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Irish Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Clare claw back some pride but win over Limerick is too little too late
Munster SHC: Limerick 0-24 Clare 3-20 Brian Lohan felt it was important to sign off a luckless All-Ireland defence with a victory as Ryan Taylor's second-half goals saw Clare past Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds. Mark Rodgers' 1-8 inside 46 minutes put the Banner in a winning position before Taylor raced forward to net a brace in front of 32,133 fans. Regardless of their flat performance in this dead-rubber contest, the Treatymen will host Cork in the Munster final on Saturday week while Clare must lick their wounds and wait for next year. They were hampered by injuries from the outset of their title defence. Hurler of the Year Shane O'Donnell made a long-awaited first start of 2025 and was fouled for five of Rodgers' pointed frees. READ MORE Diarmuid Ryan had his first appearance of the year off the bench. His first touch was to release Taylor for his second goal. Free-taker Aidan McCarthy departed the set-up earlier this month, and when asked about his absence, Lohan replied: 'He's not on the panel. We've loads of guys on the panel, and that's who we're going to talk about. Aidan's not on the panel.' Lohan continued: 'I don't think hunger is an issue. We were unlucky with injuries, and that's just the way it is. 'We were okay in our approach, but we did miss crucial guys at crucial periods of time. Broken bones, they take 14 weeks, 16 weeks, and we'd three guys with broken metatarsals. Clare's John Conlon tackles Limerick's Tom Morrissey. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho 'We never had a broken metatarsal for the last five or six years. This year, we had three guys went down. 'The Munster Championship started maybe two or three weeks early for us. 'We got some of our guys back on the field and got a good performance and a good result, which was important.' Limerick manager John Kiely opted for eight changes as Declan Hannon made his first appearance of the season, and Shane Dowling lined out for his first championship game since the 2019 All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny. Kiely was left agitated on the sideline by his team's mistakes. 'We just didn't come out of the blocks in the second half,' said Kiely. 'It was one of our weakest quarters of the game. We lacked intensity, a bit of energy, and accuracy in what we were doing. 'We made too many mistakes and ultimately, across the 70 minutes, on analysis it will be shown that we made quite an inordinate number of errors. Just missed pickups, dropped balls, misplaced passes, unforced errors, if you like.' Mark Rodgers scores a goal for Clare. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Lohan's three late switches included a change of goalkeeper, with Eamon Foudy taking over between the sticks. Clare began with a strong wind at their backs, but Limerick landed the first three points through Diarmaid Byrnes, Séamus Flanagan, and Gearóid Hegarty. Clare responded with a pair of four-point streaks as they enjoyed success off the Treaty puck-out. Tony Kelly slotted one from under the Mackey Stand while falling, Peter Duggan arrowed over his first of two sidelines and Cathal Malone also picked off a brace. They led 0-8 to 0-5 as Byrnes missed three early frees. But the Shannonsiders came back to level for a third time with three in a row from Hegarty, Peter Casey, and a free from Byrnes. Clare outscored them 1-4 to 0-1 from there to the break, beginning with Rodgers' goal in the 26th minute. He capitalised after Foudy's long puck-out was knocked down by Duggan and into the Scariff man's path. As the rain lashed down, Rory Hayes thundered out of defence to point after a brilliant turnover and Clare took shelter 1-13 to 0-10 ahead at half-time. They built on that lead to move eight ahead with three points from Rodgers and David Reidy's second after the break. Clare's Shane O'Donnell. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Tom Morrissey clipped three in response, but Clare moved ahead by 10 with Taylor's opening goal. Malone secured the sliotar and Rodgers played the final pass for the midfielder to jink on to his left and fire to the roof of the net. Kelly's third point made it 2-19 to 0-14. However, Limerick fans sensed a comeback as they reeled off the next six points. Substitutes Adam English and Barry Nash got off the mark. Cathal O'Neill tagged on his first of three second-half points. Morrissey's tally reached 0-7 (five frees). Aidan O'Connor was also supplied a goal chance by Byrnes but dropped the sliotar and whipped wide. With five minutes remaining, Taylor put a pin in their hopes with his second goal after being fed by Ryan for a 3-19 to 0-20 lead. Limerick ended with four replacements registering as O'Connor and Donnacha Ó Dálaigh raised white flags. LIMERICK: S Dowling; M Casey, D Morrissey, B Murphy; D Byrnes (0-4, 2f), D Hannon, C Coughlan; D O'Donovan, W O'Donoghue; G Hegarty (0-2), C O'Neill (0-3), T Morrissey (0-7, 5f); S Flanagan (0-2), S O'Brien, P Casey (0-2). Subs: B Nash for M Casey (32-34 mins, temp), A English (0-1) for O'Donovan (44), B Nash (0-1) for Murphy (50), A O'Connor (0-1) for O'Brien (53), D Reidy for Byrnes (59), D Ó Dálaigh (0-1) for Flanagan (61), P O'Donovan for P Casey (66). CLARE: E Foudy; R Hayes (0-1), A Hogan, Darragh Lohan; D McInerney, J Conlon, C Galvin; R Taylor (2-1), C Malone (0-2); T Kelly (0-3), D Reidy (0-2), J O'Neill; S O'Donnell, P Duggan (0-2, 2sc), M Rodgers (1-8, 7f). Subs: Daithí Lohan for Darragh Lohan (14 mins, inj), I Galvin for Reidy (60), D Ryan for McInerney (65), S Meehan (0-1) for O'Donnell (66), A Shanagher for Duggan (67). Referee: T Walsh (Waterford).
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘Just to clarify and confirm' – Clare GAA star sets record straight after playing for club on same day as Tipperary loss
AIDAN McCARTHY insisted he "didn't walk off" the Clare hurling panel after playing for his club on the same day as Brian Lohan's side loss to Tipperary. The Inagh-Kilnamona man was absent from Ennis as the 3 Aidan McCarthy, left, has clarified why he missed Clare's defeat to Tipperary Credit: John Sheridan/Sportsfile 3 Aidan McCarthy insisted he did not walk off the panel 3 Brian Lohan's men's are facing early championship elimination Credit: Ray McManus/Sportsfile It emerged that McCarthy lined out for his club earlier on Saturday, and used social media to insist he had not left the squad. He said: "Just to clarify and confirm, I did not walk off the clare Senior Hurling panel. "I was willing, ready and able to line out for my county against Tipperary on Saturday evening if selected." The reigning All-Ireland champions' defence of Liam MacCarthy is in Read More on GAA The outcomes of the Limerick-Cork and Tipp-Waterford games next weekend will determine that. For the second time this season, Clare fought back from 12 points down on home soil to level. Even though they could not see it out and went down by three points, the Banner boss was cheered by their resilience. Lohan said: 'It's been tough because of injuries more than anything else. And we're asking a lot of guys to go out there and tough it out against really good quality opposition. Most read in GAA Hurling 'We just came up a little bit short, but it was only a little bit. I wouldn't be that downbeat about it. 'We're still delighted with our crew. Louth GAA homecoming in Drogheda after Leinster final win over Meath "They showed a great bit of spirit and endeavour again.' Lohan was able to call upon the fit-again Tony Kelly, who finished with 1-1, including a penalty he won himself. Shane O'Donnell returned off the bench for his first appearance of 2025. Last season's Hurler of the Year (shoulder) had completed just two training sessions but won two pointed frees. As well as McCarthy, they missed Conor Cleary and Diarmuid Ryan in defence. Conor Leen only lasted 20 minutes, while John Conlon came on late. Lohan felt the goals coughed up proved most costly. The Clare boss said: 'It's an area we had expected we would do better, but we obviously didn't. Four goals conceded is way too much in this game. 'You're completely dependent on other results so you could be out of the Championship and the All-Ireland series now. 'We'll just see how other results go and have to just take our beating.'
RTÉ News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Four goals conceded is too much in this game
Tipperary served a game for the ages to beat All-Ireland defending champions Clare, at Páirc Chiosóg in Ennis on Saturday. Clare left themselves with a lot to do after their first-half performance saw them trailing by nine points, and it was a slow start that Brian Lohan's side couldn't come back from. The All-Ireland champions are now effectively out of the running for the Munster final but could finish third depending on next weekend's results. Manager Brian Lohan says his side will take their beating. "We're completely dependent on other results. You could be out of the championship and the All-Ireland series now. We'll just see how the other results go, and we'll just have to take our beating," Lohan told RTÉ Sport. The All-Ireland winning manager says it is too early to assess the performance but admits Tipp's forward line caused some difficulty, which they didn't fully anticipate. "With that kind of forward line, that kind of movement and the space that they were able to create, we were under pressure for that first 15 or 20 minutes. "It's obviously an area that we had expected that we would do better," he then added, "Four goals conceded is way too much in this game." Injuries may have played their part, with John Conlon, Conor Cleary and Diarmuid Ryan's absence from Clare's backline a possible explanation for so many goals conceded. Conor Leen going off early and Shane O'Donnell only returning from injury were other factors, but Lohan thought it was something they were going to be able to cope with. "We thought we were equipped to deal with that, but obviously not. "We have been unlucky with the number of injuries that we had. But look, that's not an excuse." Lohan also reveals that O'Donnell, who made his return to the field following shoulder surgery, has barely returned to the panel for training but was chosen to come off the bench in the 44th minute. "He trained twice. That's effectively it. Not ideal preparation, but look, it is what it is." Lohan's side did level the score in the 63rd minute and managed to gain some momentum, starting to get to grips with Tipp's aggressive forward line; it may not have been enough, but there were still some positives to take says Lohan. "The momentum was (with us). We did very well for all of the second-half, really. But at the same time, Tipp did look dangerous. "But we got to grips with their forward line. They certainly weren't making the same kind of runs in the second half as what they were making in the first-half. "We were there at our bouts, but unfortunately we weren't able to get the victory" - Brian Lohan Despite the gloomy outlook for the rest of Clare's season, Lohan says he won't be down about the result and claims his side only came up a little short. "Sometimes you're beaten, regardless of all the planning that you do or all the effort and time that you put into things. "It just came up a little bit short, but it was only a little bit. I wouldn't be that downbeat about it. Tipperary manager Liam Cahill hailed the perseverance of Lohan's side in his side's exciting three-point win over the Banner. "I think it served up a really exciting game. Clare showed the quality of why the All-Ireland champions today really never give up... a typical Brian Lohan team fought to the bitter end," Cahill told RTÉ Sport. Claiming four goals in the first-half was somewhat unexpected. Tipp had several goal opportunities against Cork, even with a man down, but weren't able to convert them, it was a different story today, which Cahill thinks is crucial for championship success. "It's encouraging, but I think any team in the championship now needs to tag on two goal opportunities, or three, to make sure that they're in the range of the scoreline that's required to take down any of these teams that are in Munster at present." Next up for Cahill's side on their quest for a Munster final berth is Waterford at home, where they will need to repeat performance.
Irish Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Tipperary ride out the storm to leave Clare on the precipice
Munster SHC: Clare 2-21 Tipperary 4-18 Tipperary outstared the abyss to achieve a vital win in Zimmer Biomet Cusack Park on Saturday evening. It leaves All-Ireland champions Clare needing a whole sequence of results to fall their way if they are to survive and take their title defence out of Munster . On a sunny May evening in Ennis, a near-capacity crowd of 20,685 watched as yet another epic battle played out. Just as in the opening match of the championship, Clare were set upon by hungry opponents in the first half and carved open for a feast of goal chances. The only consolation in a nine-point half-time deficit was that it could have been a lot worse. By the 23rd minute, they had been taken for four goals, two apiece for John McGrath and Andrew Ormond but McGrath could have had a hat-trick by then. Almost immediately after his first goal − pouncing on a ball from Alan Tynan and cutting inside for a fine finish − the Tipp full forward appeared to have done the hard work by side stepping Adam Hogan but with another goal apparently inevitable, he hit the ball over the bar. READ MORE Not that Tipperary found it that easy to take points either and they racked up eight wides by half-time, most of them scoreable. There had been rumours beforehand of who was in and out of Clare's list of the injured but the throw-in crystallises all such ambiguities and Brian Lohan announced just one change to the advertised line-up. Daithi Lohan came in for centre back John Conlon, meaning the champions were down to half of their All-Ireland defence, a thinning that became all too disastrously evident. David Reidy of Clare in action against Bryan O'Mara of Tipperary. Photograph: Natasha Barton/Inpho The outcome was critical, as whoever lost would end up stranded on a single point in the Munster table and all but out of contention. Tipperary combined the deadly with the wasteful. At times they looked like they would score a goal with every attack. In the 12th minute, Andrew Ormond scored off an assist by Michael Breen, followed in the 17th by McGrath's second, and in the 23rd by Ormond again after Eibhear Quilligan saved from Jake Morris, having stopped the same player earlier at the cost of a converted 65. 'Everybody's singing off the same hymn sheet,' said a relieved Liam Cahill afterwards. 'Today was a defining game obviously for our season. For me as well, it was important at the end of it that the green shoots continued to prosper today. 'That's really what it was. It's just a little bit of a reassurance that while it's not perfect, we're still doing our best to go in the right direction. You had six goal chances in the first 23 minutes.' By then, Clare's defence was in turmoil. Conor Leen, who looked to be carrying an injury, was replaced by Rory Hayes in the 20th minute and almost immediately received a yellow card together with his direct opponent Jason Forde. Tipperary's movement was so energetic and menacing that they were probably disappointed to be just nine ahead at the break. As is their nature, the home side was stubbornly sticking to the task even with the margin expanding. Mark Rodgers was accurate from frees, conceded freely by some undisciplined Tipperary defence, but it was water pistol in a furnace defiance. At worst, Clare trailed by 12 just as they had done against Cork in the opening match of the campaign. Rodgers was alert to a ball played across the Tipp goal by David Reidy and touched it to the net. Tipperary though got it back with the next three points and led 4-9 to 1-9 at half-time. Mark Rodgers of Clare scores a goal against Tipperary in Ennis. Photograph: Natasha Barton/Inpho In truth the comeback looked a stretch for Clare even with the wind but these things always start incrementally and Rodgers fired over the first three scores of the second half from frees. Key to Tipp's ultimate survival was the ability to take scores while the opposition comeback was in full flow. A magnificent point by John McGrath after a prolonged ruck had squeezed the ball in his direction got his team moving in the second half. In the 45th minute, the roof was raised when Hurler of the Year Shane O'Donnell – whose entire season had been threatened by injury and who was making his first appearance of 2025 – warmed up and entered the fray. Within minutes he had risen to claim a puck-out and draw a free, which Rogers converted. The team's other rainmaker Tony Kelly had looked out of sorts in early exchanges after his recent illness but he came more strongly into the match and it was his probing solo run that led to a penalty, which he converted to cut the margin to a point, 2-18 to 4-13. Within minutes it was level courtesy of two more Rodgers frees – a remarkable reprise of the Cork match – but Tipp responded impressively. John McGrath turned over Daithi Lohan for a point to edge in front. They followed with frees from Forde and Eoghan Connolly and moved four ahead when replacement Seán Kenneally exploited hesitancy in the Clare defence to complete Tipp's scoring. Clare managed one response, predictably from a Rodgers free. 'We left ourselves an awful lot to do after the first half performance,' said Clare manager Brian Lohan. 'Defensively, not as good as we would like to be in the first half. Then [we] came out in the second half and did well and got back level. 'Tipp pushed on and got a couple of scores at the end and ran out on us. That bit of a slow start to the game, how do you put that down? I suppose it's soon enough to assess it. With that kind of forward line, that kind of movement and the space they were able to create, we were under pressure for that first 15 or 20 minutes. 'It's obviously an area we had expected we would do better, but we obviously didn't. Four goals conceded is way too much in this game.' Tipperary: R Shelly; M Breen, B O'Mara, E Connolly (0-3, 2f);, R Maher, C Morgan, R Doyle; S O'Farrell, A Tynan; N McGrath, A Ormond (2-1), C Stakelum; J Morris (0-2), J McGrath (2-3), J Forde (0-8, 0-6f, 0-1 65). Subs: O O'Donoghue for Stakelum (46 min), W Connors for N McGrath (58 mins), D Stakelum for Tynan (62 mins); S Kennedy for O'Mara (62 mins); S Kenneally (0-1) for Forde (66 mins). Clare: E Quilligan; Darragh Lohan, A Hogan, C Leen; Daithi Lohan, D McInerney, C Galvin; C Malone (0-1), R Taylor (0-2); S Rynne (0-3), D Reidy, P Duggan (0-1); T Kelly (1-1, 1-0 penalty, 0-1 free), M Rodgers (1-13, 0-13f), S Meehan. Subs: Rory Hayes for Leen (20 mins), S O'Donnell for Meehan (45 mins), D Fitzgerald for Rynne (58 mins), I Galvin for Reidy (62 mins), J Conlon for Daithi Lohan (68 mins). Referee: J Owens (Wexford).
Irish Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Clare buoyed by return of Shane O'Donnell and Tony Kelly for Tipperary clash
Hurler of the Year Shane O'Donnell is back on the panel for Clare 's crucial Munster championship match against Tipperary in Ennis this weekend. The 30-year-old had originally been ruled out for this season after a shoulder operation in January. His return is on course with the player's most optimistic projection in mid-April of 'four to eight weeks' but maybe not surprising given what's at stake in this weekend's encounter. Both teams are looking for a first win, having taken just a point from the opening two fixtures. Whoever loses in Ennis is effectively out of the championship. READ MORE Captain Tony Kelly is listed to start after the recent illness that kept him out of Clare's defeat by Waterford a fortnight ago. Otherwise, the news isn't great for the All-Ireland champions' manager Brian Lohan. Key defence players, full back Conor Cleary and wing back Diarmuid Ryan are still out with injury and forward Aidan McCarthy is another not listed on the match-day panel. Clare (Munster SHC v Tipperary): E Quilligan; A Hogan, Darragh Lohan, C Leen; C Galvin, J Conlon, D McInerney; S Rynne, C Malone; T Kelly, M Rodgers, S Meehan; R Taylor, P Duggan, D Reidy. Subs: E Foudy, Daithi Lohan, Ross Hayes, Rory Hayes, P Donnellan, A Shanagher, D Fitzgerald, J O'Neill, I Galvin, S O'Donnell, S Woods.
