It may have been a little closer for comfort that they would have preferred but there's no doubt that Clare merited a first Munster Senior Football Championship victory over neighbours Tipperary in 25 years in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg, Ennis.
A timely Mark McInerney goal in each half proved decisive as on both occasions it would be the catalyst for a Banner blitz. His first arrived entering the second quarter amidst a 1-05 rally to soar six clear while despite having seen their advantage pegged back to just two by the interval, McInerney’s 44th-minute strike would be the start of a 1-06 unanswered surge to effectively clinch matters at 2-15 to 0-10 in the final quarter.
To their credit, the visitors did eat into the arrears considerably in both halves, with their most impressive feat coming in the final minutes when slashing an eleven point deficit to just four with two minutes of additional time to come.
However, Clare stepped up sufficiently to fend off any further revolt as Keelan Sexton and Emmet McMahon finished with the last two points of the contest.
Tipperary’s best chance of an upset came at the outset when captain Steven O’Brien followed an opening two-pointer by winning an eighth-minute penalty. Despite taking it himself, his attempt rose high and off the upright, much to the relief of their sleepy hosts.
Clare finally opened their account a minute later through Aaron Griffin with an Eoin Cleary free levelling matters by the end of a low-scoring opening quarter.
However, that pattern would alter significantly when Cleary received a stray Tipperary pass to tee up Mark McInerney for a cool finish, quickly followed by points for Keelan Sexton, Emmet McMahon and Aaron Griffin to establish a 1-05 to 0-02 cushion.
Peter Keane’s side would be still six clear entering the final minute of the half, with midfielder Brian McNamara unlucky to see a goal chance smothered by Tipperary goalkeeper Shane Ryan.
Instead, that stop would be magnified when Darragh Brennan raided for the last four points of the half culminating in a rousing two-pointer to ensure that the Premier only trailed by two by the break at 1-08 to 0-09.
A melee on their way to the dressing rooms resulted in a player from each side (Alan Sweeney and Mark Stokes) being blacked carded for the resumption. However, on the field a regrouped Clare quickly put clear daylight between the sides with a 1-06 purple patch.
Following a flowing move involving Cillian Rouine, Emmet McMahon and Manus Doherty, Mark McInerney was put through to round goalkeeper Ryan and fire to an empty net, a score that would see a buoyant Banner ease to an eleven-point chasm entering the final quarter at 2-15 to 0-10.
That would remain the margin by the 65th minute when Paudie Feehan’s two-pointer was accentuated by a flicked goal for substitute Sean O’Connor as a subsequent brace of frees forced an anxious finale at 2-16 to 1-15.
Clare even had to change their goalkeeper Eamon Tubridy through injury but didn’t panic as they advanced to their third successive Munster final in a fortnight’s time.
Clare: Eamon Tubridy; Ronan Lanigan, Cillian Brennan, Manus Doherty; Fionn Kelleher, Cillian Rouine, Alan Sweeney; Brian McNamara, Emmet McMahon (0-04); Aaron Griffin (0-02), Dermot Coughlan, Ciaran Downes (0-01); Eoin Cleary (0-03, 1f), Mark McInerney (2-05, 2f, 1’45), Keelan Sexton (0-02)
Subs: Daniel Walsh (0-01) for Downes (44, inj), Shane Griffin for A. Griffin (56), Gavin Murray for Cleary (64), Rory McMahon for Kelleher (67), Tristan O’Callaghan for Tubridy (70, inj)
Tipperary: Shane Ryan; Jason Madigan, Jimmy Feehan, Jack Harney; Mark Stokes, Paudie Feehan (0-02, 1tp), Luke Boland; Mark Russell (0-01), Kieran Costello; Micheál Freaney (0-01), Mikey O’Shea, Ben Comerford; Cian Smith (0-03, 2f), Steven O’Brien (0-02, 1tp), Darragh Brennan (0-04, 1tp)
Subs: Emmet Moloney for Comerford (25), Manus McFadden for Boland (41), Sean O’Connor (1-02, 1f) for O’Shea (41), Jack O’Neill for O’Brien (51), Jack Nevin for Stokes (61)
Referee: James Molloy (Galway)
