Tipp notch first League win

Tipperary 1-20 Waterford 0-18

Tipperary overcame Waterford in an ill-tempered affair to gain their first win in this season’s Allianz Hurling League.

Paul Kelly’s 14th-minute goal helped the All-Ireland champions take a 1-12 to 0-10 half-time lead, with Richie Foley leading the Deise scoring.

Man-of-the-match Noel McGrath landed some fine score for Tipp, but Waterford managed to stay in the hunt despite having two players red-carded.

Early in the second half, Shane O’Sullivan was dismissed for a pull on Gearoid Ryan and goalkeeper Clinton Hennessy followed him for a dangerous, high challenge on Patrick Maher.

The Premier County could not put Waterford to the sword however but did enough to warrant their first competitive win under manager Declan Ryan.

Ryan made five changes from Tipp’s defeat to Dublin last time out, the most notable seeing McGrath and goalkeeper Brendan Cummins return to the side.

Waterford boss Davy Fitzgerald also altered his line-up for this early season Munster derby. Clinton Hennessy and Maurice Shanahan got call-ups, with Jerome Maher and Eamonn Murphy late additions at corner back and corner forward respectively.

Fitzgerald’s men were looking to build on their opening victory – a 1-11 to 0-12 success over Waterford – and Foley helped them take a 0-05 to 0-04 lead in a free-riddled opening.

David Young and Shanahan swapped early points from play, but free-takers Pa Bourke and Foley were the busiest players on the Semple Stadium pitch.

Foley nudged the visitors ahead after a foul by Brendan Maher, but Tipp hit back with the game’s only goal. The ball broke from a sideline cut and Paul Kelly reacted with an instinctive ground shot which flew into the net.

Noel McGrath won a puckout and pointed shortly afterwards to make it 1-05 to 0-05 in Tipperary’s favour, and the same player added a second from open play.

Seamus Prendergast teed up Shanahan for Waterford’s first score in 11 minutes, before Foley strung together a brace – the second of which was from play – to whittle the gap down to 1-06 to 0-08.

Tipp were carrying more of a threat in attack and added points from Padraic Maher, Brendan Maher, Noel McGrath and Bourke (0-03) before the break to lead by five at the turnaround. McGrath and Bourke were particularly effective in the first 35 minutes, scoring 0-09 between them.

Waterford’s top scorer Foley added to his growing tally and Stephen Molumphy put his name to the scoresheet on the stroke of half-time.

Waterford’s hopes took a nosedive on the resumption when midfielder Shane O’Sullivan was sent-off by referee James Owens for striking Gearoid Ryan in the back.

That was four minutes in, and Tipp substitute Eoin Kelly added to his side’s tally before Prendergast broke through for a terrific individual score at the other end.

That good work was undone when Hennessy came out from his square and caught Patrick Maher high as he bore down on goal. The punishment was another red card and Bourke tapped over the resulting free.

But the accuracy of Foley kept Waterford in contention as Tipp’s discipline let them down, and Patrick Maher could not get his shot away as he looked to find the net near the hour mark.

Foley had the deficit down to 1-16 to 0-15, but McGrath completed his polished display with his fifth and sixth points from play.

Scores from Foley, after yellow cards for Tipp’s Paddy Stapleton and Paul Curran, and Shane Walsh increased the pressure on the hosts, and the introduction of Ken McGrath off the bench was another fillip for Waterford.

However, Tipp’s Benny Dunne and Bourke tagged on two late insurance points to settle the issue.