All-Ireland SHC Quarter-final/Waterford 1-22 Tipperary 3-13: The assumptions had been reversed for yesterday's Guinness All-Ireland hurling quarter-final seven weeks after Waterford and Tipperary had previously met in the Munster championship. But just as had happened in June, the match reached its predicted destination through an unforeseen route.

Once again the favourites were clearly the better side. With his selection back to full strength, Waterford manager Justin McCarthy had to endure an anxious wait, as Tipperary refused to fade and, buoyed by timely goals, kept the match under threat until the end.

There was however no doubting the winners' merit.

They played the more enterprising game and took their chances more clinically than Tipperary could manage, with Eoin Kelly being well marked by Eoin Murphy.

In fairness to Tipp's top gun, he was not exactly well supplied, as the quality of ball into the forwards was frequently poor and ill-conceived.

Manager Michael Keating's philosophy that every ball struck by an intercounty hurler should have a message was never much in evidence, with a confusion of communications between a defence and centrefield that picked up a good share of possession but struggled to make it count.

Waterford were able to call on headline performances from their big players, Dan Shanahan showing signs of the prolific form of two years ago with a constantly threatening presence and bringing in 1-5 from play.

At centre back Ken McGrath was steady in the first half and spectacular after the break, bringing off a number of crucial catches and blocking an Eoin Kelly pot at goal when the match was down to the final grains of sand with only three points between the teams.

Michael Walsh was again immense at centrefield, once he was switched at the start of the second quarter from the edge of the square, the increasingly bizarre ante-room in which he has been kept this season before being unleashed around the middle.

Fittingly, he capped a hard-running, dynamic display in the final seconds, after Eamonn Corcoran had lobbed in a lucky-pick 65 on top of the square, by emerging from the thrashing throng with the ball and launching himself on a relieving solo, as the whistle went to signify that Waterford were back in the last four for the third time in five years.

John Mullane was also in form with three points from play and drawing a couple of pointed frees from his general play.

The scoring effort was supplemented by Eoin McGrath, who enjoyed a productive afternoon with three points from play.

Tipperary's roll of honour wasn't as extensive. Eoin Kelly was well held by Murphy but did well from placed balls, putting up 1-6 from frees and 65s while adding a couple from play.

John Carroll gave a good display at wing forward and his presence paid off with two well-taken goals.

Corcoran energetically swept up around the defensive lines but had no significantly better answers to Shanahan than the other defenders who tried to cope with the big Lismore forward.

Carroll's first goal came in the second minute as an immediate riposte to Shanahan's opening point. It was an important score, carved out of a raid down the right wing and an emphatic finish, in that it helped keep Tipp out in front for much of the first half.

There might have been another goal in the 11th minute but Eoin Kelly's break ended up with Diarmaid Fitzgerald on the sharp end of the opportunity and - as in the Munster final - he wasn't able to take it.

The besetting problem for Tipperary was that they didn't make the best use out of what possession they had.

Centrefield picked up a good supply prior to Walsh's switch but neither Shane McGrath nor Paul Kelly - who had two bad wides - optimised the yield.

They weren't the only ones and frequently the ball into the forwards was thoughtlessly dispatched.

But just as they could feel Waterford's breath on their necks, Tipperary produced another goal.

Eoin Kelly was fouled by Murphy, who was yellow carded, and took full retribution from the free, arrowing it into net to renew the three-point lead, 2-5 to 0-8.

Three David Bennett frees cancelled out the goal before the half ended eventfully with Bennett, who had been having a good match, taken off injured and Shanahan getting a penalty after fielding a high delivery from Walsh.

Ken McGrath took the shot, which was deflected over the bar by Brendan Cummins for a half-time lead, 0-13 to 2-6.

There were two points between them when Tipp captain Lar Corbett was given a good goal chance by Carroll but his shot was stopped by Clinton Hennessy, who nearly spoiled his work by fumbling the ball out for a 65, which Eoin Kelly pointed.

The game breaker was Shanahan's goal in the 42nd minute.

Having slipped in behind Corcoran, the Waterford forward had a clear advantage when Jack Kennedy found him with a good pass and he put his shot well out of even Cummins's reach.

Now leading by five, 1-15 to 2-7, Waterford were in command and continuing to play with impressive economy.

In the second half they hit only two wides as against seven for their opponents and overall had less than half Tipperary's total.

Paul Flynn came on for the final quarter and helped himself to three points, including the free that stretched the margin to its widest, 1-21 to 2-11, in the 65th minute.

Carroll's second goal followed shortly afterwards and gave the winners an edgy time of it in the countdown with replacement Willie Ryan and Eoin Kelly having a go at the goal that might have tied the match. But that gallantry had to be its own reward.

Tipperary's John Carroll faces the prospect of a disciplinary investigation after television pictures last night showed him striking a Waterford defender at the end of the game.

WATERFORD: 1. C Hennessy; 2. D Prendergast, 3. T Feeney, 4. E Murphy; 5. T Browne, 6. K McGrath (0-1, a penalty), 7. B Phelan; 8. S O'Sullivan, 9. D Bennett (0-6, five frees); 10. D Shanahan (1-5), 11. S Prendergast, 12. E Kelly; 13. J Mullane (0-3), 14. M Walsh (0-1), 15. E McGrath (0-3). Subs: 17. J Murray for Phelan (30 mins), 20. J Kennedy for Bennett (35 mins), 18. P Flynn (0-3, two frees) for O'Sullivan (46 mins), 29. S Molumphy for S Prendergast, 24. P O'Brien for E McGrath (60 mins). Yellow cards: Murphy (26 mins), E McGrath (43 mins), Browne (45 mins), Mullane (69 mins).

TIPPERARY: 1. B Cummins; 2. D Fanning, 3. P Curran, 4. P Ormonde; 5. E Corcoran, 6. C O'Mahoney, 7. H Moloney; 8. P Kelly (0-1), 9. S McGrath; 10. J Carroll (2-0), 11. F Devanney, 12. J O'Brien (0-1); 15. E Kelly (1-8, goal and four points from frees, two points from 65s), 14. D Fitzgerald, 13. L Corbett (capt; 0-2). Subs: 27. W Ryan (0-1) for Devanney (44 mins), 18. S Butler for O'Brien (57 mins), 25. C Morrissey for McGrath (62 mins), 20. K Dunne for P Kelly (65 mins). Yellow cards: Fanning (44 mins), Ormonde (56 mins), Curran (64 mins).

Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).