Tipperary hang on for victory in minor hurling thriller in Dungarvan

Injury time points from substitutes Darragh O'Hora and Jack Cahill saw Tipperary survive a second half comeback from Waterford in a thrilling minor encounter at Fraher Field, Dungarvan on Thursday night. 

James Woodlock's charges led by thirteen points with 32 minutes on the clock, but the home side reduced that gap to three entering the final quarter. A sensational solo goal from Shane Power and a booted effort from Gearoid O'Shea lifted the locals in the stand. The Déise couldn't complete the job, however, as fifteen wides proved costly.

Goals from Adam Ryan, Cillian Minogue and Billy O'Brien left the Premier County 3-9 to 0-6 to the good at the interval. Waterford started brightly, as Mark Hartley nailed a long range free after just 45 seconds. The home team didn't make their early dominance count, however, and struck three wides inside five minutes. Tipp wing back Jake Donelan Houlihan levelled with a fine strike from 65 metres.

In the sixth minute Cillian Minogue won a tussle for possession along the end line and fed Adam Ryan, who billowed the roof of the net (1-1 to 0-1). Another monster point from Donelan Houlihan moved them five clear (1-4 to 0-2).

Waterford's wide tally increased to six by the 16th minute but two Hartley frees and a Shane Power point left just a goal between them.

On 22 minutes, Eoghan Doughan's free landed short but the ball was batted down to Minogue who fired home (2-6 to 0-5).

The hosts finished the half with nine wides and one ball short. James O'Connor's team tried to work the ball out from short puckouts but ran into Tipp traffic, much to the delight of an animated James Woodlock. It got worse for Waterford two minutes into injury time when Billy O'Brien latched onto a long delivery from Donelan Houlihan and pulled past Billy Murphy in the last act of the opening half.

Even with the wind at their backs, it looked like a mountain to climb for the Déise. Stefan Tobin stretched the gap to thirteen before Hartley fed Cormac Spain at the other end. The Ballygunner man blasted over. Shane Power's second point raised another cheer but the wides soon entered double figures. A Euan Murray point from an acute angle was the perfect response (3-11 to 0-8).

On 41 minutes, Waterford had a lifeline as Shane Power sped past six Tipp defenders and slipped the ball to the bottom corner for a goal that raised the roof. Six minutes later, the roars got even louder as Gearoid O'Shea kicked to the cobwebs (3-11 to 2-11).

Tobin stood up for the under-pressure Premier County with two points. The gap stood at three, entering the last five minutes, when Waterford wasted four chances in a row. Darragh O'Hora and Jack Cahill, son of Tipp senior boss Liam, closed it out in added time to make it two wins out of two for Woodlock's side. 

Scorers for Tipperary: Eoghan Doughan 0-5 (4fs), Adam Ryan, Billy O'Brien 1-1 each, Stefan Tobin 0-4, Cillian Minogue 1-0, Jake Donelan Houlihan 0-2, Euan Murray, Darragh O'Hora, Jack Cahill 0-1 each.