Tipp cruise past Galway to start season in perfect fashion

GAA: Allianz National Hurling League Division 1A Round 1

Galway 2-16

Tipperary 3-25

Report: Shane Brophy at Pearse Stadium, Galway

Photos: Odhran Ducie

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Dylan Walsh (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Galway: Rory Burke 0-4 frees; Oisin Lohan, Conor Whelan 0-3 each; John Fleming, Declan McLoughlin 1-0 each; Kevin Cooney 0-2 (1 s-cut); Cianan Fahy, TJ Brennan, Tom Monaghan 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Darragh McCarthy 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ’65); Dylan Walsh 1-3; Gearoid O’Connor 1-2; Willie Connors, Jake Morris 0-3 each; Andy Ormond, Sam O’Farrell, Craig Morgan 0-2 each; Ronan Maher, Joe Fogarty 0-1 each.

Tipperary made a perfect start to their National Hurling League campaign with a comfortable twelve point win over a disappointing Galway side on Sunday.

Tipperary manager Liam Cahill gave first senior starts to four players, Michael Corcoran and Sam O’Farrell in defence, with Dylan Walsh and Darragh McGrath getting their bows in the full forward line, and it didn’t take long for the latter two to make an impact after Galway made the brighter start with Cianan Fahy and Oisin Lohan both on target inside the opening minute before McCarthy converted a 65 for his first point in senior hurling.

Dylan Walsh drew a superb save from Eanna Murphy a minute later as the inside forwards made a lively start and after Walsh and Jake Morris pointed for Tipp, Walsh was in for goal again but was impeded in the process of shooting with a penalty awarded which McCarthy dispatched to the bottom corner, 1-3 to 0-4.

With the aid of the cross-field breeze, Tipp dominated the remainder of the half with Gearoid O’Connor (2), McCarthy (4 frees), Willie Connors, Andrew Ormond and Morris on target to lead 1-13 to 0-9 at the break, and it should have been greater but for eight first half wides.

Tipp continued on the front foot into the second half with Craig Morgan getting his name on the scoresheet with Morris and Ormond adding to their tallies before Gearoid O’Connor benefitted from poor Galway defending to score his sides second goal on 44 minutes, 2-16 to 0-11.

An inexperienced Galway side never remotely looked like responding with Conor Whelan and debutante Oisin Lohan their leading performers while for Tipperary, Willie Connors was to the fore in midfield, but it was Dylan Walsh who shone with 1-3 from play, his goal on 51 minutes ending the game as a contest, 3-18 to 0-11.

Robert Doyle and Conor Martin were introduced to make their league senior debuts with Sam O’Farrell scoring two late points and one from sub Joe Fogarty. Seamus Kennedy made his return after ten months out through injury, with the only disappointing aspect from Tipperary point of view was the concession of cheap late goals to Galway subs John Fleming and Declan McLoughlin.

Tipperary host Wexford in round 2 in FBD Semple Stadium next Sunday afternoon.

Full match analysis and reaction in Wednesday's Nenagh Guardian

TEAMS – Galway: Eanna Murphy; Sean Murphy, Fintan Burke, Jack Grealish; Michael Garvey, Shane Cooney, TJ Brennan; Cianan Fahy, Donal O’Shea; Rory Burke, Tom Monaghan, Oisin Lohan; Conor Whelan, Kevin Cooney, Liam Collins.

Subs: Cillian Whelan for Garvey (47); John Fleming for O’Shea (47); Declan McLoughlin for K Cooney (54); Shane Morgan for S Cooney (55); Anthony Burns for Collins (68)

Tipperary: Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris); Michael Corcoran (Silvermines), Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs), Michael Breen (Ballina); Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og), Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Brian McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney); Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Willie Connors (Kiladangan); Alan Tynan (Roscrea), Andy Ormond (JK Brackens), Gearoid O’Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy); Jake Morris (Nenagh Eire Og), Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara), Dylan Walsh (Ballingarry).

Subs: Robert Doyle (Clonoulty/Rossmore) for Corcoran (HT); Conor Bowe (Moyne-Templetuohy) for Ormond (52); Seamus Kennedy for Doyle (53-55 blood); Joe Fogarty (Moneygall) for Tynan (55); Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s) for McGrath (58); Conor Martin (Cappawhite) for O’Connor (65).

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).