Tipp Minor Footballers put Waterford to the sword

GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Phase 1 Round 2

Waterford2-3

Tipperary 3-20

Report: Liam Hogan in Lemybrien

MATCH DIGEST

SCORERS – Waterford: Billy Byrne, Liam Kiersey 1-0 each; Cathal Sweeney 0-2 (1 free); Kyle Moloney 0-1.

Tipperary: Conall Grogan 1-6 (0-6 frees); Daithi Hogan 1-3; Patrick O’Keeffe 1-0; Oisin Shelley, Charlie King, Fionn Fitzgerald (1 free) 0-2 each; Ben Carey, Tommy O’Connor, Joe Higgins, Charlie English, Darragh Landers 0-1 each.

Tipperary produced an electrifying performance when securing their second Munster Minor Football Championship win with an impressive victory over Waterford last Thursday.

A significant win as it was the first time Tipp scored back-to-back victories in the grade since 2015 and also worth noting that of the 3-20, 3-13 came from play with eleven scorers, including the six starting forwards.

There was never any doubt about the outcome except for a period when Waterford looked polished between the 11th and 18th minutes when the home side led 1-1 to 0-3 with Billy Byrne’s well-taken goal the perfect answer to three unanswered points by the visitors in the opening ten minutes.

But Tipp, who lined out without Alex McSherry and Eanna Ormond had Charlie King as the master at centre back along with Paddy O’Keeffe at midfield and there was no little time before Tipp got to grips with the game when O’Keeffe rattled the net in the 18th minute. Tipp added four unanswered points including two pointed frees by Conal Grogan with Fionn Fitzgerald’s excellent score making it 1-7 to 1-1.

Waterford changed free-taker as Cathal Sweeney took over from Jack Power (who missed two close in frees) with the former on target in the 25th minute. However, Tipp were quickly back on song as they added three more scores to head to the dressing rooms with an eight-point cushion.

The third quarter, or the championship quarter, is often muted as the time when a team stamps their win on a game and Tipperary made full use of that time period scoring 2-7 without response which included 1-5 in the first eight minutes. Midfielder Joe Higgins set the tone with a score after fourteen seconds quickly followed by a Conal Grogan free as the fleet footed Daithi Hogan (son of former Tipp senior Davy Hogan) picked up his third point.

Conal Grogan added another from a free in the 36th minute and two minutes later he scored an excellent goal after weaving past a number of despairing Waterford defenders. Oisin Shelly added a point before Hogan created magic once more this time finding space before he found the back of the net.

It was all over bar the shouting by then with Waterford barely clinging on as Seamie Wall, Adam Murray and Kyle Moloney did everything in their power to stem the tide before Darryl Harty hit their third point in the 53rd minute. Two minutes later Liam Kiersey found the net with a consolation goal.

Tipp led 3-18 to 2-3 by then and to rub salt into the wounds of the Waterford side the Tipp bench supplied two more scores with Charlie English and Darragh Landers on target to round off a perfect evening.

Overall, this was a very impressive victory and they face Clare next Thursday with the comfort of a sixteen point difference. It could be a long year for this outfit.

TEAMS - Waterford: Conor Moore; Darragh Murphy, Adam Murray, Seamie Wall; Tadgh Leane, Shane Power, Ollie Buck; Ben Lombard, Kyle Moloney; Darragh Jacob, Cathal Sweeney, Jack Power; Billy Byrne, Seanie Flavin (Capt), Darryl Harty.

Subs: Kyle Flynn for Harty (h/t); Liam Kiersey for Jacob (h/t); Fergal O’Brien for Flavin (38); Aaron Quinn for Sweeney (38).

Tipperary: Oisin O’Donoghue (Kilsheelan/Kilcash); Finn Nolan (Killenaule), Ciaran Byrne (Golden-Kilfeacle), Jamie Bergin (JK Brackens); Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore/Castleiney), Charlie King (Ballina, Capt), Thomas Charles (Clonmel Commercials); Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials); Patrick O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers); Oisin Shelly (Killenaule), Tommy O’Connor (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Ben Carey (Ballylooby/Castlegrace); Conall Grogan (Galtee Rovers), Daithi Hogan (St Patricks), Fionn Fitzgerald (Killenaule).

Subs: Charlie English (Ballyporeen) for Carey (42); Cillian McNamara (Clonmel Commercials) for Higgins (48); Darragh Landers (Clonmel Commercials) for Grogan (50); Dylan Fogarty (Boherlahan-Dualla) for Hogan (58); Cillian McNamara (Clonmel Commercials) for Shelly (58).

Referee: Patrick O’Driscoll (Cork)