Clare skipper Niall Gilligan was to prove pivotal at Cusack Park as he scored nine points (6 frees) as the Banner men claimed the pre-Munster Championship bragging rights in a 1-20 to 1-15 victory over Tipperary at Cusack Park. Gilligan won the toss in this Allianz NHL Division 1 Group 1 clash and it was the corner forward opened the scoring when pointing after 25 seconds into the town end.
He added a second from play in the third minute but the opening exchanges were Tipperary's. Gilligan tried for a goal from a 20-metre free on seven minutes but missed out, and rued his luck when a quick point from Paddy O'Brien and a John Carroll goal two minutes later handed Tipp a 1-01 to 0-02 lead. With Ronan O'Looney being forced on twice as a blood substitute for Clare, the visitors saw O'Brien, Lar Corbett and Benny Dunne point them into a 1-04 to 0-04 lead on 18 minutes.
Gilligan, who hit over five points in the opening period, rallied the Banner fight, as did centre half-forward Colin Lynch who pointed three scores from play on 17, 28 and 32 minutes. Tipperary's Benny Dunne was again on target on 27 minutes to level at 1-06 to 0-09, but Clare's forward advantage, outscoring the visitors 1-04 to 0-02 in the final six minutes, proved key as a Lynch hand pass was goaled by Frank Lohan with two minutes of the first half remaining.
Clare's 1-13 to 1-08 half-time lead was increased by two snappy points from Gilligan, the first from play and the second a free on 38 minutes. Seamus Butler and O'Brien replied for the Premier County with two points apiece to draw within three, at 1-15 to 1-12. The final ten minutes saw the Clare back line hold firm, with Brian Lohan coming through his test at full-back, while Tipp goalkeeper Brendan Cummins had to be alert to save a left-sided shot from replacement Daithi O'Connell on 61 minutes.
Jerry O'Connor and Tony Griffin pointed with six minutes remaining to give Clare a 1-18 to 1-12 lead and Gilligan's eighth and ninth scores rapped up the win, with Dunne (0-02) and Carroll closing out the Tipp tally.
Filed by Shane Murray
