Clare 1-21 Tipperary 0-19
David Reidy blasted home the only goal of the game in the dying moments of a good contest to seal a deserved Allianz League Division 1A win for Clare.
The hosts led by three points at the break after a lively opening half where both sides picked off some good points in wintry conditions at Cusack Park in Ennis.
There was never much between them in the second-half but Clare finished strongly and Reidy wrapped up the win in the third minute of stoppage time to get their campaign off to a flying start.
Clare seal victory in Ennis with this David Reidy goal pic.twitter.com/BQ7Ga78ZBk
— The GAA (@officialgaa) January 28, 2018
Former All Star Cathal Barrett was back in the Tipperary panel after he was dropped last year and scored their first point from his new position in midfield after just 28 seconds.
Clare had the breeze behind them in the first-half and hit back one minute later with a wonderful effort from Tony Kelly. David Reidy put Clare in front before Jason Forde landed his first free.
Despite some erratic shooting from Clare, they took the lead again with points from John Conlon and Peter Duggan.
Forde’s pinpoint accuracy from frees kept Tipperary in touch but Reidy was in top form for the Banner and they went in at the break leading by 0-13 to 0-10.
Clare took control after the restart but were guilty of some wayward shooting and struggled to put Tipperary away.
And Michael Ryan’s men began to cut the gap, even though they were finding it difficult to score from play against a good Clare rearguard.
Tipp drew level by the 58th minute to tie the match at 0-17 apiece and set up a tight finish.
Both sides were guilty of missing some good chances but it was Clare who pushed for home against the breeze in front of a crowd of over 6,000 in Ennis.
Reidy led the way, edging them in front with another free and any hopes of a Tipperary rally were dispelled in the closing minutes when Reidy was put through on goal and he made no mistake, dispatching the ball past Paul Maher to ensure a winning start for the Bannermen and leave Tipperary under pressure when last year’s finalists entertain Waterford in Semple Stadium on Saturday night.
CLARE: Donal Tuohy; Jack Browne, Conor Cleary, Patrick O'Connor; David Fitzgerald, David McInerney, Seadna Morey; Colm Galvin (0-01), Tony Kelly (0-02); Cathal Malone (0-04), John Conlon (0-02), David Reidy (1-08, 0-06f); Shane O’Donnell, Peter Duggan (0-04, 0-02f), Conor McGrath.
Subs: Podge Collins for McGrath, Ian Galvin for Duggan, Niall Deasy for Malone, Gearoid O’Connell for C Galvin.
TIPPERARY: Paul Maher; Alan Flynn, Tomás Hamill, Donagh Maher; Séamus Kennedy, Pádraic Maher (0-01), Tom Fox; Cathal Barrett (0-01), Ronan Maher (0-01); Conor Kenny, Noel McGrath (0-05, 0-04f)), Seán Curran (0-01); Ger Browne, Jason Forde (0-10, 0-10f), Patrick Maher.
Subs: Joe O’Dwyer for Fox, Michael Breen for Kenny, John McGrath for Browne, Brendan Maher for Kennedy, Dan McCormack for Patrick Maher.
Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway)
In the first of a new series of podcasts, RTÉ Online Sport Editor Mikey Stafford is joined by League Sunday pundits Anthony Daly, Tomas Ó Sé, Jackie Tyrrell and Ciaran Whelan for a look through the GAA stories in the Sunday papers. League Sunday is broadcast at 9.30pm on RTÉ2.
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