Tipperary hurlers advance to the league semi-finals after 10-points victory over Waterford

Tipperary 4-23 Waterford 0-25

Tipperary booked their place in the semi-finals of the Allianz National Hurling League and made it four wins from four with this clearcut win over Waterford at FBD Semple Stadium this evening.

In a feisty encounter, Jake Morris scored a hat-trick of goals to steer Liam Cahill’s outfit to a convincing victory over his former team.

Several yellow cards had already been issued by the time that Waterford’s Jamie Barron received a straight red card from Wexford referee James Owens for an off the ball incident in the 56th minute, as Tipp produced the much stronger finish down the home stretch.

Waterford started the second half as strongly as they had the first, outscoring Tipp by six points to one within 13 minutes of the restart.

Tipp had been ahead by six points on three occasions in the first half, but when Jack Prendergast pointed in the 48th minute, Waterford regained a lead that they had last held in the 13th minute.

Jason Forde levelled the scores for the seventh and final time in the 55th minute (1-16 to 0-19) before the Tipperary goalscoring machine cranked it up a few more notches to put the outcome beyond doubt. 

First, Mark Kehoe created a chance for Jake Morris to shoot his second goal.

Then, just after Jamie Barron had departed the scene, passes from Bryan O’Mara and Conor Stakelum sent Conor Bowe scampering clear and the Moyne/Templetuohy man, who was only on the pitch a matter of seconds as a replacement for his clubmate Gearoid O’Connor, shook the rigging for his side’s third goal.

There was now some real daylight between the teams once more (3-19 to 0-19), but Tipp weren’t finished yet. 

Mark Kehoe was involved before John McGrath played a delicious reverse pass to Jake Morris, who put the seal on the win with another goal in the 68th minute, as his team eased their way to the finishing line.   

Tipp’s outstanding performer was Ronan Maher, and others who put in serious shifts included Gearoid O’Connor, Jason Forde and Jake Morris. Alan Tynan, "Bonner" Maher, Seamus Kennedy, Noel McGrath, Eoghan Connolly and Bryan O’Mara were others who made their presence felt throughout the course of the game. 

Both teams looked like men in a real hurry as they moved the ball swiftly around the pitch from the throw-in, which made for an enjoyable and entertaining spectacle. 

Waterford made a particularly brisk start, racing into a 0-3 to no score within four minutes thanks to points from Jack Prendergast, Stephen Bennett’s free and Neil Montgomery. 

Alan Tynan opened Tipp’s account in the sixth minute, with Stephen Bennett replying with a converted free, before Jake Morris’ goal levelled proceedings a minute later, the first of three occasions that the scores were tied in the first half.

The Nenagh Eire Og player took the brave option, going for goal when the chance of a point was on, and he was rewarded when his low drive whizzed past Billy Nolan into the corner of the net. The chance had been created by Noel McGrath and Dan McCormack.

Tipp went ahead for the first time in the eighth minute when “Bonner” Maher raised one of the loudest cheers in the first half, mugging Jamie Barron to set up a score for Noel McGrath.

Waterford regained the lead when one of their best players, Calum Lyons, scored in the 13th minute (1-3 to 0-7). But they weren’t to score again for another 21 minutes, until Jamie Barron raised a white flag in the 34th minute.

In the meantime, Tipp took a firm grip on the game, reeling off points from Gearoid O’Connor (five frees, a ‘65 and one from play) and “Bonner” Maher.

O’Connor was on target from another free, after a wild swing by Iarlaith Daly, and two Waterford points from Jamie Barron and Stephen Bennett’s free left Tipp ahead at the break by 1-12 to 0-11, with Waterford having posted seven wides in the first period, compared to just one for a more economical Tipperary.     

Tipperary: Rhys Shelly, Johnny Ryan, Bryan O’Mara, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen, Ronan Maher, Seamus Kennedy (0-1), Conor Stakelum (0-2), Noel McGrath (captain 0-1), Dan McCormack, Gearoid O’Connor (0-9, 7 frees, 1’65), Alan Tynan (0-1), Jake Morris (3-0), Patrick Maher (0-1), Seamus Callanan.

Substitutes: Mark Kehoe (0-2) for Seamus Callanan (20 minutes), Jason Forde (0-6, 1 free) for Alan Tynan (45), Conor Bowe (1-0) for Gearoid O’Connor (57 minutes), John McGrath for Conor Bowe (67 minutes), John Campion for Noel McGrath (69 minutes).

Waterford: Billy Nolan, Mark Fitzgerald, Conor Prunty, Tadhg de Burca, Shane McNulty, Calum Lyons (0-4), Iarlaith Daly (0-1), Austin Gleeson, Jamie Barron (0-2), Neil Montgomery (0-1), Colin Dunford (0-1), Patrick Curran, Dessie Hutchinson (0-1), Jack Prendergast (0-3), Stephen Bennett (captain 0-8 frees).

Substitutes: Kevin Mahony for Austin Gleeson (30 minutes), Carthach Daly for Patrick Curran and Conor Ryan for Conor Prunty (both half-time), Patrick Fitzgerald (0-3, 2 frees) for Stephen Bennett (59 minutes), Paudie Fitzgerald (0-1) for Colin Dunford (64 minutes).  

Referee: James Owens (Wexford).