E Shinnors for Bourke (57 mins), M Ryan for Cummins (58).
CLARE: P Brennan; C Dillon, F Lohan, A Kilmartin; A Fleming, C Forde, P Vaughan; D Shannon (0-1), K Dilleen (0-1); D O'Rourke (0-4), C Lafferty, T Kearse; J Cusack, A Quinn (1-4, 0-2 '65s), D Quinn (0-4, three frees). Subs: A Brigdale for Forde (inj, 17 min), M Flaherty for Kearse (45 mins).
Referee: C McCallister(Cork).
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