Tipp Minor Hurlers off to winning start in Munster

GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 1

Waterford 0-23

Tipperary 1-22

Report: Shane Brophy in Dungarvan

MATCH DIGEST

SCORERS – Waterford: Jack Twomey 0-12 (9 frees); Conor Tobin 0-3; Billy O’Connell, Michael Morrissey 0-2 each; Darragh Walsh, Jake Henley, Gearoid Power, Peter Cummins 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Damien Corbett 1-8 (0-5 frees, 0-1 65, 0-1 s-cut); Ciaran Foley 0-6 (3 frees); Tom Delaney, Paddy McCormack 0-3 each; Joe Egan, Sam Rowan 0-1 each.

Tipperary got their Munster Minor Hurling Championship campaign off to a winning start with a come from behind win over Waterford on Tuesday evening.

With the breeze at their backs, Waterford started brightly with three points inside two minutes before Ciaran Foley got Tipp off the mark in the fourth minute. The home side hit another three unanswered points as Tipp were sluggish in the early going, despite Damien Corbett flashing the ball to the net in the eleventh minute.

Conor Tobin and Darragh Walsh helped Waterford into a 0-8 to 1-1 advantage on the quarter hour before Tipp began to settled with midfielder Ciaran Foley, Corbett (free) and the lively Tom Delaney bringing them within two.

Jack Twomey was a thorn in the Tipp side and his free-taking kept Waterford in front but Tipp stayed on their tails with two long range Foley frees added to by points from Corbett from play and from frees but they still trailed 0-14 to 1-8 at half time.

However the breeze was significant and despite Waterford getting the first score of the half from Jake Henley, Tipp quickly began eating into the lead with Foley adding another free before they went on a five point scoring run through Delaney and two placed balls from Damien Corbett before a Corbett 65 gave Tipp a first lead on 41 minutes.

Paddy McCormack doubled it but just as it looked like Tipp would push on Waterford came back and three times in the final quarter they were level before sub Sam Rowan gave Tipp a final lead they wouldn’t lose with Damien Corbett landing a sublime side-line cut with Paddy McCormack adding to it although he should have passed to Corbett inside for a goal.

The lead was two points deep in added time when Waterford almost snatched a winning goal as a ball into the square was cleared off the line as Tipp held on for victory.

Tipperary’s next game is at home to Clare next Tuesday at FBD Semple Stadium and if they win that they will progress straight through to the Munster semi-final as group winners in this mini round-robin format.

TEAMS – Waterford: Conaire O Siothchain; Conor Keane, Aaron O’Neill, Tony Brennan (Capt); Billy O’Connell, Daniel Lalor, Darragh Walsh; Sean Mackey, Jake Henley; Michael Morrissey, Josh Hegarty, Gearoid Power; Conor Tobin, Jack Twomey, Peter Cummins.

Subs: Cillian Ryan for Keane (blood 25-27); Cillian Ryan for Hegarty (36); Ben O’Sullivan for Henley (57).

Tipperary: Eoin Horgan (Knockavilla Kickhams); Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan), Chris O’Donnell (Ballylooby/Castlegrace), Jack Quinlan (Fethard); Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og, Capt), Tadhg Sheehan (St Mary’s), Jack O’Callaghan (Portroe); Ciaran Foley (Borrisokane), Adam Daly (Knockavilla Kickhams); Cathal English (Fr Sheehy’s), Joe Egan (Moycarkey/Borris), Paddy Phelan (Upperchurch/Drombane); Damien Corbett (Gortnahoe/Glengoole), Tom Delaney (Cahir), Paddy McCormack (Borris-Ileigh).

Subs: Sam Rowan (Mullinahone) for Phelan (46); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara) for Daly (52); Evan Morris (Holycross/Ballycahill) for O’Donnell (56); Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens) for Delaney (60+2).

Referee: Ciaran O’Regan (Cork)