Orrin Jones stars as Tipperary footballers win comprehensively in Munster U20 Championship

2024 Eirgrid GAA Football Munster U20 Championship

WATERFORD 0-8 TIPPERARY 5-13

Tipperary completed their three-game round robin Phase 1 series of games with a comprehensive victory over Waterford at Lemybrien on Saturday afternoon. The win sees Tipp advance to Phase 2 of the competition and a guaranteed further three games against Cork, Kerry and Clare over the coming weeks.

Form beforehand suggested it might be a close affair after Waterford had lost by just a single point to Limerick last week, a team Tipperary drew with in their opening encounter in Fethard a week prior to that. However, this proved to be a non-contest, well and truly over by the interval when Tipperary led by 2-9 to 0-1; the Tipperary first half goals coming from Shane Ryan and Micheál Freaney.

Against the stiff breeze for the second half, Tipp had the opening score inside two minutes, a goal scored by Conal Grogan who gratefully tapped home after a calamity of errors by Waterford defenders. That green flag increased the visitors’ advantage to all of 17 points. There would be no comeback.

While Waterford manfully battled on with the next five points, all unanswered, it took them 47 minutes to raise their first flag from play, a point from Michael O’Sullivan. Indeed, on a day they will want to quickly forget, that was to be their only score from play over the entire hour.

Having failed to register a score for 18 minutes after that early second half goal, Tipp would finish strongly with subs champing at the bit to make an impression when introduced. The Premier outscored their opponents by 2-4 to 0-1 in the closing stages, both goals coming from Orrin Jones, the second a penalty right at the death.

It was without doubt the best performance to date from Niall Fitzgerald’s side who went about their business with intent from the outset leading by 0-4 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter. Orrin Jones, who was to finish the day with a personal tally of 2-6, kicked a free in the fourth minute, quickly added to by a fine point from team captain Charlie King on a foray forward.

Tipperary's top scorer Orrin Jones, who ended the day with a tally of 2-6, tries to shake off the attentions of Waterford's Ronan O'Connell during Saturday's Munster U20 Football Championship game at Lemybrien. Pic: Michael Boland

Mikey O’Brien had Waterford’s first and only score of the opening half in the 12th minute when converting a free, but two points from Orrin Jones made it 0-4 to 0-1 by the 16th minute. Jones first from open play was a touch of class when the Arravale Rovers man came out to win the ball under pressure, before using his pace to make space to slot over a sweet kick from 40 metres. He was a thorn in the side of the Waterford rearguard all day.

Tipp’s first goal arrived in the 17th minute involving a move linking Eoin Doocey, Conal Grogan and Jones, and when the latter’s effort was well saved, Shane Ryan reacted quickest to the rebound to blast to the net for a 1-4 to 0-1 advantage.

A five minute purple patch added a further 1-4 for Tipperary without reply. Two points within a minute from Sean O’Meara and Thomas Charles preceded Tipperary’s second goal in the 25th minute. That green flag was raised by Kilsheelan/Kilcash clubman Micheál Freaney, the 6’4” wing-forward producing a nice side step before unleashing an unstoppable shot low to the Waterford goal. Freaney, and the other big man around the middle for Tipperary, Joe Higgins, got through an impressive amount of work from start to finish.

In the five minutes before the break Sean O’Meara, Shane Ryan and Orrin Jones pointed in a performance that was pleasing to see from Tipperary who had struggled to find scores in their opening two games. At the short whistle they fully deserved their 2-9 to 0-1 advantage.

On the restart, Ardfinnan’s Shane Ryan was very much involved in the build-up to his side’s third goal, his pass finding Conal Grogan, and even if Waterford will be kicking themselves for conceding so softly, credit to Grogan for being there to finish the chance.

Orrin Jones was denied a goal in the 36th minute by a superb low save from Diarmuid Ó Mathúna in the Waterford goal, before a mini rally of sorts for the Déise followed with four placed balls converted between the 37th and 42nd minute, three frees by Sam Pender and a 45 from Mikey O’Brien. Their only point from play came from The Nire’s Michael O’Sullivan in the 47th minute at which stage the scoreline read 3-9 to 0-6 in Tipperary’s favour.

Joe Higgins rises highest to try and win this aerial battle between two Waterford players in Saturday's Munster U20 Football Championship game at Lemybrien. Tipperary's Thomas Charles (10), Sean O'Meara (6) and Eoin O'Connell (4) await developments. Pic: Michael Boland

Tipperary finished the stronger with fine points from Shane Ryan and Orrin Jones either side of their fourth goal in the 51st minute. That score involved two of the subs, Paddy O’Keeffe and Daithí Hogan, in the build-up before Orrin Jones shot low to the corner of the net.

The final few minutes were played out with frees converted by Orrin Jones and Daithí Hogan for Tipperary and Sam Pender for Waterford, before the game’s final score, a goal, arrived with almost the last kick of the game. Again Micheál Freaney fielded superbly before Joe Higgins and Daithí Hogan combined to feed Paddy O’Keeffe and when the Moyle Rovers man was hauled down, Jones converted the penalty for a final scoreline of 5-13 to 0-8.

Next up for Tipp is a game against Cork on Wednesday, April 10 at a Tipperary venue.

Besides those already mentioned, others to impress on a good day for Tipperary were Jack O’Neill who covered acres of ground in the full-back line alongside Eoin O’Connell and Mark Corcoran who kept the Waterford inside line scoreless. As a unit the half-back line were well on top also.

Tipperary Team:

Robbie McGrath (Galtee Rovers), Jack O’Neill (Ardfinnan), Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore/Castleiney), Mark Corcoran (Clonmel Commercials), Charlie King (Ballina, captain, 0-1); 6 Sean O’Meara (Grangemockler/Ballyneale, 0-2), Daragh O’Brien (Aherlow); Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials), Eoin Doocey (Arravale Rovers), Thomas Charles (Clonmel Commercials, 0-1), Joe Lawrence (Rockwell Rovers), Michael Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash, 1-0), Orrin Jones (Arravale Rovers, 2-6, 1-0 pen, 0-3F), Conal Grogan (Galtee Rovers, 1-0), Shane Ryan (Ardfinnan, 1-2).

Subs: Daithí Hogan (St Patrick’s, 0-1F) for Grogan (38 mins); Paddy O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers) for Lawrence (48); Ben Carey (Ballylooby/Castlegrace) for Doocey (51); Tommy O’Connor (Kilsheelan/Kilcash) for Ryan (53); Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers) for O’Brien (53).

Waterford Team:

Diarmuid Ó Mathúna, Stephen Roche, Sean Byrne, Ronan O’Connell, Callum Sloan, Tommy Martin, Shane Power, Michael O’Sullivan (0-1), Sean O’Rourke, Rory Fennell, Mikey O’Brien (0-2, 0-1F, 0-1x45), Sam Pender (0-5, 0-4F), Aidan Mansfield, Kyle Moloney, David Butler.

Subs: Tommy Fennell for Fennell (38 mins); John Bruton for Mansfield (40); Mark Power for Power (42); Fionn Ó Murchú for O’Connell (57).

Referee: Niall Quinn (Clare).