Clare vs Tipperary

I think Clare could cause a surprise here.

Can't see it happening Loyal. Tipp are a professional outfit and won't slip on the banana skin.

Tipp by 15.

Clare have a nice young team. The u21s from a couple of year's ago will be settling in nicely at this stage.

This is the game Sparrow will have targeted all season.

Like horse racing this, look at the form book.

Clare lost to Laois, who lost to Down, who lost to.....Armagh.

Yup, Clare to win easily.

Clare will give a good account of themselves but Tipp have too much for them. The Premier are probably known as poor defenders of Liam but this is not their banana skin. They won't get it easy but I would expect them to get on top in the latter stages of the game and pull clear by 8/10.

Great start Clare.

Great performance from Clare which bodes well for their future. The young corner forward was brilliant. Tipp showed their class towards the end and are still very much the team to beat this year.

Jonsmith wrote:Great performance from Clare which bodes well for their future. The young corner forward was brilliant. Tipp showed their class towards the end and are still very much the team to beat this year.

They started well but the goalkeeper, the right hand side of their defence, one of the midfielders and one or two of their forwards all need to be replaced. I remember a 19 year old Colin Ryan turning out something of an aberrational performance two years ago, and now he's only a substitute. I hope it's not the same with young McGrath.

As for Tipp, well I'd be concerned. Declan Ryan inherited a tough job. He'll only be judged as a success if they retain Liam. Today, some of their better players stood up and carried them through but they clearly didn't play with the same fluency as usual.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

Jonsmith wrote:Great performance from Clare which bodes well for their future. The young corner forward was brilliant. Tipp showed their class towards the end and are still very much the team to beat this year.

They started well but they the goalkeeper, the right hand side of their defence, one of the midfielders and one or two of their forwards all need to be replaced. I remember a 19 year old Colin Ryan turning out something of an aberrational performance two years ago, and now he's only a substitute. I hope it's not the same with young McGrath.

As for Tipp, well I'd be concerned. Declan Ryan inherited a tough job. He'll only be judged as a success if they retain Liam. Today, some of their better players stood up and carried them through but they clearly didn't play with the same fluency as usual.

A 19 year old Colin Ryan had his collarbone broken from a shoulder after coming on as a sub for his championship debut in 2007 against Cork....a 21 year old Colin Ryan had a decent game against Tipp back in 2009 though......Conor McGrath is a far better and a far more confident hurler than Ryan and will be a star, Ryan struggles to stand out at club level and just doesn't have the ability to impose himself in a game while McGrath is the focal point for Cratloe winning a county title in 2009 and getting to the final again last year....It doesn't say much for Colin Ryan that management left Darach Honan on for 65 minutes today despiet the fact that he wasn't anywhere near fit enough and hasn't trained for the past month



A good first half display but we ran out of legs second half and yet again the Sparrow was far too slow on the line.....There is plenty of hurling in the side but we are still very lightweight and callow, but again this will only improve with time and games like today as the younger lads fill out and get a bit more experienced.....Give us three more years and we will have a very very good side.....

The intermediates are into the Munster final after dispatching a decent Cork outfit by 10 points....Gilligan and Carmody brought a touch of class to the forwards but it was the younger lads who really stood out and there are 5 or 6 on the team who will be part of the senior panel next spring

The Puke wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

Jonsmith wrote:Great performance from Clare which bodes well for their future. The young corner forward was brilliant. Tipp showed their class towards the end and are still very much the team to beat this year.

They started well but they the goalkeeper, the right hand side of their defence, one of the midfielders and one or two of their forwards all need to be replaced. I remember a 19 year old Colin Ryan turning out something of an aberrational performance two years ago, and now he's only a substitute. I hope it's not the same with young McGrath.

As for Tipp, well I'd be concerned. Declan Ryan inherited a tough job. He'll only be judged as a success if they retain Liam. Today, some of their better players stood up and carried them through but they clearly didn't play with the same fluency as usual.

A 19 year old Colin Ryan had his collarbone broken from a shoulder after coming on as a sub for his championship debut in 2007 against Cork....a 21 year old Colin Ryan had a decent game against Tipp back in 2009 though......Conor McGrath is a far better and a far more confident hurler than Ryan and will be a star, Ryan struggles to stand out at club level and just doesn't have the ability to impose himself in a game while McGrath is the focal point for Cratloe winning a county title in 2009 and getting to the final again last year....It doesn't say much for Colin Ryan that management left Darach Honan on for 65 minutes today despiet the fact that he wasn't anywhere near fit enough and hasn't trained for the past month



A good first half display but we ran out of legs second half and yet again the Sparrow was far too slow on the line.....There is plenty of hurling in the side but we are still very lightweight and callow, but again this will only improve with time and games like today as the younger lads fill out and get a bit more experienced.....Give us three more years and we will have a very very good side.....

The intermediates are into the Munster final after dispatching a decent Cork outfit by 10 points....Gilligan and Carmody brought a touch of class to the forwards but it was the younger lads who really stood out and there are 5 or 6 on the team who will be part of the senior panel next spring

Gilly and Carmody are playing for the intermediate team - hmmm. The two of those players left the senior squad very suddenly.

Is Philip Brennan the best goalie in Clare? I don't mean to be critical what wth all the talk about people using websites to have a go at players but he is very tame and shaky in himself. The first and last goals were his fault and I'm sure a Durack or a Davy might have made a better fist of the middle two. It's a pity Clare conceded those first half goals. Despite playing very well, they managed to find themsleves looking at a three-point deficit at half-time.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

The Puke wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

Jonsmith wrote:Great performance from Clare which bodes well for their future. The young corner forward was brilliant. Tipp showed their class towards the end and are still very much the team to beat this year.

They started well but they the goalkeeper, the right hand side of their defence, one of the midfielders and one or two of their forwards all need to be replaced. I remember a 19 year old Colin Ryan turning out something of an aberrational performance two years ago, and now he's only a substitute. I hope it's not the same with young McGrath.

As for Tipp, well I'd be concerned. Declan Ryan inherited a tough job. He'll only be judged as a success if they retain Liam. Today, some of their better players stood up and carried them through but they clearly didn't play with the same fluency as usual.

A 19 year old Colin Ryan had his collarbone broken from a shoulder after coming on as a sub for his championship debut in 2007 against Cork....a 21 year old Colin Ryan had a decent game against Tipp back in 2009 though......Conor McGrath is a far better and a far more confident hurler than Ryan and will be a star, Ryan struggles to stand out at club level and just doesn't have the ability to impose himself in a game while McGrath is the focal point for Cratloe winning a county title in 2009 and getting to the final again last year....It doesn't say much for Colin Ryan that management left Darach Honan on for 65 minutes today despiet the fact that he wasn't anywhere near fit enough and hasn't trained for the past month



A good first half display but we ran out of legs second half and yet again the Sparrow was far too slow on the line.....There is plenty of hurling in the side but we are still very lightweight and callow, but again this will only improve with time and games like today as the younger lads fill out and get a bit more experienced.....Give us three more years and we will have a very very good side.....

The intermediates are into the Munster final after dispatching a decent Cork outfit by 10 points....Gilligan and Carmody brought a touch of class to the forwards but it was the younger lads who really stood out and there are 5 or 6 on the team who will be part of the senior panel next spring

Gilly and Carmody are playing for the intermediate team - hmmm. The two of those players left the senior squad very suddenly.

Is Philip Brennan the best goalie in Clare? I don't mean to be critical what wth all the talk about people using websites to have a go at players but he is very tame and shaky in himself. The first and last goals were his fault and I'm sure a Durack or a Davy might have made a better fist of the middle two. It's a pity Clare conceded those first half goals. Despite playing very well, they managed to find themsleves looking at a three-point deficit at half-time.

The intermediates bearly train, Carmody isn't up to senior anymore and is lazy at the best of times....gilli offered twice to go back to the seniors on condition that he could sit out the league and both times Sparrow told him it was full duck or no dinner.....


I wouldn't say Brennan is the best goalie in clare but he is only there by default after Touhy's horror show in the league final, there are half a dozen or so keepers who I would rate as highly as Brennan but whether any are top class in another story.....Despite having a nightmare against Dublin- he played 2 weeks after dislocating his shoulder- last year's minor keeper looks a decent prospect as does Kieran Brennan from Eire Og who will be the 21s keeper


McInerney missing the goal chance just before h/t was a blow as well, Tipp went straight up and scored a point to go three up while if it went in we would have went in in the lead which would have been a big bonus

The Puke wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

The Puke wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

Jonsmith wrote:Great performance from Clare which bodes well for their future. The young corner forward was brilliant. Tipp showed their class towards the end and are still very much the team to beat this year.

They started well but they the goalkeeper, the right hand side of their defence, one of the midfielders and one or two of their forwards all need to be replaced. I remember a 19 year old Colin Ryan turning out something of an aberrational performance two years ago, and now he's only a substitute. I hope it's not the same with young McGrath.

As for Tipp, well I'd be concerned. Declan Ryan inherited a tough job. He'll only be judged as a success if they retain Liam. Today, some of their better players stood up and carried them through but they clearly didn't play with the same fluency as usual.

A 19 year old Colin Ryan had his collarbone broken from a shoulder after coming on as a sub for his championship debut in 2007 against Cork....a 21 year old Colin Ryan had a decent game against Tipp back in 2009 though......Conor McGrath is a far better and a far more confident hurler than Ryan and will be a star, Ryan struggles to stand out at club level and just doesn't have the ability to impose himself in a game while McGrath is the focal point for Cratloe winning a county title in 2009 and getting to the final again last year....It doesn't say much for Colin Ryan that management left Darach Honan on for 65 minutes today despiet the fact that he wasn't anywhere near fit enough and hasn't trained for the past month



A good first half display but we ran out of legs second half and yet again the Sparrow was far too slow on the line.....There is plenty of hurling in the side but we are still very lightweight and callow, but again this will only improve with time and games like today as the younger lads fill out and get a bit more experienced.....Give us three more years and we will have a very very good side.....

The intermediates are into the Munster final after dispatching a decent Cork outfit by 10 points....Gilligan and Carmody brought a touch of class to the forwards but it was the younger lads who really stood out and there are 5 or 6 on the team who will be part of the senior panel next spring

Gilly and Carmody are playing for the intermediate team - hmmm. The two of those players left the senior squad very suddenly.

Is Philip Brennan the best goalie in Clare? I don't mean to be critical what wth all the talk about people using websites to have a go at players but he is very tame and shaky in himself. The first and last goals were his fault and I'm sure a Durack or a Davy might have made a better fist of the middle two. It's a pity Clare conceded those first half goals. Despite playing very well, they managed to find themsleves looking at a three-point deficit at half-time.

The intermediates bearly train, Carmody isn't up to senior anymore and is lazy at the best of times....gilli offered twice to go back to the seniors on condition that he could sit out the league and both times Sparrow told him it was full duck or no dinner.....


I wouldn't say Brennan is the best goalie in clare but he is only there by default after Touhy's horror show in the league final, there are half a dozen or so keepers who I would rate as highly as Brennan but whether any are top class in another story.....Despite having a nightmare against Dublin- he played 2 weeks after dislocating his shoulder- last year's minor keeper looks a decent prospect as does Kieran Brennan from Eire Og who will be the 21s keeper

Well you certainly need a more commanding figure round the square. No disrepect to Brennan, he could improve but he definitely needs to.

The goalkeeper is a lot more important in hurling than in football. I mean, how many times have we said it about Cummins or Davy Fitz or Fitzhenry? Only for Davy, John Leahy could have won an All-Ireland for Tipp in 1997. Fitzhenry regularly kept Kilkenny goals out in Leinster semi-finals and finals. Same with Cummins and he was at it again today.

Tipp were poor in the opening 25 minutes or so, started the game very, very slowly whereas Clare seemed well up for it. It was frustrating to see Tipp constantly failing to gain possession and, when they eventually did, losing the ball within seconds thanks to miscontrol or a wayward long ball.

Second half they actually started with a bit more intelligent hand passes, short balls etc and created much more scoring opportunities.

Why they didn't play like that from the start is the worry factor. No disrespect to Clare, but I think it'd be a far more difficult task to come back from 7 points down against stronger teams.