ALLIANZ NHL DIVISION ONE Tipperary 1-19 Waterford 2-16:SUMMERTIME BEGINS. If you believe some of the boldly presumptuous Tipperary fans, this was a dress rehearsal for the Munster final, which might explain why, in the end, it felt like summertime hurling is still some way off. Now is not the time to reveal your hand.
Truth here is, neither Tipperary nor Waterford ever really did.
There was something just a little tame, indifferent almost, about the way things ultimately played out. Even when it came down to a frantically close finish.
Tipperary were up by five points with 20 minutes to play – yet only scored two more points after that.
None in the last 10 minutes.
Waterford chased hard and deservedly got back on level terms with the last puck of the game – a free from Eoin Kelly, which he casually struck between the posts to even the scores. Just like he did against Cork the previous Sunday.
Given they were level nine times over the game it was fitting they were level again at the end. What it means is that both can have aspirations for a place in the final.
Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy reckoned his team just looked tired in the last 10 or 15 minutes, and that certainly was a problem. The home crowd of 6,665 did their best to lift them, but the final acts of the game were all about Waterford – firstly, Kelly’s 20-metre free on 50 minutes, which he drilled low into the Tipperary net, and later Kelly’s closing free, which Dan Shanahan had won for him, after delivering an impressive 70 minutes in what was his first start of the year.
Kelly ended up with 1-7 – all from placed balls – although he hit six wides as well and wasn’t near as prolific as against Cork.
Stephen Molumphy was a handful once again, particularly in the first half, and muscled his way in for their opening goal shortly before half-time, when Shanahan was once again the provider.
Young Thomas Ryan was kept quiet, but with Shane O’Sullivan, Séamus Prendergast and John Mullane also chipping in scores there was nothing much manager Davy Fitzgerald could complain about.
“I think the thing in this league is we’ve kept working hard,” said Fitzgerald. “We’ve showed a nice work ethic. We showed a nice bit of character again today. Shipped a lot of hits. And gave a lot of hits.
“Which means we are able to compete there. We still have a lot of improving there. And I don’t think Tipp wouldn’t be exactly fighting with us at this stage.
“I thought we might have been unlucky for a free or two there toward the end. We found it hard to get them today. But maybe it was a tough game to ref. But I have nothing bad to say about the referee. A tough, hard game.”
Fitzgerald singled out Shanahan’s performance, and there’s no doubt the extended break has served him well: “I was delighted. He’s worked very hard.
“And that will do him a power of good. A lot of people run him off. The way it is on this time if you’re good enough to play you’ll be playing.”
With Tony Browne and Ken McGrath also poised to return, there is real depth in Waterford right now, and coupled with their consistency, it’s proving a productive league – whether or not they actually make the final.
In fact, Sheedy looked the more disappointed of the two managers afterwards. Lar Corbett had a great first half, but definitely did tire towards the end, and others such as Noel McGrath and Timmy Hammersley only played well in patches. McGrath finished off their goal on 46 minutes after some brilliant work from Hammersley and Gearóid Ryan. A point then from Séamus Hennessy left them 1-17 to 1-12 in front.
“I thought we’d kick on,” said Sheedy, “but fairness to Waterford, they came back. I feel we let them back into it, more than they hurled their way back into it. Like conceding the goal from a 20-metre free.
“Overall, we’re happy enough with the share of the points, but just disappointed we didn’t get a whole lot from our play in the last 20 minutes, that we were hanging on. But I think we’re still going in the right direction.”
Eoin Kelly didn’t start due a slight hamstring strain, and older brother Paul stepped in, and did reasonably well, with two scores. Brendan Maher also hit two scores from midfield, as Shane McGrath retired early with a knee injury.
Plenty to work on then for both teams then, before summertime really begins.
TIPPERARY: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Maher, P Curran; D Fanning, C O'Mahony, S Maher; B Maher (0-2), S McGrath; G Ryan (0-2), L Corbett (0-4), N McGrath (1-1); P Kelly (0-2), J O'Brien (0-1), T Hammersley (0-6, four frees, one 65). Subs: S Hennessy (0-1)for McGrath (36 mins, inj), M Webster for P Kelly (56 mins).
WATERFORD: C Hennessy; E Murphy, N Connors, M O'Brien; A Kearney, J Nagle (0-1), S Fives; E Kelly (1-7, all frees), R Foley; S Prendergast (0-1), K Moran, S O'Sullivan (0-3); S Molumphy (1-1), D Shanahan (0-2), T Ryan. Subs: J Mullane (0-1)for Moran, M Shanahan for Kearney (both half time), B Phelan for Ryan (55 mins).
Referee: C McAllister(Cork).
