Dunne recalls 'intense' Tipp-Clare rivalry

July 21, 2017

Tipperary captain Tommy Dunne raise the Liam McCarthy Cup in 2001 at Croke Park

Tomorrow's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final between Tipperary and Clare brings back memories of the great clashes between the teams in the 1990s.

Tommy Dunne, who skippered Tipp to All-Ireland glory in 2001, says the 'intensive' rivalry that existed between the neighbouring counties peaked in 1997 when Clare defeated the Premier in both the Munster and All-Ireland finals. 

"It was intense. It's grand now looking back on it and I've great memories but it was an intense rivalry at the time that's for certain," Dunne said on Newstalk's Off the Ball.

"Look, it was a different era, wasn't it? A different era for hurling completely. Clare were very much to the fore at that stage. They'd won the All Ireland in '95, they had won the All Ireland in '97, we were in the doldrums since '91 and they had the upper hand on us until we finally got the better of them in 2000. They beat us in '97 twice, in the Munster final down in Pairc Ui Chaoimh and then they beat us by a point in the All Ireland in 1997."


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