Tipperary end Waterford’s Winning Streak

A few weeks back, I met a man born and reared a stones throw on the Tipperary side of the Waterford and Tipperary County Boundary. He asked me the usual question when we met. Who will win Liam this year? Without hesitation I gave a one word answer, Tipperary.

He hummed and hawed for a few seconds. I don’t know he said. They have had plenty of chances he added. I told him they had to win this year, adding that if they more than anyone were not a hungry side this year, then they have no reason to step over the white line of a G.A.A. Field.

The same person, every other year I met him was always confident of Tipp’s chances. He always felt they were going to win both the Munster and All-Ireland Championships. But every year his enthusiasm would end in disappointment.

A day or two later I met another Tipperary person and asked if they knew the first person I was talking to. I told the second person of out conversation, and how each year the first person was so confident but was always proven wrong.

‘Well’ I said, this year he has no hope for Tipperary and asked if he could be wrong again. The answer I got was I hope so, we’ve won nothing yet under Eamonn O’Shea.

No one in Tipperary can now say this. While I had high hopes for Waterford going into yesterday’s Munster Final, I will have to admit that on the day the better team and maybe the hungrier team won, and I here congratulate those from Tipperary that I know on their win yesterday.

While Waterford lost out yesterday, its satisfying to see that the knocking that Waterford usually get when a big game is lost has not happened, maybe apart from the usual knockers.

Yes, the defeat was disappointing, but I have no doubt that Waterford’s young team will have learned from the defeat and will come back a better team.

Waterford did have chances to win the game yesterday but it was not to be.

Maybe had not Stephen Bennet lost his hurley while racing through on goal in the first half and therefore not forced to kick for goal rather than strike with the hurley, the game could have had a different outcome.

Again maybe had Colin Dunford spotted better placed players when he raced down on Darren Gleeson in the second half the game could have had a different outcome. But it is no good dwelling on such events. Such events happen, and no player goes out to make what could be sometimes called the wrong decision. In the cold light of play players have to make a call and have to go with what they first think is the best call.

At the other end of the field, Waterford again kept a clean sheet. Last year we were giving out about the conceding of goals and to keep a clean sheet against a team with as many dangers as what Tipperary have, its no mean achievement. Remember back to 2011 when Waterford would have had what some would call a more experienced side, seven goals went past Waterford in the Munster Final at Cork.

Tipperary hardly had a strike on goal and Barry Coughlan kept Seamus Callanan one of the best forwards around with a few years now, scoreless from play.

Waterford began the game on Sunday with two early chances from Kevin Moran and Austin Gleeson, but unfortunately both drifted just wide of the post.

It was Tipperary however that opened the scoring on two minutes through the impressive Niall O’Meara and it was quickly followed with an effort from Seamus Callanan from what was a soft free.

Colin Dunford opened Waterford’s account but Tipperary continued with their early dominance with a second of the game from Niall O’Meara.

Maurice Shanahan got his first of the game on nine minutes from a free on Kevin Moran to leave one between the sides, before Seamus Callanan doubled his side advantage with another converted free.

Points from Patrick Maher and John O’Dwyer followed for Tipperary to give them a 0-6 to 0-2 advantage on the score board and they were beginning to look good as Waterford’s young side took a little time to settle.

Kevin Moran pulled a point back which started a bit of a purple patch for Waterford in the second quarter.

Seamus Callanan put over a ’65 to restore Tipperary’s four point advantage, and moments later Stephen Bennett raced through on goal but lost his hurley and was forced to kick the sliotar which went across the Tipperary goal.

A long range Austin Gleeson free went between the posts for Waterford to reduce the lead to three on twenty one minutes and seconds later the lead was further cut when Maurice Shanahan put over a delightful point from play.

On twenty-four minutes Tipperary’s lead was cut to one when the dependable Maurice Shanahan converted another free and when the same player registered another score with ten minutes left to play in the first half, the sides were level and Waterford were brimming with confidence.

John O’Dwyer edged Tipperary back in front with six minutes to play and a minute later Shane Fives broke forward and hit his first of the game to level matters for the second time.

Kevin Moran with his second of the game sent Waterford into the lead but Tipperary playing on their own sod would finish the half the stronger of the two sides as Michael Breen levelled matters on thirty-five minutes and in added time Seamus Callanan knocked over another free to give his side a 0-10 to 0-9 lead as the sides went to the dressing rooms.

Tipperary expecting a strong challenge from Waterford in the second half brought on Lar Corbett for Michael Breen and it was his side that started the brightly in the second period as Jason Forde knocked over the first score of the second half on thirty nine minutes, but it was cancelled out three minutes later by Shane Fives who hit his second of the game.

Another Maurice Shanahan point eight minutes after the restart had the sides locked at 11 points each, but Tipperary were soon back in front after Niall O’Meara knocked over his third of the game.

Points were swapped by Jason Forde and Maurice Shanahan to keep one between the sides but Tipperary’s greater experience began to tell in the last quarter of an hour as John O’Dwyer edged his side two in front and then Seamus Callanan sent the home side three in front from a free following a foul on Lar Corbett.  

Maurice Shanahan with his seventh of the game left two between the sides with twelve minutes to play, which was quickly followed with a point from John O’Dwyer.

Lar Corbett on the hour mark got his name on the score sheet which edged his side four in front but Maurice Shanahan put over his eight of the game with seven minutes still to play leaving three between the sides.

A Seamus Callanan ’65 went between the posts with five minutes to play and seconds later Patrick Curran landed a point for Waterford.

However, this was as good as it got for Waterford as John O’Dwyer and Patrick Maher added points in quick succession to give Tipperary a 0-20 to 0-15 lead with two minutes of normal time still to play.

Austin Gleeson pulled a point back for Waterford on seventy minutes but Tipperary ensured that victory would be theirs when Shane Bourke who had come on as a sub for Tipperary pointed in added time at the end of the 70.

Waterford will be disappointed with a first competitive defeat in 2015.

Team captain Kevin Moran had an excellent first half for Waterford but his influence was nullified in the second half when his Tipperary counter part Brendan Maher moved back on him.

Barry Coughlan again impressed at full back while Shane Fives had a very good game and his two points rounded off a good afternoons work.

In addition to Kevin Moran in attack Maurice Shanahan and Colin Dunford had good outings.

Its Dublin next for Waterford in two weeks time in the quarter final’s. Ger Cunningham’s side will not be a push over for Waterford but all in Waterford will have to be confident the side can get back to winning ways, and set up an All-Ireland Semi Final with Kilkenny in early August, and if that was to happen, who knows what could happen.

TIPPERARY: Darren Gleeson; Cathal Barrett, James Barry, Ronan Maher; Shane McGrath, Pádraic Maher, Kieran Bergin; James Woodlock, Michael Breen; Jason Forde, Brendan Maher, Patrick Maher; John O'Dwyer, Seamus Callanan, Niall O'Meara.. Subs: Lar Corbett for Michael Breen (half-time), Shane Bourke for Jason Forde (66 mins), Conor O’Brien for Shane McGrath.

Scorers: Seamus Callanan 0-6 (0-4f, 0-2 ’65), John O’Dwyer 0-5 (0-2f), Niall O’Meara 0-3, Jason Forde, Patrick Maher 0-2 each, Lar Corbett, Michael Breen Shane Bourke 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: Stephen O’Keeffe; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors;  Austin Gleeson, Tadhg de Búrca, Philip Mahony; Kevin Moran, Jamie Barron; Colin Dunford, Michael Walsh, Eddie Barrett; Stephen Bennett, Maurice Shanahan, Jake Dillon. Subs: Shane Bennett for Eddie Barrett (44 mins), Tom Devine for Stephen Bennett (44 mins), Patrick Curran for Colin Dunford (63 mins), Darragh Fives for Jake Dillon (68 mins).

Scorers: Maurice Shanahan 0-8 (0-3f, 0-2 ’65), Austin Gleeson (0-1f), Shane Fives, Kevin Moran 0-2 each, Patrick Curran, Colin Dunford 0-1 each.

Referee: James Owens (Wexford)