Tipperary Under 20 hurlers cruise to 3-26 to 3-13 win over Waterford

First touch hurling was the difference between the teams in Thurles tonight with Tipp players able to get the ball into their hands first time which created more scoring chances and the forwards took them. Tipp were just slicker overall and while Waterford had ample chances to garner scores, their play broke down with passes going astray and shots dropping wide. Tipp made hay and kept the scoreboard ticking over to win 3-26 to 3-13 in the Munster Under 20 hurling championship and qualify for the knockout round against Clare. 

The first half started at a brisk pace with two quick points from Peter McGarry and Ronan Connolly before Waterford rifled in a goal before Sean Kenneally levelled it up. It was tit for tat until a Darragh Stakelum point on 11 minutes put Tipp 0-6 to 1-2 up. The Tipp captain hurled up a storm all night and was very influential between the two 65s setting up attcks and scoring himself. The teams were level again on 14 minutes at 0-7 to 1-4 before points in quick succession from Peter McGarry, Cathal Quinn and Eddie Ryan. 

Waterford found clear gaps in the Tipp defence to rifle in a goal on 21 minutes leaving it 2-6 to 0-10 with the Deise driving into the game with everything they had. Peter McGarry, Eddie Ryan and Darragh Stakelum points put Tipp 0-13 to 2-6 up again before a Peter McGarry goal on 27 minutes put the home side 1-14 to 2-7 up. Waterford were hard to shake off though. Charlie Treen was causing havoc throughout the half for Tipp and he ended the first half with 1-5 while Jack Twomey hit a goal and a point. At this point Waterford were well in the game but jittery handling at times stopped them from capitalising. Waterford struck two points before two from Jack Leamy approaching the break left it 1-16 to 2-9 at half time. 

Tipp started the second half sharply with scores from Eddie Ryan, Jack Leamy and Darragh Stakelum before Waterford, looking for goals, got a third goal scored by Jack Twomey. He finished a lovely overhead strike while facing away from the goals, a real thing of beauty. He was on fire, hitting 2-1 by then against an open defence that will need sharpening against better teams.

Eddie Ryan settled Tipp with a super long range point from near midfield on 39 minutes to put Brendan Cummins' team 1-20 to 3-9 up. Tipp got on top in this period of the game as Waterford attacks kept breaking down and the ball was often moved quickly from defence by Joe Caesar, Luke Shanahan and company to build attacks. 

The difference was typified on 58 minutes when a Waterford attack was over cooked with unnecessary passes and Tipp won the ball back as Luke Shanahan intercepted. Up the field went the ball and Ciaran McCormack pointed into the Town End from near the 65. Next thing Peter McGarry soloed through and a crossfield strike to the unmarked Jack Leamy on 60 minutes meant the Golden Kilfeackle striker struck to the empty net to make it 2-25 to 3-13. Game over then as Tipp ran at pace and hit overdrive while sensing Waterford were spent. 

Lively sub Darragh McCarthy from Toomevara was at the end of another crossfield move on 62 minutes, and the clapping from the crowd told the story that the blue and gold clad crew were going through the motions, with the win firmly secured. Finally there was distance between the teams.

Tipp hit top gear. Forwards soloed and sprinted at the jaded defence and another goal arrived on 34 minutes from the sharp Jack Leamy. A ball struck the upright and he moved his feet quickly to shift gear and control the dropping ball eventually arrowing it to the net. One way traffic eventually as Tipp hit top gear to make it 3-26 to 3-13, a fair reflection of the game. Tipp cruise on to play Clare now on May 8th in Thurles while Cork await the winner in the final. 

Scorers for Tipperary: J Leamy (2-6, 0-5 frees); P McGarry (1-4); D Stakelum (0-5); E Ryan (0-4); C Quinn, S Kenneally (0-2 each); R Connolly, D McCarthy, C McCormack (0-1 each).

Scorers for Waterford: C Treen (1-8, 1-0 sideline, 0-7 frees); J Twomey (2-1); O Walsh (0-2, 1 free); C Keane, J Booth (0-1 each).

TIPPERARY: J O’Dwyer (Clonoulty-Rossmore); D Slattery (Clonoulty-Rossmore), R Doyle (Clonoulty-Rossmore), L Shanahan (Upperchurch-Drombane); C Quinn (Cashel King Cormacs), J Caesar (Holycross-Ballycahill), C McKelvey (Silvermines); J Morris (St Mary’s), D Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields, captain); J Leamy (Golden-Kilfeacle), E Ryan (Borris-Ileigh), S Kenneally (Moneygall); P McGarry (St Mary’s), T Cahill (Drom-Inch), R Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs).

Subs: S Ferncombe (Clonoulty-Rossmore) for Ryan (34, blood sub), C McCormack (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Cahill (42), Ferncombe for Connolly (47), M Corcoran (Silvermines) for Morris (52), D McCarthy (Toomevara) for Ryan (57), J Egan (Moycarkey-Borris) for McKelvey (added time).

WATERFORD: S Ryan (Mount Sion); J Power (Modeligo), C Cantwell (Ballygunner), R Dobbyn (Ballyduff Lower); M Mullaney (Stradbally), O Walsh (Fourmilewater), N Browne (Brickey Rangers); K Cullinane (Passage), F Hallinan (Fourmilewater); T O’Connell (Brickey Rangers), C Keane (De La Salle, joint captain), J Booth (Colligan, joint captain); E Foley (St Molleran’s), C Treen (Abbeyside), J Twomey (De La Salle).

Subs: W Beresford (Abbeyside) for Cullinane (half time), D Walsh (Roanmore) for Browne (39), L Horgan (Ballygunner) for Foley (49), R Walsh (Abbeyside) for Keane (52), F Roche (Clonea) for Twomey (57).

Referee: C O’Regan (Cork).