If something happens once it could be considered unfortunate.
Twice, as Oscar Wilde would say – if he was a hurling fan, and maybe he was – could be considered careless.
But for Tipperary fans, it seems as the county’s inability to see out tight games is now a firmly fixed pattern.
The Premier County slumped to a 2-13 to 0-18 loss to Clare this afternoon in the Allianz hurling league quarter-final, despite leading with less than 10 mins to go.
In Ennis and Tipp leading Clare by 0-17 to 1-11. John McGrath is doing wreck, and that's the polite way of saying it.
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) April 3, 2016
They had fought back after a lacklustre first half to take the initiative in the 43rd minute, and heading for the home straight looked in decent nick to claim a vital win and set up a last-four clash with Kilkenny.
Tipp make it 1-7 to 0-9 after 43 mins. Shane O'Donnell in the stand looking on, thinking of a snack-box from Enzos (maybe)
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) April 3, 2016
But once again the old demons of wides, as well as defensive holes bigger than Lough Derg, came back to haunt them, as Clare, through sub-Aaron Shanagher, scored a game-winning goal.
GOOAALLL for Aaron Shanagher, 2-12 to Clare, Tipp 0-17 after 66 mins
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) April 3, 2016
Even still, with an extra three minutes at the end of the 70, Tipperary spurned a number of chances to level up the game as Jason Forde’s efforts dropped wide.
Could this be yet another tight game Tipp may lose? Two mins to end the pattern
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) April 3, 2016
Tipperary fans raged at another game snatched from the jaws of victory.
https://twitter.com/cahillers/status/716663096702590977
The top teams in hurling can be guilty of a lot of hit & hope stuff. And Tipp, for all their class players, lose far too many tight games
— Steven Miller (@steven_miller12) April 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/kenloughlin/status/716663711155535872
@pucksticks Yeah been too many in recent seasons. Cork have largely been woeful though
— Shane Stapleton (@ShaneSaint) April 3, 2016
Good day for#Clare! In hurling semi-finals…Beating #Tipperary by 2-13 to 0-18. Tipp will regret a few poor missed frees.#AllianzLeagues
— Des Cahill (@sportsdes) April 3, 2016
17 wides sums up why Tipp were beaten today. #AllianzNHL
— Niall Brophy (@Niall_Brophy) April 3, 2016
So that killkenny, Waterford, galway and now Clare that tipp have bottled leads. Fed up with them
— noel cahill (@ncahill1) April 3, 2016
Clare qualify to play Kilkenny in the last four of the league, as the Cats destroyed Offaly by 6-20 to 0-14.
Waterford survived a scare to beat Wexford by the bare minimum, as Conor McDonald’s goal four minutes from time almost caught the league champions in a 0-17 to 1-13 win.
However, Derek McGrath’s side held on for a narrow win, to set up a semi-final with Limerick, who got the better of Dublin on Saturday night.
Could the difference have been in the varying warm-up of the respective sides?
https://twitter.com/DeiseHurling/status/716631050580062208
There was, at least, some good news for Cork GAA fans, who managed to avoid the prospect of both county sides being demoted within hours of each other in a 2-22 to 0-25 win over Galway’s hurlers.
Late goals did the damage in Salthill as Pa Horgan and Seamus Harnedy raised green flags put the seal on a season when Galway lost two games but were demoted, while Cork, after losing five, stay up.
Joe Canning’s haul of 0-13 was no consolation either.
https://twitter.com/Jamwall7/status/716660292206391296
So It's the likes of Kerry, Laois and Offaly for us next year. Grim thought. #galway #gaa
— Rob McNick (@rob_mcnicholas) April 3, 2016
