Tipp Minors stay perfect with win over Waterford

GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 5

Waterford 1-17

Tipperary 3-17

Report: Michael McCarthy at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Josh Moroney (Tipperary)

SCORERS - Waterford: Dylan Murphy 0-7 frees; Cian Delaney 1-3; Jack O’Sullivan 0-2; Adrian Cummins, Emmet Walsh, Michael Moloney, Dara Sullivan, Donncha Flannery 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Josh Moroney 1-5 (0-3 frees); Rian McGrath 2-1; Ollie Roche 0-5 (4 frees); John O’Meara 0-3; Colm Ryan, Eanna Tucker, Seán Burke 0-1 each.

Tipperary were made battle all the way by a determined Waterford side before eventually pulling clear late on to secure victory in this Munster Minor Hurling Championship round encounter in Dungarvan on Friday evening.

With Tipp already through to the Munster Final, manager James Woodlock made six changes from the side that defeated Limerick.

The home side were ahead inside thirty seconds when centre-forward Jack O’Sullivan opened the scoring. Tipp responded through John O’Meara before Dylan Murphy restored the Déise advantage from a placed ball.

Two Ollie Roche frees edged Tipp in front after ten minutes, but the opening half remained finely balanced throughout the second quarter. Murphy and Donncha Flannery pointed for Waterford before Rian McGrath levelled matters again on fifteen minutes.

Scores were traded by Seán Burke and Darragh O’Sullivan before the key moment of the half arrived on eighteen minutes. A slick Tipperary move carved open the Waterford defence and Rian McGrath finished emphatically to the net to push the Premier into a 1-5 to 0-5 lead.

That goal gave Tipp real momentum. Points from Eanna Tucker, Josh Moroney, O’Meara and Colm Ryan stretched the margin to seven points as the Premier began to dominate around the middle third.

Waterford responded before the breakthrough Michael Moloney and Cian Delaney, who combined for 1-1 to keep the home side in touch. However, Moroney surged forward to split the posts in stoppage time and send Tipp in leading 1-11 to 1-6 at halftime.

Tactically, Tipperary adopted an interesting approach to Waterford puck outs, dropping players back towards the ‘65 before springing an aggressive press. It yielded several turnovers during the half, while Waterford also struggled with accuracy at the river end, shooting seven wides before the interval.

The second half proved a much tighter and scrappier affair for long periods, with Waterford constantly threatening a comeback. Ollie Roche extended the lead to before Emmet Walsh responded with a point from play, but Tipp immediately responded through another excellent John O’Meara score to maintain their cushion.

Waterford then began to build sustained pressure. Jack O’Sullivan, Adam Cummins, and Cian Delaney all found their range as the Déise slowly chipped away at the deficit. Dylan Murphy continued to punish Tipp from placed balls and when he converted another free, the margin was back to just two points as momentum swung towards the home side.

Josh Moroney steadied Tipperary nerves with a pointed free on 41 minutes before Tipp introduced KJ Dunne in place of Conor Kennedy. The Toomevara substitute made an instant impact, bursting down the sideline on a powerful run that nearly resulted in a goal. Although the initial shot was brilliantly saved, referee Niall Fahy pulled play back for a free which Ollie Roche converted to restore a four-point advantage.

Again, Waterford responded impressively. Dylan Murphy and Cian Delaney pointed to leave the minimum between the teams once more before the game’s defining score arrived. Rian McGrath, already with one goal to his name, struck for a second major after rifling emphatically to the Waterford net to push Tipp five clear entering the closing stages.

Even then Waterford refused to fold. Two Murphy frees reduced the deficit to three before Josh Moroney answered from another placed ball. Cian Delaney and Ollie Roche exchanged late scores, while Murphy converted yet another free to leave only three between them deep into injury time.

The contest was finally settled in the dying moments when Josh Moroney blasted home a late Tipp goal, putting a deserved gloss on the scoreboard and sealing a six-point win for the Premier.

Credit must go to Waterford though, who stayed in touch throughout and ensured the outcome remained in doubt right to the closing minutes.

Tipperary now head to a Munster final unbeaten through the round robin with four wins from four. They will meet a resurgent Limerick team who had nine points to spare over Cork.

TEAMS – Waterford: Mikey Ware; Luke Fitzgerald, Darragh Murphy, Dara Sullivan; Jack Walsh, Andrew Power, Emmet Walsh; Stephen Coffey, Adam Cummins; Cian Delaney, Jack O’Sullivan, Michael Moloney; Calum Crowley, Dylan Murphy, Donncha Flannery.

Subs: Jack Mullally for Coffey (HT); Ryan Molumphy for Moloney (48); Ferdia Geoghan for O’Sullivan (54).

Tipperary: Eoin Connolly (Carrick Swans); Ciarán O’Mahoney (Thurles Sarsfields), Colm Ryan (Newport), Conor Collins (Galtee Rovers, Capt); Ciaran Gantley (Cappawhite), James Finn (Golden Kilfeacle), Conor Tobin (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone); Ben Roche (Kilsheelan/Kilcash), Éanna Tucker (Nenagh Éire Óg); Conor Kennedy (Clonoulty/Rossmore), John O'Meara (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone), Josh Moroney (Ballina); Ollie Roche (Newport), Rian McGrath (Kiladangan), Sean Burke (JK Brackens).

Subs: KJ Dunne (Toomevara) for Kennedy (44); Ben Fuller (St Mary’s) for Roche (48); Adam Norton (Gortnahoe/Glengoole) for Tucker (490; Oisín Pearl (Lattin Cullen) for McGrath (54), Enda Condon (St Mary’s) for Finn (57).

Referee: Niall Fahy (Cork).