Tipp ease past disappointing Galway to book return to Croker

GAA: All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Tipperary1-28

Galway 2-17

Report: Shane Brophy at TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Photos: Bridget Delaney

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Rhys Shelly (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Jason Forde 0-7 (2 s-cuts, 1 free); Andrew Ormond, Jake Morris 0-5 each; Darragh McCarthy (frees), John McGrath 0-3 each; Darragh Stakelum 0-2; Oisin O’Donoghue 1-0; Willie Connors, Sam O’Farrell, Noel McGrath 0-1 each.

Galway: Cathal Mannion 0-13 (9 frees, 2 ‘65s); Colm Molloy, Declan McLoughlin 1-0; each; Tom Monaghan 0-2; Conor Whelan, Conor Cooney 0-1 each.

Tipperary qualified for a first All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-final since 2019 after comfortable overcoming a disappointing Galway challenge in a quarter final that failed to spark on Saturday evening.

The Premier County won’t mind that one bit and it sets up a semi-final against Kilkenny, with the Limerick venue buzzing as word filtered through beforehand that Limerick had been dumped out by Dublin.

Tipperary manager Liam Cahill made three changes to the side that defeated Laois with Eoghan Connolly and Jake Morris making their expected return but there was a surprise first start for Peter McGarry in the middle of the field, with Seamus Kennedy, Joe Caesar and Alan Tynan starting from the bench.

Galway made five changes from the Leinster final loss to Kilkenny with Darach Fahy returning in goals with Darren Morrissey starting at corner back. They also made three late changes before throw-in with Conor Cooney, Ronan Glennon and Colm Molloy all drafted in.

They started off well enough with Cathal Mannion pointing three times inside six minutes but already Tipp’s scores were coming a little easier with Jake Morris, Jason Forde and Andrew Ormond quickly into their rhythm, the trio contributing fourteen points from play between them.

Tipp eased 0-7 to 0-3 ahead on eleven minutes and it could have been more, but Andrew Ormond was denied by Darach Fahy. Galway created their own problems with short passing out of defence not accurate enough and Tipp punished them with Sam O’Farrell’s point on 21 minutes seeing all Tipp’s forwards on the scoresheet, with John McGrath scoring twice and Darragh McCarthy with a free.

Tipp’s lead grew to seven and a couple of Mannion frees gave Galway some life approaching half time and it could have been more but for a super save from Rhys Shelly to deny Kevin Cooney as Tipp led 0-16 to 0-11 at the break.

The threatened Galway response didn’t materialize, not helped by their lack of sharpness as Tipp’s defence was open at times but their latch ditch tackling was superb. However, Tipp were far from their fluent best either and a Colm Molloy goal on 40 minutes brought the deficit back to two.

Game on it appeared, but Tipp’s response was excellent, reeling off six points without reply to take firm command with sub Darragh Stakelum getting on the scoresheet while Darach Fahy made a superb double save from Morris and Stakelum before Willie Connors added his name to the scoresheet from the clearance.

Tipp finally killed off the contest in the 59th minute with a flowing move with pinpoint deliveries by Connors, to sub Noel McGrath, to fellow sub Oisin O’Donoghue and the under 20 scored his second goal of the championship.

Tipp were sloppy in the closing stages, Galway getting in for numerous goal chances, with good scramble defending and an alert Rhys Shelly before he was finally beaten by Declan McLoughlin who scored a consolation goal in added time but Tipp were already thinking about Croke Park at that stage.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris); Michael Breen (Ballina), Robert Doyle (Clonoulty/Rossmore); Bryan O’Mara (Holycross/Ballycahill); Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs), Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields, Capt); Willie Connors (Kiladangan), Peter McGarry (St Mary’s); Jake Morris (Nenagh Eire Og), Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens), Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara), John McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney), Jason Forde (Silvermines).

Subs: Darragh Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields) for McGarry (HT); Noel McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney) for J McGrath (48); Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs) for McCarthy (51); Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields) for O’Farrell (59); Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s) for Connors (66).

Galway: Darach Fahy; Padraic Mannion, Daithi Burke, Darren Morrissey; Cianan Fahy, Gavin Lee, Sean Linnane; Ronan Glennon, David Burke; Kevin Cooney, Conor Cooney, Colm Molloy; Cathal Mannion, Brian Concannon, Conor Whelan.

Subs: TJ Brennan for Linnane (HT); Tom Monaghan for David Burke (50); Declan McLoughlin for C Cooney (51); Tiernan Killeen for K Cooney (58); Rory Burke for Glennon (66)

Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)