Tipperary comfortably advance to Munster semi-final after win over Waterford

Munster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

WATERFORD  1-8  TIPPERARY 2-13

Tipperary footballers are through to a Munster semi-final after a 2-13 to 1-8 victory over Waterford at Fraher Field, Dungarvan, this evening. In what was a disappointing game of football overall the visitors were much the better side throughout and fully deserving of advancing, the game well over as a contest before the final whistle.

After going in at the break leading by 1-8 to 1-2, Tipperary, with the exception of a few minutes after the restart, had much the better of the second period and once the second goal arrived in the 48th minute, they were home and hosed.

That second goal was the highlight of the game, scored by the returning Steven O’Brien. Having come on in the 43rd minute, the towering midfielder took a pass under the stand about 50 metres from goal and cut through on a solo run before blasting home to put Tipp 2-9 to 1-5 in the clear.

Thereafter there was no way back from Waterford who had held Tipperary to a draw in the league opener in January. This time however there was a big difference and even with fielding seven championship debutants on the night Tipp never looked likely to go down to a shock defeat.

Overall there were some decent displays from Tipperary with Conor Sweeney ably assisted in the scoring stakes by Mikey O’Shea and Sean O’Connor.

In midfield the Kennedy brothers were prominent while in defence the likes of Sean O’Connell, Willie Eviston, Colm O’Shaughnessy and Jack Harney did well.

Tipperary had started slowly and found themselves 1-1 to 0-0 in arrears after just four and a half minutes. After Dermot Ryan had kicked them ahead in the third minute, the home side were awarded a penalty when James Walsh was fouled at the end of a promising move. Up stepped Jason Curry with an excellently struck spot kick and Waterford were four points up and ready to give visitors a run for their money.

It took Tipp until the seventh minute to get on the scoreboard, a fine point from 35 metres out by Jack Kennedy. Two frees from Conor Sweeney followed, Tipp putting excellent pressure on the Waterford kick-outs with Conal Kennedy fielding superbly.

In the 11th minute Waterford replied with a Jason Curry free which turned out to be their last score of the opening half - failing to raise a flag over the next 25 minutes or so.

Slowly Tipperary began to assert themselves and a super point by corner-forward Sean O’Connor had it back to a one point game after 15 minutes. 

Parity was restored in the 24th minute when a lovely flowing movement linking Bill Maher, Kevin Fahey and the two Kennedys saw Jack kick his second point of the game to level matters at 1-2 to 0-5. That action was to be Bill Maher’s last of the game, the Kilsheelan/Kilcash man pulling up with a hamstring injury.

Conor Sweeney scores Tipperary's first half penalty sending the ball low to the bottom left corner.

The game’s second penalty came the way of Tipperary in the 26th minute. A counter attack saw Colm O’Shaughnessy feed Sean O’Connor with a delicate pass into space and when the Commercials man was fouled by Michael Kiely, up stepped Sweeney with a trademark penalty sending Paudie Hunt the wrong way.

With the pressure somewhat off the visitors, debutant Mikey O’Shea added two points within two minutes to stretch the lead, the second briefly a goal chance but the Mullinahone clubman wisely opted for the safer flag to make it to make 1-7 to 1-2 after 31 minutes.

The final score of the first half was another free by Conor Sweeney won by the hard-work of attacking wing-back Jack Harney.

Tipp were full value at 1-8 to 1-2 at half-time and seemingly well on their way to a Munster semi-final.

TIPPERARY:

Michael O'Reilly (Clonmel Commercials), Shane O'Connell (Golden Kilfeacle), Jimmy Feehan (Killenaule), Willie Eviston (Loughmore Castleiney), Kevin Fahey (Clonmel Commercials), Colm O'Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan), Jack Harney (Moyle Rovers), Conal Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials), Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials, 0-2), Bill Maher (Kilsheelan Kilcash), Mikey O'Shea (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone, 0-3), Martin Kehoe (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone), Teddy Doyle (Ballina), Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen, capt., 1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-2F), Sean O'Connor (Clonmel Commercials, 0-4, 0-1F)).

Subs: Eanna McBride for Maher (inj. 24 mins); Steven O’Brien (Ballina, 1-0) for Fahey (inj., 43 mins); Liam McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney) for Kehoe (60); Tommy Maher (Loughmore/Castleiny)  for O’Shea (65 mins); Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers) for J. Kennedy (70)

Unused subs: Kuba Beben (JK Brackens), Dean Carew (Upperchurch Drombane), Jason Lonergan (Clonmel Commercials), Sean O'Connell (Loughmore Castleiney), Mark O'Meara (Grangemockler Ballyneale).

WATERFORD:

Paudie Hunt (Rathgormack), Michael Kiely (Dungarvan), Darach Ó Cathasaigh (An Rinn), Brian Looby (Ballinacourty), Dermot Ryan (The Nire, 0-2), David Hallihan (Kilmacthomas), Jordan O'Sullivan (Portlaw), Michael Curry (Rathgormack), Jason Curry (Rathgormack, 1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-4F), Brian Lynch (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg), Stephen Curry (Rathgormack), Conor Murray (Rathgormack, 0-2), James Walsh (Modeligo), Tom O'Connell (Brickey Rangers), Darragh Corcoran (St Saviour's).

Subs: Tholom Guiry (The Nire) for M. Curry (half-time); Jack Keane (Ardmore) for S. Curry (59 mins); Jack Flavin (St Saviour's) for Walsh (70 mins).

Unused subs: Aaron Beresford (Ballinacourty), Rian Reddy (Modeligo), Conor Ó Corráin (An Rinn),  Sean Boyce (The Nire), Gareth Duffy (St Saviour's), Aaron Jones (Gaultier), Craig Burke (Tramore).

Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois).