Kelly back with a bang as Tipp demolish Dublin

FIVE-TIME All Star Eoin Kelly shot 2-6 last night as Tipperary demolished Dublin by 25 points in a senior hurling challenge at Nenagh’s McDonagh Park.

Kelly marked his return to the county colours after a recent hamstring injury as the Premier County dished out some capital punishment.

Noel McGrath added two goals for the home side while Brian O’Meara, a recent addition to the Tipp panel, bagged 1-2 and was the fulcrum of most of his team’s good work in the first half.

Tipp led by 3-15 to 0-8 and the misery continued for Dublin shortly after half-time when McGrath kicked home a fourth goal.

Centre-forward Seamus Callanan hit four points from play while Brendan Maher came off the bench to raise three white flags as ten different players contributed to the scoresheet for Tipperary.

Dublin had a four-point haul from midfielder John McCaffrey while Shane Durkin and Alan McCrabbe hit three points apiece but this was a dismal effort from the visitors and doesn’t bode well for them ahead of the Leinster championship.

Scorers for Tipperary: E Kelly 2-6 (1-0 pen, 0-4f), N McGrath 2-2 (0-1 sl), B O’Meara 1-2, S Callanan 0-4, B Maher 0-3, S McGrath, P Kerwick & J Brennan 0-2 each, D Fanning & P Fanning 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: J McCaffrey 0-5 (2f, 2 65s), S Durkin 0-3, A McCrabbe 0-3f, L Rushe 0-2, K Flynn & P Ryan 0-1 each.

TIPPERARY: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill; D Fanning, C O’Mahony, Padraic Maher; B Dunne, S McGrath; P Kerwick, S Callanan, S Hennessy; E Kelly, N McGrath.

Subs: P Fanning for Kerwick (25), Patrick Maher for S McGrath (29), B Maher for Dunne (h/t), J Brennan for Callanan (44), D Egan for O’Meara (50), D Young for Fanning (50), C O’Brien for Padraic Maher (50), J O’Brien for Hennessy (57), M Heffernan for Patrick Maher (62).

DUBLIN: G Maguire; N Corcoran, T Brady, O Gough; S Hiney, R Fallon, M O’Brien; J McCaffrey, S Durkin; P Ryan, K Flynn, S Lambert; L Rushe, S Ryan, A McCrabbe.

Subs: D O’Dwyer for Lambert (30), S O’Sullivan for Brady (47), J Kelly for Ryan (47), P Carton for Flynn (54).

Referee: D Richardson (Limerick).