Tipperary miss out on hurling league title

Waterford 2-29

Tipperary 3-21

By Liam Hogan

Tipperary’s hopes of winning a first Allianz National League title since 2008 were well and truly shattered in Walsh Park as they found no answer to a fast and free flowing Waterford side who certainly lay down a marker should they meet in the Munster semi-final.

Despite the very warm temperatures the teams gave it everything from start to finish and were level three times in the opening five minutes then Tipp edged in front following Jason Forde’s goal on six minutes before a long range effort by Brendan Maher made it 1-4 to 0-3 Tipp increased the pressure and the lead increased to five by the eighteenth when Seamus Callanan made it 1-9 to 0-7, Callanan was the seventh Tipp player to score by then. Waterford had four players on the scoresheet by then and when reaching the water-break it was 1-9 to 0-8.

Water-breaks can be the making or the breaking of teams and it was Waterford who took the advantage with Jack Fagan and Darragh Lyons cutting swards through the Tipp defence as Dessie Hutchinson left three between the teams. But long range points by Forde, Ronan Maher and Jake Morris moved Tipp six in front 1-12 to 0-9 on 22 minutes before the tide began to turn.

It began in the 26th minute when Dessie Hutchinson scored a brilliant goal from the tightest of angles when he first timed a pass from Jack Fagan. Another Hutchinson shot was deflected for a sixty-five and Stephen Bennett obliged before Hutchinson availed of a mix-up in the Tipp defence to send a lot shot inside the posts for his second goal giving Waterford the lead for the first time after twenty-eight minutes.

Both Jason Forde and Stephen Bennett swapped frees but Tipp were boosted when Jake Morris won possession and sent Noel McGrath through for a goal to give Tipp a slender 2-13 to 2-12 half time lead.

Liam Cahill’s burst out from the starting stalls with purpose outscoring Tipp 0-8 to 0-3 by the second water-break as Stephen Bennett scored four along with further scores by Hutchinson with substitutes Billy Power, Kieran Bennett and Ciaran Kirwan getting in on the act.

A Jason Forde free plus point each from Ronan Maher and Jake Morris were the replies from Tipp. Noel McGrath responded with a score but Waterford went five clear thanks to Peter Hogan and Jack Prendergast.

Both Willie Connors and Stephen Bennett swapped points and in the 59th minute Tipp received a lifeline when Seamus Callanan’s goal cut the margin to two, 3-18 to 2-23. John McGrath’s point on the hour left the minimum between the teams at which time one sensed that Tipp could complete the comeback.

However, it was not to be as Waterford struck four unanswered points through Calum Lyons, Stephen Bennett and Mike Kiely which was a good return from Cahill’s bench. Noel McGrath’s return left four between the teams but the homeside had the final say as two Bennett frees left not doubt about the outcome.

MATCH DIGEST

SCORERS - Waterford: Stephen Bennett 0-15 (10 frees, 1’65); Dessie Hutchinson 2-2; Shane Bennett, Peter Hogan 0-2 each; Callum Lyons, Jack Fagan, Darragh Lyons, Jack Prendergast, Michael Kiely, Conor Kirwan, Kieran Bennett, Billy Power 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Jason Forde 1-5 (0-4 frees); Noel McGrath 1-2; Seamus Callanan 1-1; Ronan Maher 0-4 (1’65); Alan Flynn, Jake Morris 0-2 each; John McGrath, Willie Connors, Michael Breen, Seamus Kennedy, Brendan Maher 0-1 each.

TEAMS – Waterford: Billy Nolan; Conor Prunty, Ian Kenny; Calum Lyons, Iarlaith Daly, Kevin Moran; Austin Gleeson, Darragh Lyons; Peter Hogan, Jack Fagan; Stephen Bennett; Dessie Hutchinson, Shane Bennett, Jack Prendergast.

Subs: Conor Gleeson for Fives (25 inj); Kieran Bennett for Gleeson (32 inj); Darragh Lynch for Prunty (HT inj); Michael Kiely for Fagan (HT inj); Billy Power for Hogan (blood 44-47); Kieran Power for Hutchinson (55); Billy Power for Daly (55 inj).

Tipperary: Brian Hogan; Cathal Barrett, Padraic Maher, Barry Heffernan; Brendan Maher, Seamus Kennedy, Ronan Maher; Alan Flynn, Paddy Cadell; Dan McCormack, Noel McGrath, Michael Breen; Jason Forde, Seamus Callanan, Jake Morris.

Subs: Craig Morgan for Barrett (Blood 17-19); Willie Connors for Cadell (HT); Craig Morgan for Kennedy (44); Mark Kehoe for Flynn (50); John McGrath for McCormack (50); Eoghan Connolly for Heffernan (64); Paul Flynn for Forde (67).

Referee: James Owens (Wexford)