O’Connor hat-trick inspires Tipp to victory over Waterford

GAA: Allianz National Football League Division 4 Round 7

Tipperary 4-1-17 (31)

Waterford 0-3-12 (18)

Report: Stephen Barry at FBD Semple Stadium

Photos: Bridget Delaney

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Seán O’Connor (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Seán O’Connor 3-4 (1-0 pen, 1x2play, 0-2 frees); Cian Smith 0-7 (2 frees); Joe Higgins 1-0; Paudie Feehan, Daithí Hogan, Mark Russell 0-2 each; James Morris, Charlie King 0-1 each.

Waterford: Simon Burns (2x2frees), Conor Murray (2play) 0-4 each; Stephen Curry 0-3 (1 free); Dermot Ryan, Adam Murray 0-2 each; Michael O’Brien (free), Liam Mulligan, Alan Dunwoody 0-1 each.

Seán O’Connor bagged 3-4 as Tipperary closed out their league campaign with a 13-point cruise past Waterford on Sunday.

The Premier had entered as the joint lowest goal-scorers in the league, alongside Armagh on three. They put that stat right with three first-half goals before O’Connor completed his hat-trick towards the end. Cian Smith also had a strong showing with five from play in a 0-7 tally.

Promotion was never on the cards as Longford’s comeback win over Wicklow saw Tipp bumped down from third to fifth in the final standings.

Manager Niall Fitzgerald made two changes from their disappointing Wicklow defeat. Recent Tipp hurling panellist Paddy Creedon replaced Steven O’Brien, who pulled up during the warm-up with Micheál Freaney swapping in for Mark Stokes, who was ill. Kieran Costello dropped from the forwards into the half-back line.

The hosts opened with an unanswered 1-4 streak. Two Manus McFadden turnovers led to Daithí Hogan and Smith points. In between, James Morris surged forward for a counter-attack score.

In the fifth minute, Paudie Feehan had a goal chance blocked by Dermot Ryan. When Liam Mulligan picked the ball off the ground, referee David Murnane awarded a penalty. Sean O’Connor’s emphatic finish sent Burns the wrong way. Smith completed the scoring burst.

Waterford’s late call-ups kicked 0-4 in response. Captain Conor Murray scored off right and left before young goalkeeper Simon Burns landed an orange-flag free.

The sides shared the next ten points. A flowing kick-passing move involving the full-forward line found Paudie Feehan close to goal. With no avenue to take on the keeper, he handpassed over. Feehan then added a lovely left-footed curler. Stephen Curry replied each time.

Daithi Hogan probed for another goal when spinning through a high tackle. His shot flashed over and was soon cancelled out by Ryan.

When Hogan’s next shot was blocked by Mulligan, Tipp recycled for O’Connor, playing with advantage, to slot a two-pointer for a 1-9 to 0-7 lead. After a clumsy Feehan foul, Burns trotted up field to dispatch a two-point reply from a free.

A misfired Burns kick-out presented Tipp with their fourth goal opening. O’Connor and Eoin Craddock hesitated, with the latter perhaps better placed to pull the trigger than give the extra pass to Daithi Hogan. The corner-forward’s palmed effort was taken off the line by Billy Hynes. Alan Dunwoody cut the gap to two approaching half-time.

Tipp had strung together a couple of sloppy wides. They would score the final 2-2 from four shots before the break. From a Jack Harney intercept, Cian Smith ferried the ball forward for Joe Higgins to notch his first senior inter-county score by lashing an instinctive 14-yard dart to the bottom corner.

Waterford appeared to have an instant response when Mulligan turned in Adam Crawford’s low shot, but Murnane ruled it out for a square ball.

Tipp countered for a Cian Smith point and added a goal from the kick-out with the charging Feehan releasing O’Connor, who survived a jersey pull to finish low. Charlie King’s point made it double scores, 3-11 to 0-10, at half-time.

Waterford’s protests in the tunnel over that square ball call saw referee Murnane restart the second half with a 14-yard free, tapped over by O’Connor. Tipp blocked down the next three Waterford attacks via Harney, McFadden, and Feehan. Tipp countered from the latter for a fisted point by Cian Smith.

Otherwise, the second half was played at a pedestrian pace as both sides went through the motions. A fine Ryan point was wiped out by an O’Connor free, after good work by Eoin O’Connell and Freaney.

Adam Murray’s outside-of-the-boot effort was handed back after a three-up breach, with Cian Smith tapping over. Michael O’Brien (free) and Curry put together back-to-back points for the away side.

Tipp rattled off the next 1-2. Morris teed up Smith before substitute Mark Russell had a point tipped over the bar. Having dispossessed Waterford around the middle, Sean O’Connor completed his hat-trick in the 63rd minute after a slick interchange with Emmet Moloney for 4-17 to 0-14.

Conor Murray responded with a huge two-pointer before Russell swung over a stylish curler from millimetres inside the arc.

Adam Murray and Mulligan tacked on stoppage-time points before Cian Smith landed his seventh with the final act.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Shane Garland (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 6); Eoin O’Connell (Loughmore/Castleiney 6), Jack Harney (Moyle Rovers 7), Manus McFadden (Grangemockler/Ballyneale 8); Kieran Costello (Thurles Sarsfields 6), James Morris (Clonmel Commercials 7), Charlie King (Ballina 6); Joe Higgins (Clonmel Commercials 8), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule, Capt 7); Eoin Craddock (Holycross/Ballycahill 6), Paddy Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Micheál Freaney (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 6); Cian Smith (Clonmel Commercials 8), Seán O’Connor (Clonmel Commercials 9), Daithí Hogan (St Patrick’s 7).

Subs: Killian Butler (Moyle Rovers 6) for Freaney (50); Emmet Moloney (Portlaoise 7) for Craddock (50); Mark Russell (Aherlow 7) for Creedon (50); Robbie McGrath (Galtee Rovers 6) for Garland (57); Paddy O’Keeffe (Moyle Rovers 6) for O’Connor (65).

Waterford: Simon Burns (7); Tommy Martin (6), Billy Hynes (6), Conor Ó Cuirrín (5); Glen Power (6), Caoimhín Walsh (6), Adam Crawford (7); Michael Curry (6), Michael O’Brien (7); Conor Murray (Capt 8), Dermot Ryan (7), Liam Mulligan (6); Alan Dunwoody (6), Stephen Curry (6), Adam Murray (7).

Subs: Aaron Ryan (6) for Dunwoody (41); David Butler (6) for Walsh (61); Cian Kiely (6) for Crawford (65); Conor Keating (6) for S Curry (67).

Referee: David Murnane (Cork).