Fortunate Tipp U20 hurlers edge out Waterford

GAA: Fulfil Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 2

Waterford 0-15

Tipperary 0-16

Report: Stephen Barry

at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Cormac Fitzpatrick (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Waterford: Davy Comerford 0-6 frees; Mark Hartley (1 free), Conor Tobin 0-3 each; Gearóid O’Shea 0-2; Shane Power 0-1.

Tipperary: Cormac Fitzpatrick 0-9 (6 frees, 1 65); Jamie Ormond, Stefan Tobin 0-2 each; Shane Cleary, Oisín O’Donoghue, David Costigan 0-1 each.

Mark Hartley missed a last-gasp levelling free as Tipperary were let out of jail to beat Waterford for the eighth year in a row in round 2 of the Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship on Wednesday evening.

The Déise were also left to regret Davy Comerford’s 42nd minute penalty, which was well saved by Paddy McCormack, when they could’ve moved four points to the good.

The hosts’ winless streak extends to fifteen games at this grade, while the All-Ireland champions thoroughly rode their luck to escape with a second successive narrow triumph.

Having scored 0-11 into the wind, they scored just 0-5 with it in a cautious and error-strewn second half. Crucially, they also held Waterford to 0-5 in that period and squeaked through a sin-bin spell with fourteen men by 0-2 to 0-1, after Euan Murray was sent from the field for ten minutes.

Backed by the wind, the Déise got off to a fast start with the first three points via a Gearóid O’Shea brace and Shane Power.

Tipp responded in kind to level by the eighth minute. Top-scorer Cormac Fitzpatrick’s brilliant catch allowed him to arrow over and he added a free after Jamie Ormond had got off the mark.

Late call-up Conor Tobin began to shine by evading Cathal O’Reilly for a brace. His namesake, Stefan Tobin, pulled one back at the other end. Davy Comerford and Fitzpatrick split the next four points from frees.

The latter Fitzpatrick conversion sparked a four-point streak. David Costigan and Ormond found space to exploit before the score of the day. It involved two pinpoint cross field passes, from Ormond on the left flank to Fitzpatrick on the right and back to Stefan Tobin out the left again, steering around the spare home defenders for the Carrick Swan clubman to finish for 0-9 to 0-7.

Hartley got one back before Oisín O’Donoghue was fouled for a fourth time, resulting in a Conor Lynch yellow card and another Fitzpatrick pointed free. Tipp coughed up a couple of frees of their own as Waterford drew level through two Davy Comerford points.

Joint-captain James Comerford kept them in touch at half-time. Ormond magicked up a shot towards the top corner, which the keeper managed to reach up with his hurley and divert around the post. Fitzpatrick pointed the 65 for a 0-11 to 0-10 half-time lead.

Tipp turned to play with the wind, except they didn’t produce anything at all for the first fourteen minutes of the half. Instead, Hartley and Davy Comerford’s free restored Waterford into the lead. Meanwhile, Tipp showered two shots wide, one short, and one blocked.

They soon could’ve fallen four behind. James Comerford launched long for Jack Power to grab. He rumbled towards goal and was fouled crossing the 21. Ciarán O’Regan deemed Euan Murray’s transgression, swinging over Power’s right shoulder, as careless use of the hurley and brandished a black card. Davy Comerford stepped up, but his low shot was stopped by McCormack’s boot.

Waterford wouldn’t score for the first eight minutes with the extra man. Instead, Fitzpatrick won and converted a free before O’Donoghue claimed a puck-out and slung over the lead score. Davy Comerford’s free levelled at 0-13 apiece before Murray’s return.

Conor Tobin’s third point gave Waterford the lead in the 54th minute and when O’Donoghue struck the post with a routine effort, it looked like it mightn’t be Tipp’s day.

But the Premier carved out the next three points via Shane Cleary and Fitzpatrick’s brace, taking his tally to 0-9, to overtake into a 0-16 to 0-14 lead.

It still might not have been enough. Jack Power won another high ball heading for goal and was bowled over by the retreating Tiarnán Ryan. O’Regan opted for a free, which Hartley slotted. In the last-ditch scramble for a leveller, Bradley Penkert was fouled, but the Ballygunner free-taker misfired from 55 metres with the final puck.

TEAMS – Waterford: James Comerford (Joint-capt); Fiacra Cooney, Conor Lynch, Tomás Ahern; Bradley Penkert, Joe McDonnell, Cathal O’Sullivan (Joint-capt); Hugo Quann, Paddy Spelman; Davy Comerford, Seán Mackey, Shane Power; Gearóid O’Shea, Conor Tobin, Mark Hartley.

Subs: Jack Power for Mackey (HT, inj); Pierce Quann for Cooney (46); Conor Shankey for S Power (53); Caoilinn Reville for D Comerford (57).

Tipperary: Paddy McCormack (Moneygall); Evan Morris (Holycross/Ballycahill), Cathal O’Reilly (Holycross/Ballycahill), David Ryan (Arravale Rovers); Jake Donelan-Houlihan (Nenagh Éire Óg), Sam Rowan (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone), Euan Murray (Thurles Sarsfields); Tiarnán Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill), Shane Cleary (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall), David Costigan (Moycarkey/Borris), Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens); Cormac Fitzpatrick (Drom & Inch), Oisín O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs, Capt), Stefan Tobin (Carrick Swan).

Subs: Jack Hayes (Moycarkey/Borris) for Doughan (43); Patrick Ryan (Borris-Ileigh) for D Ryan (53); Charlie Ryan (Boherlahan/Dualla) for Donelan-Houlihan (57).

Referee: Ciarán O’Regan (Cork).