Tipp Greats roll back the years with an opening victory over Galway in Masters Hurling

All Ireland Masters Hurling 2024 - Round 1

Tipperary 1-23 

Galway 0-18

By Michael McCarthy

Masters hurling returned in 2024 on a good sod in Killimor on Sunday evening and Redser O'Grady’s Tipperary lined up with a lot of familiar names in their panel and secured a fine victory in a keenly contested championship opener. 

Galway were quick out of the blocks and looked to attack Tipp from the throw in. They registered the first score from a free just 30 seconds into the game through captain David McDonough. A minute later Tom Costello set the tone with a fair but bone crunching tackle that had the Galway man needing treatment and gasping for air. 

Tipp duly responded and a long delivery from Tom King into the full forward line saw John Devane and Ian Daniels wrestle for the ball. A one-handed pull from Devane found its way to the net and Tipp were up and running. 

The exchanges were keen and neither side were giving an inch. Willie Mulraney had a raking score for the westerners, as he roared ‘Up Galway,’ from deep. Eoin Brislane, who turned out to be a revelation in the goal, arrowed a puckout to the lively Lar Corbett in Midfield and Corbett made no mistake. 

Three quick Galway scores had them back in front before John Devane got a point following clever work from Paddy Julian. This started a period of dominance for the blue and gold who had Corbett pulling all the strings from midfield as Galway struggled to get to grips with him. 

A couple of exchanges with Eoin Kelly were a joy to behold showing class is permanent. A delightful move in the tenth minute that started with Costello feeding Benny Dunne whose pinpoint pass was picked up by Eoin Kelly who in turn fed Corbett for the best point of the game. Tipp led 1-05 to 0-04. 

Conor O’Mahony came to centre back in a switch with Paul Curran, he thundered into the game and along with wing-backs Benny Dunne and Tom King Tipp had a great platform. Fr. Vinny Stapleton was picking up a world of ball around the middle and used it intelligently and scoring a good point to boot. 

Tipp rang the changes in the roll on roll off system to freshen things up and it paid immediate dividends with brothers Paddy and John O’Brien and Tommy Connors getting on the scoresheet. Noel ‘Rusty’ Qualter was on for Galway and grabbed his first of four points on the day on 20 mins. The remaining ten minutes of the half belonged to Tipp and five unanswered points set Tipp up well going in at the break seven to the good. 1-15 to 0-11. 

Galway needed a quick start on the turnaround, but it was John O’Brien who extended Tipp’s lead to eight. The westerners woke up and Fergal Healy came more into the game. 

Tipp would fail to score for the next 15 minutes as Galway scored five unanswered of their own through Healy, Qualter and a brace of David McDonough frees. The game was finely poised with just John Devane’s goal separating the sides but with the pressure on, up stepped Eoin Kelly who hit three of the next four points for Tipp. In an inspired move the Bainisteoir ‘Redser’ brought himself on and struck for a point immediately. 

Galway were searching for goals but the full-back line of Tom Costello, Paul Curran and the impressive Matthew Stapleton held firm. 

A McDonogh free- and long-range point from Martin Kelly was all they could muster in the last ten minutes. A second Redser point and an Eoin Kelly free rounded out the scoring as Tipp led by eight at Joe Mullins' long whistle. 

Tipp were the better side overall although Galway did have periods of dominance. Brislane orchestrated from the goal and his puckouts were excellent. Costello set the tone with the shoulder early in the game while Curran and Stapleton were solid throughout, although Rusty Qualter would finish the game with four from play. 

Tom King was the pick of the half line, the industrious Vinny Stapleton was the pick of the midfielders while Paddy Julian ably assisted after Corbett went off injured in the first half and did not return. Tipp had lots of class in the forwards with Kelly, Devane and the Toomevara trio of the O'Brien’s and Paul McGrath very busy. 

Tommy Connors made an impact from the bench also scoring two points. Liam Donoghue had a useful outing in goals for Galway while Willie Mulraney was the pick of the defenders, Healy and Qualter were the best up front. 

Tipps Management of Redser, Michael Tierney and Declan Maher will be delighted with the start and the response from the Tipp over 40s, and the win will stand them in good stead for the upcoming games. 

Redser thanked the players after for their efforts and offered a man of the match ball to Eoin Brislane, this writer would have given it to Vinny Stapleton, but I want to stay on the right side of the lord. 

Interestingly Tipp had a fox in the henhouse with Eire Óg Annacarty’s Damien O’Brien lining out for Galway. Only for a scheduling conflict with a West Tipp junior B game he could have been lining out against brother Ronan. 

Tipp travel to Kildare next Saturday for round 2. 

Tipperary: Eoin Brislane (Toomevara, 0-1f); Tom Costello (Cappawhite), Conor O’Mahony (Newport), Matthew Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh); Benny Dunne (Toomevara, 0-1), Paul Curran (Mullinahone), Tom King (Loughmore Castleiney); Lar Corbett (Thurles Sarsfields, 0-3), Vinny Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh, 0-2); Sean Quirke (Silvermines), Eoin Kelly (Mullinahone, 0-7, 0-5f), Shane Stapleton (Golden Kilfeacle); Nigel Kenny (Gortnahoe Glengoole), John Devane (Clonoulty Rossmore, 1-1), Paddy Julian (Cappawhite). 

Panel (All used): John O’Brien (Toomevara, 0-2); Paddy O’Brien (Toomevara, 0-2); Tommy Connors (Kiladangan, 0-2); Paul Kelly (Mullinahone); Brian Darcy (Nenagh Éire Óg); Paul McGrath (Toomevara); Ger ‘Redser’ O’Grady (Thurles Sarsfields, 0-2). 

Galway: Liam Donoghue; Darragh O’Connomaire, Ian Daniels, Paul Parker; Willie Mulraney (0-2), Declan McEvoy, Sean King; Martin McGrath, Martin Kelly (0-1); Colm Connaughton, Emmett Caulfield, Fergal Healy (0-4, 0-2f); Cyrill Murray, Ciaran Rafferty, David McDonough (0-5f). 

Panel (All used): Declan Molloy; Joe Kennedy; Noel Qualter (0-4); Dermot Dunne (0-1); Seamus Kyne; Francis Larkin; Patrick Carr; Damien O’Brien; Kevin Callanan; Mark Folan (0-1).

Referee: Joe Mullins (Limerick)