Tipp Minor Footballers put Waterford to the sword
Tipperary 4-13
Waterford 0-7
By Enda Treacy in Sean Treacy Park
While this result will not have been unexpected, it will go a long way to restoring confidence in underage football in Tipperary after dismantling of Waterford in the opening round of the Munster Minor Football Championship last Wednesday.
Victories have been hard to come by for the Tipperary minor footballers in recent years, so this win and the manner and margin will do a lot to bolster confidence in the side as they face into the rest of Phase 1 qualifying, starting with Clare next Wednesday.
A barnstorming first half display, led by captain Kyle Shelly at full forward and energetic Paddy Creedon at midfield set the platform for the win, with Waterford helpless to stop the swift counter attacks of Tipperary, with the first half goals from Shelly, Creedon and Rosegreen’s Tom Tobin, all but ending the game as a contest by the half time whistle.
The second half was little more than challenge match fare, as Waterford dropped deep to prevent the incisive runs from the Tipperary midfield and half back line, with the home team seeing out an easy win to get their championship off to the ideal start.
Early points from play from Kyle Shelly and Ben Comerford got Tipp off to the perfect start with Tipp opening a 1-4 to 0-1 lead after just seven minutes, with all their scores coming from open play as they looked to blitz the Waterford defence early doors.
Waterford settled down somewhat in the next ten minutes however, and they outscored their opponents three points to one in that period, with some excellent scores through the boots of Aidan Behan and Aaron Ryan.
But Tipp were sticking well to the gameplan, as Waterford could do little to resist the flowing Tipperary attacks with Paddy Creedon and Tom Tobin netting a goal apiece within a minute of each other in the 22nd minute to put the first nails in the Waterford coffin, and set Tipperary on their way to a comfortable victory.
The new format for this year’s Munster football championship is one that looks like it will benefit the weaker counties, with Tipperary, Clare, Limerick and Waterford all competing in a Phase 1 round-robin group, with the top two after all rounds playing off to see who will qualify to play Cork in Kerry in Phase 2.
Next up for Tipperary is an away trip to Cusack Park to face a Clare team next Wednesday who started themselves with an equally as impressive win over Limerick.
Full report in weeks Nenagh Guardian.
MATCH DIGEST
Man of the Match: Paddy Creedon (Tipperary)
SCORERS – Tipperary: Kyle Shelly 2-8 (0-6 frees); Paddy Creedon 1-1; Tom Tobin 1-0; James Armstrong 0-2; Luke Seacy, Ben Comerford 0-1 each.
Waterford: Tom O'Connell (2 frees), Aaron Ryan (1 free), Aidan Behan 0-2; Sean Walsh 0-1.
TEAMS - Tipperary: James Griffin (Upperchurch-Drombane); Christy McDonagh (Cahir), Tadhg Condon (Clonmel Commercials), Emmet Butler (Kilsheelan-Kilcash); James Armstrong (Thurles Sarsfields), Donagh Hickey (Arravale Rovers), Conor Shanahan (Inane Rovers); Paddy Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields), Tom Tobin (Rosegreen); Luke Seacy (Inane Rovers), Ben Comerford (Grangemockler-Ballyneale), Dara King (Ballina); Liam McCormack (Thurles Sarsfields), Kyle Shelly (Moycarkey-Borris), Eoin McCarthy (Clonmel Commercials).
Subs: Liam King (Ballinahinch) for King (42); Mark O'Connor (Clonmel Commercials) for McCarthy (43); Conor Cadell (JK Brackens) for McCormack (48); Tomas Bourke (Boherlahan-Dualla) for Condon (52); Francie Delaney (Cahir) for Seacy (59); Jack Buckley (Cahir) for Tobin (60).
Waterford: Taidgh Murray; Barry O'Brien, Sean Boyce, Mikey Mullaney; Mark Dalton, Colin Foley, Kyle Sloan; Cathal Scanlon, DJ Melia; Tom Dalton, Sean Walsh, Pa Skehan; Aidan Behan, Aaron Ryan, Tom O'Connell.
Subs: James Hahessy for Sloan (HT); Keelan Taylor for Walsh (44); Cormac Rooney for O'Connell (45); Ely Cullen for Behan (51); Paudie Hynes for T Dalton (52); Cathal O'Dalaigh for M Dalton (55).
Referee: John Ryan (Cork)