TIPPERARY SHC SEMI-FINAL Clonoulty-Rossmore 1-19 Kildangan 1-16:TIPPERARY UNDER-21 star John O'Neill was a key figure as Clonoulty-Rossmore surged clear in the closing stages in Thurles yesterday. A cruciate ligament injury marred O'Neill's season, but he showed he is coming back to his best, scoring five points.

An Eoin Gleeson goal after four minutes gave Kildangan the initiative and Clonoulty were two points adrift, 0-10 to 1-9 at the break. Three points early in the second half appeared to herald a Kildangan victory, but Fiachra O’Keeffe’s goal for Clonoulty in the 48th minute brought his side level, and they opened a three-point lead. Clonoulty goalkeeper Declan O’Dwyer had to bring off two great saves to clinch their place in the final.

CLONOULTY-ROSSMORE: D O Dwyer; J O'Keeffe, J Heffernan, K Horan; P Heffernan, J Devaney. L Devane; J O'Keeffe (0-3), S O'Connor (0-1); Tom Butler (0-1), Thomas Butler (0-2), P White; F O'Keeffe (1-1), J O'Neill (0-5), T Hammersley (0-6). Subs: C Ryan for White; M Coen for O'Connor; J Forrestal for Tom Butler.

KILDANGAN: K Hayes; M Minehan, L Kelly, F Hayes; H Flannery, D Hackett, G Slattery (0-4); P Kelly (0-1), J Gallagher; P Lynch, D Egan (0-6), T Connors; C Hanrahan(0-1), E Kelly (0-2), E Gleeson (1-1). Subs: R Gleeson (0-1)for Lynch; B Kelly for E Kelly.

Referee: W Clohessy(DromInch).