Tipp erase half time deficit to beat Waterford

GAA: Allianz National Hurling League Division 1A Round 6

Waterford 1-23

Tipperary 2-24

Report: Stephen Barry at Azzurri Walsh Park

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: John McGrath (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Waterford: Reuben Halloran 0-8 (6 frees, 1 65); Dessie Hutchinson 0-5; Seán Walsh 1-1; Shane Bennett 0-4; Mark Fitzgerald, Seán Mackey, Darragh Lyons, Jack Prendergast, Peter Hogan 0-1 each.

Tipperary: John McGrath 1-4; Jason Forde 0-6 (5 frees); Stefan Tobin 0-4; Gearóid O’Connor 1-0; Eoghan Connolly (1 65, 1 free), Jake Morris, Darragh McCarthy (2 frees), Andrew Ormond 0-2 each; Conor Stakelum, Oisín O’Donoghue 0-1 each.

Tipperary secured their top-tier status in the National Hurling League by overturning an eight-point half-time deficit against Waterford on Sunday.

The Premier looked in a spot of bother when trailing by 1-17 to 1-7 heading into first-half stoppage time, but they pulled back a pair before the break and won the second period by 1-15 to 0-6.

Hurler of the Year John McGrath gained man-of-the-match honours on his first start of 2026, bagging 1-4, while half-time substitute Gearóid O’Connor notched the other goal. First-time starter Stefan Tobin was a major positive as the Carrick Swan teenager contributed 0-4.

The entire Waterford panel lined up arm-in-arm along the sideline for a pre-match minute’s silence in memory of Benny Kiely, father of Waterford forward Michael, whose passing saw this match postponed from the previous Sunday.

There were two late changes to the Tipp team with McGrath replacing his brother, Noel, and Michael Breen in for Darragh McCarthy. McCarthy’s older brother, Kevin, made his league debut.

In an unexpected move, Oisín O’Donoghue lined out at wing-back with Joe Caesar pushed up to the half-forwards.

The Déise dominated the middle third from the outset, swamping Tipp’s attempts to pass through the lines and creating space to exploit at the far end.

After pocketing his second Club Hurler of the Year award at Croke Park on Friday, Dessie Hutchinson got off to a flier with two early points. He had five by the interval.

Shane Bennett broke forward into those pockets of space from wing-back. While also keeping an eye on Jake Morris, the Ballysaggart clubman clipped four points. Crucially, neither would score again after the break.

Bennett’s first made it 0-5 to nil after eight minutes. Jason Forde poached Tipp’s opener but Hutchinson mined an instant response. As the rain clouds opened to clear a large swathe of the uncovered stand, Morris and a free won and scored by Forde made it 0-7 to 0-3.

A flowing puck-out move was finished after a Bennett one-two and Reuben Halloran further extended the hosts’ advantage.

Tipp got a foothold with a 1-1 from McGrath. The 22nd-minute goal originated from a poorly struck Morris wide. Billy Nolan’s short puck-out wasn’t gathered by Ian Kenny, under pressure from Morris, and the Loughmore/Castleiney star swept in to bounce the sliotar inside the near post for 0-10 to 1-4.

A Forde free cut the gap to two, but within the next five minutes, Waterford reeled off 1-4 without reply. As the rain turned to sunshine, Seán Walsh’s 24th-minute goal provided the spark. He caught Nolan’s monster puck-out on the opposite 21 and tucked past the advancing Rhys Shelly.

Liam Cahill called Kevin McCarthy ashore, while Peter Hogan limped off for Waterford as the Déise strung together points from Bennett, Darragh Lyons, a Halloran free, and Mark Fitzgerald.

Tobin and Forde got Tipp back up and running, but when Bennett and Hutchinson completed their first-half tallies, Waterford led by 10. Early substitute Andrew Ormond and Tobin lightened the load by nicking back a pair before the half-time whistle to trail 1-17 to 1-9.

Tipp channelled that hint of momentum into a four-point streak on the resumption. Tobin tacked on another pair, while Conor Stakelum and Eoghan Connolly, after McGrath forced a 65, found their range.

After a Halloran free, Tipp pulled back another trio via McGrath, Connolly, and Morris. They also had a sequence of goal openings, which Craig Morgan and Tobin couldn’t catch hold of.

Waterford were clutching onto their two-point lead as Walsh and Halloran traded scores with Forde and McGrath.

They lost their advantage in the 58th minute. McGrath flicked the sliotar into Morris’s path and the vice-captain surged through a couple of tackles before laying off for O’Connor to slip an acute shot to the net.

Tipp led 2-18 to 1-20 and although Halloran twice levelled, either side of a Forde free, the Premier forged clear from the 65th minute onwards.

Bryan O’Mara came up with a vital defensive intervention to negate a Walsh goal chance before O’Donoghue, Ormond and McGrath provided a three-point cushion.

Halloran nailed a 65 and Darragh McCarthy rounded out the scoring with two late frees. Tipp did get a fright in between when Hutchinson’s pass across goal was swiped away by Darragh Stakelum.

TEAMS – Waterford: Billy Nolan; Aaron O’Neill, Mark Fitzgerald, Ian Kenny; Shane Bennett, Paddy Leavey, Tadhg de Búrca; Seán Mackey, Darragh Lyons; Peter Hogan, Jamie Barron, Reuben Halloran; Jack Prendergast, Seán Walsh, Dessie Hutchinson.

Subs: Calum Lyons for Hogan (28, inj); Michael Kiely for Mackey (56); Jack Fagan for D Lyons (58); Brian Lynch for Bennett (66, inj).

Tipperary: Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris); Robert Doyle (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields, Capt), Michael Breen (Ballina); Oisín O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs), Bryan O’Mara (Holycross/Ballycahill), Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs); Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields); Joe Caesar (Holycross/Ballycahill), Kevin McCarthy (Toomevara), Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg); John McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney), Jason Forde (Silvermines), Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan).

Subs: Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens) for McCarthy (25); Gearóid O’Connor (Moyne/Templetuohy) for Caesar (HT); Darragh Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields) for Morgan (48); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara) for Forde (65); Seán Kenneally (Moneygall) for Tobin (70+2).

Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin).