Clare 2-24 Tipperary 2-24
(After extra-time - Clare win 4-3 on penalties)
Mark Sheedy saved three penalties and scored one as Clare won their fifth Munster U20 hurling title, and first since 2014, in a drama-packed shoot-out.
It was the second time in four years that a Clare-Tipperary decider required penalties, with Banner keeper Sheedy among the handful of players involved in that 2022 Munster minor final.
He saved efforts from Oisín O'Donoghue and Cormac Fitzpatrick to take a 3-1 lead, before Paddy McCormack denied Seán Arthur and Ronan Kilroy’s winning attempts.
Fred Hegarty nailed three penalties, including two in the shootout, among a 1-14 total. His clubmate James Hegarty scored the other before Sheedy saved Stefan Tobin’s second penalty to start the celebrations.
They advance to an All-Ireland final against either Galway or Kilkenny.
The first half was remarkable for the wide count. Wind-assisted Tipp scattered 13 shots either side of the posts and dropped two short. Clare had no wides and a goal chance saved, which they tidied up for a point.
From 27 shots, Tipp converted 1-11. From 11 shots, Clare left with 0-10.
Tipp missed their first four attempts, while Clare countered for the first three points. In their first attack, Paul Rodgers was charged down by the advancing Paddy McCormack, but regathered to score.
Tipp briefly composed themselves for four in a row of their own. Charlie Ryan broke their duck, Stefan Tobin slotted back-to-back points, and Robbie Ryan turned from creator to scorer for the fourth.
Clare had five of the next seven white flags, including three Fred Hegarty frees, to lead by 0-08 to 0-06 after 20 minutes. They would only get off two more shots in the remainder of the half.
While Tipp were mopping up possession, they were slow to make it count. After a David Costigan score, they shot six consecutive wides. Finally, Tobin and Costigan found the target to nudge them ahead.
Hegarty levelled from play before a hard-earned Shane Cleary point lifted the Premier crowd. They added a goal on the half-hour. Cathal O’Reilly and Adam Ryan did the defensive graft before Robbie Ryan benefited from Robert Loftus over-committing to the long ball. He picked out Jamie Ormond to tap in from close range.
Daniel Costello and Charlie Ryan traded points to leave it 1-11 to 0-10 at half-time.
Clare had a goal back within 10 seconds of the restart. Half-time sub Graham Ball’s first involvement was to win the throw-in and drive in the sliotar. As Cathal O’Reilly slipped, Marco Cleary spun in behind to tuck past the keeper.
Ball struck Clare’s first wide in the 34th minute, while Tipp didn’t add another miss until the 51st minute.
Clare enjoyed a run of five points to one to push them two ahead, 1-16 to 1-14, by the 43rd minute. Michael Collins slotted two of those after turning over opposition puck-outs.Tipp flipped that lead with the next 1-01.
Adam Ryan brilliantly tracked back to sweep the sliotar off the advancing Ronan Kilroy’s hurley. Charlie Ryan fed Tobin, who raced away before firing to the net.
The Tipp cheers rose again as O’Donoghue entered the fray. When he pointed in the 54th minute, they led by three.
The game turned again as Nicky O’Toole took everyone by surprise when awarding a penalty. Replays showed Evan Morris playing Thomas O’Connor’s arm as they grappled under Jamie Moylan’s dropping ball. Hegarty’s finish was precisely placed to tie it up at 2-17 apiece.
Hegarty immediately pushed Clare ahead, but after a series of wides at both ends, Patrick Ryan appeared lucky to win a free for Fitzpatrick to bring it to extra-time. O’Toole blew for full-time just as Kilroy gathered the sliotar.
A Clare mentor rushed in to protest, resulting in the referee beginning extra-time with a tap-over free for Tipp.
Tipp, having chosen to play against the wind, limited the deficit to one, 2-23 to 2-22, at the change of ends.
The Banner had four Hegarty frees and a Seán Arthur point, while Ormond clipped two of Tipp’s 0-04.
Jack Hayes had a goal chance hooked by Matthew O’Halloran as Tipp laboured to get back level. They eventually did so with two minutes remaining as Eoghan Doughan converted from the sideline.
Clare had four wides in the second added period before Fitzpatrick hit the post with a late free.
Tipperary: P McCormack; D Ryan, E Morris, C O’Reilly; A Ryan, E Murray, S Cleary (0-01); C Ryan (0-02), S Rowan; S Tobin (1-03), T Ryan, D Costigan (0-03); R Ryan (0-02), J Ormond (1-05), C Fitzpatrick (0-06, 5f).
Subs: P Ryan for T Ryan (21), O O’Donoghue (0-01) for Rowan (46), E Doughan (0-01) for R Ryan (60), J Donelan-Houlihan for Cleary (67), Rowan for Murray (h-t e-t, inj), J Hayes for C Ryan (73).
Clare: M Sheedy; E Gunning, R Loftus, M O’Halloran; R Hayes, J Hegarty, J Moylan; D Costelloe (0-02), R Keane; R Kilroy (0-02), M Collins (0-03), F Hegarty (1-14, 1-0 penalty, 0-11f); M Cleary (1-00), T O’Connor (0-01), P Rodgers (0-01).
Subs: G Ball for Keane (h-t), S Arthur (0-01) for Rodgers (49), H Doherty for Costello (55), D Moroney for Hayes (e-t), J Mescall for Collins (69), D Neville for Gunning (74, inj), S Boyce for Cleary (78).
Referee: N O’Toole (Waterford).
Galway and Kilkenny will contest the Fulfil Leinster Under-20 hurling final after contrasting semi-final victories.
Henry Shefflin's Kilkenny took over their contest against Dublin at Parnell Park with a dominant third quarter, while the Tribesmen needed a Ciarán Leen 65 deep into stoppage time against Wexford to force extra-time, before powering to a 10-point victory at O’Moore Park.
It was nip and tuck throughout the first half in the capital as holders Kilkenny and Dublin retired to the dressing rooms on level terms.
However seven unanswered points upon the resumption paved the way for their 1-22 to 2-13 win, with Patrick Lacey ending the game with a tally of 1-10.
They will now face a Galway side next Wednesday that were within a whisker of defeat to the Yellowbellies.
Leading by the bare minimum at the interval, 0-08 to 0-07, Ryan Doran's 47th-minute goal kept the Slaneysiders in front.
Leen held his nerve to force extra-time and it was Galway, with senior player Jason Rabbitte to the fore, who assumed control.
They rattled off 1-04 without reply – Brian Callanan raising the green flag – with Ronan Cahalan also finding the back of the net as the Tribes ran out 2-23 to 1-16 victors.
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