Waterford and Tipperary Fight Out Entertaining Draw in Limerick

            What a weekend it was for Hurling and in particular for the Munster Championship.

            Few I am sure would have envisaged that for entertainment the Waterford and Tipperary game at Limerick today could come anywhere near the excitement of the Cork and Limerick game at Pairc Uí Chaoimh last night, but those of us that were thinking that way were to be proved wrong.

            Heading into this game there was lots of talk. People were asking why both Waterford and Tipperary had to travel to Limerick for this clash when Nowlan Park was free of major fixtures this weekend.

            It’s no secret that many of the Waterford supporters had with some time were saying that they were not filling to make trips to Ennis, Limerick twice and Thurles four weeks running.

            There was a feeling that with Walsh Park and Fraher Field deemed not deemed fit to host Munster Senior Hurling Championship games it was up to the Waterford County Board to nominate a home venue and not to be dictated as to what would be a home venue for Waterford. Pairc Ui Chaoimh would naturally be the obvious choice to host a Munster Championship game between Waterford and Tipperary but with other events taking place on Lee-side today meaning it would be almost impossible for Gardai and the council to get supporters of both sides in and out of the city on the day, then Nowlan Park would be deemed the next most suitable venue for a game between the two sides, considering that it the Marble City is about equal distance to supporters in North Tipperary where hurling is most strongest in the Premier County as well as supporters across the Déise County who could travel via the M9 motorway from the east of the county or through Clonmel or Carrick-on-Suir and onto Callan from the West.

            However in the end it was not the venue nor the number of players Waterford were missing for this game that was main talking point of the game, but an umpire who was clearly unsighted waved a green flag on sixty two minutes when the other umpire who was perfectly placed was clearly seen on television pictures indicating to the Waterford defence to play on after Austin Gleeson had taken the ball off the goal line.

            Few expected Waterford to get anything from this game. Many were expecting the management team to make any real changes to the way how the team would play and someone would be asked to fill the sweeper role played so well by Tadhg Bourke or Darragh Fives both of whom picked up injuries in last week’s loss to Clare, but Waterford played as most would like to see them play with six backs and six forwards on the field of play and the end result was possibly Waterford’s greatest performance in the last number of years.

            With their full quota of forwards Waterford played some good attacking hurling. Tom Devine finished the game with 1-2 behind his name. Pauric Mahony as normal finished top scorer for Waterford finishing with 1-8, while DJ Foran finished with 0-3, one point more than Patrick Curran, while Stephen Bennett, Thomas Ryan and Jake Dillon all attacking players also got their names on the score sheet.

            The Premier County played all of the second half with a man less on the field after Michael Cahill was send off at the end of the first half, but in periods of the second half, just as with the case of Limerick on Saturday night you would not think they had a man less on the field.

            When Thomas Ryan pointed on fifty four minutes to give Waterford a 2-20 to 0-15 lead things were looking good for the Déise County, but in those last sixteen minutes plus the four added minutes the side in white and blue added just two further points, and they had to wait till just either side of the seventieth minute for those scores to come.

            In the time however with Brendan Maher moved into the half back line for Tipperary where he showed great leadership, the Premier County side hit score after score, including two goals, the second of which came on sixty two minutes which proved hugely controversial.

            Waterford supporters will argue that the awarding of that score cost Waterford a first win in this year’s championship and knock Tipperary out of the championship, but neutrals and many in the Premier County that Waterford not winning this game happened when they scored just twice in the last quarter of this game.

            Jason Forde opened the scoring in this game with an early point, to which Waterford responded to with points from Tom Devine and Jamie Barron to go in front and never fell behind after doing so.

            Jason Forde got his second of the game on four minutes but Pauric Mahony and Tom Devine followed up with scores for Waterford inside a minute of each other, after which Forde pointed again from a free on six minutes.

            Pauric Mahony helped extend Waterford’s lead on eight minute and a minute later the big Modeligo club man flicked a breaking ball to the net to put Waterford in control.

            Jamie Barron and Billy McCarthy swapped scores before DJ Foran and Pauric Mahony from a free pointed for the Déise County.

            Tipperary hit a purple patch after this and came roaring back into the game. Ronan Maher and Seamus Callinan pointed before Patrick Curran extended the Waterford lead by one, but Jason Forde with a hat-trick of scores and one each from Noel McGrath and Ronan Maher in a spell between the seventeenth and twenty third minutes.

            Pauric Mahony finished to the net on twenty five minutes. Austin Gleeson took a quick free inside his own half the field spotting Stephen O’Keeffe racing out to the wing back position and the Ballygunner man left fly in around the Tipperary goal and his club mate was in the right place to finish to the net to put Waterford 2-9 to 0-11 in front.

            The same player pointed soon afterwards and older brother Philip landed a delightful score on twenty nine minutes to put Waterford 2-11 to 0-11 in front.

            Both sides would land one further score each in the opening half. Jason Forde was first to score on thirty two minutes and deep in stoppage time DJ Foran sent over his second of the game, despite a blow with a hurley from corner back Michael Cahill who was sent to the line by the Galway referee before the restart after which the half time whistle sounded.

            Leading by six at the break, Waterford came out hitting the first four scores of the second half.

            Stephen Bennett hit the first score of the second period after which Pauric Mahony hit a brace and Patrick Curran pointed on forty minutes to put Waterford well in front.

            Jason Forde and Jamie Barron swapped scores, before Forde and the younger of the Mahony brothers involved in this game traded scores.

            Mahony and Foran again landed scores for Waterford before Forde and Thomas Ryan swapped scores mid way through the second half.

            Tipperary however would hit another purple patch as Cathal Barrett, Jason Forde, Patrick Maher with a goal, and Forde again and Seamus Callinan all scored at the Ennis end of the ground.

            With Waterford leading 2-20 to 1-19 Tipperary won a free on sixty two minutes which looked no real danger to Waterford even if it was expected that Forde would put it over the cross bar to set up a tight finish.

            But his effort dropped short and Austin Gleeson appeared to take the ball off the Waterford line. The umpire nearest to him on TV pictures can be seen to indicate to the Waterford defence they were free to take the ball out and set up a possible attack, but a poorly placed umpire at the other side who was well away from the goal line reached for the green flag and waved it.

            Referee Alan Kelly immediately went in and consulted with his umpires and presumably it has to be said with a split decision between the men with white coats and the referee not being in a position to make a call himself, he sided on the side of the umpire with the green flag and a goal was awarded, leaving just the one between the sides.

            Pauric Mahony and Jason Forde swapped scored just short of the seventy minute mark to keep Waterford in front.

            Ronan Maher pointed in the third of four added minutes which kept Waterford in front by one, but there was still time to be played.

            Jason Forde in the fourth added minute send in a free which the umpire that had awarded a controversial goal ten minutes earlier this time signalled that the ball had gone to the left of the Stephen O’Keeffe’s upright. Was it a case of he knowing that he made an error earlier in the game and tried to make up for it here, but Alan Kelly was positioned better and indicated that the ball had gone inside the upright, the end result a draw, 2-22 each as the full time whistle followed.

            For Waterford next up its another trip to Limerick to play Limerick in what is a must win game now for Waterford if they are to reach the All-Ireland qualifiers, while for Tipperary it’s a home game for them against Clare, their final game of the competition, one that they must win and hope results elsewhere go their way in the remainder of the competition if they are to stay involved.

WATERFORD: Stephen O’Keeffe; Conor Gleeson, Shane Fives, Noel Connors; Philip Mahony, Austin Gleeson, Michael Walsh; Jamie Barron, Stephen Roche; Mikey Kearney, Pauric Mahony, DJ Foran; Stephen Bennett, Tom Devine, Patrick Curran. Subs: Tommy Ryan for Kearney (46), Brian O’Halloran for Curran (54), Jake Dillon for Foran (59), Colin Dunford for Roche (63), Shane McNulty for Connors (66).

Scorers: Pauric Mahony 1-8 (0-5 frees), Tom Devine 1-2, Jamie Barron 0-3, DJ Foran 0-3, Patrick Curran 0-2, Philip Mahony 0-1, Stephen Bennett 0-1, Tommy Ryan 0-1, Jake Dillon 0-1.

            TIPPERARY: Brian Hogan; Seán O’Brien, Séamus Kennedy, Michael Cahill; Joe O’Dwyer, Pádraic Maher, Brendan Maher; Ronan Maher, Billy McCarthy; Dan McCormack, Jason Forde, Noel McGrath; John O’Dwyer, Séamus Callanan, John McGrath. Subs: Patrick Maher for John O’Dwyer (46), Cathal Barrett for N McGrath (55), Jake Morris for J McGrath (59), Sean Curran for McCormack 60, Willie Connors for McCarthy (68).

Scorers: Jason Forde 1-14 (1-12 frees), Patrick Maher 1-0, Ronan Maher 0-3, Seamus Callanan 0-2, Billy McCarthy 0-1, Noel McGrath 0-1, Cathal Barrett 0-1.

Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway).