Michael Ryan starts Tipperary reign with win

Tipperary 2-17 Offaly 1-15: Michael Ryan declared himself pleased with his first outing in charge of Tipperary’s senior hurlers, as the Premier County scored a five-point victory over Offaly in yesterday’s Templemore challenge outing.

In what was a low-key encounter, devoid of any real quality due to heavy underfoot conditions, Ryan admitted that “application and a little bit of progress” was what he was looking for from his charges.

For Offaly, this was a big step up in class after their comfortable Walsh Cup victory over Dublin IT, as Eamonn Kelly took charge against his native county.

Kelly said: “We got a poor contest last week so it was definitely up a few gears.”

Ryan reflected: “You’re never going to get quality, all you’re looking at here is application and a little bit of progress. We were happy enough with that.”

Tipp led by 2-10 to 1-8 at half-time, with Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher and Adrian Ryan scoring the goals.

Maher’s effort was avoidable, from an Offaly perspective, as Conor Slevin, who was replaced at half-time, allowed the centre-forward’s speculative effort from the right touchline into the net.

James Mulrooney, Offaly’s best player on the day, scored a first-half goal to keep the visitors in touch but without dual players Shane Dooley and Joey O’Connor, both on duty with the footballers, it was an uphill battle.

Scorers for Tipperary:

A Ryan (1-2); C Kenny (0-5, 1f); Patrick Maher (1-1); S Curran (0-4, 2f, 2 65s); B Maher, D McCormack, D Quinn, J Forde, K Morris (f) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Offaly:

J Mulrooney (1-7, 0-4f, 0-1 65, 0-1 sl); P Murphy (0-3); S Ryan, S Kinsella, C Egan, S Quirke, J Gorman (0-1 each).

TIPPERARY:

D Gleeson; Joe O’Dwyer, M Breen, C O’Brien; W Ryan, J Meagher, Pádraic Maher; J Gallagher, B Maher; D McCormack, Patrick Maher, S Curran; L McGrath, C Kenny, A Ryan.

Subs:

D Fitzell for Gallagher (30), J Forde for Patrick Maher, M Cahill for Breen, D Quinn for B Maher, K Morris for McGrath, D Mooney for Gleeson (all half-time), L Ryan for W Ryan (40), John O’Dwyer for McCormack (43), B Maher for Morris (61).

OFFALY:

C Slevin; D Mooney, C McDonald, N Wynne; D Shortt, C Doughan, R Hughes; S Ryan, S Kinsella; P Murphy, C Egan, J Mulrooney; S Quirke, B Murphy, S Cleary.

Subs:

J Sampson for Ryan (23), J Dempsey for Slevin (h.t), P Camon for Hughes (41), B Mulrooney for McDonald (43), B Leonard for Shortt (43), F Hannon for Quirke (63), S Connolly for Wynne (67).

Referee:

A Stapleton (Laois).