Tipp's minor marvels worth the 14-month wait

Tipperary book final place with seven-point win

 

Munster MHC semi-final: Tipperary 2-13 Waterford 0-12 

A Kenny Lee goal two minutes from time booked Tipperary’s place in this year’s Electric Ireland Munster MHC final at the expense of Waterford in Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday afternoon.

Tipp were leading by 1-13 to 0-12 against a dogged and gallant Déise outfit but Lee, whose direct running on his introduction after half-time had already earned him a point, finally settled matters and set up a final against reigning champions Limerick on Sunday.

It was a deserved victory for the Premier men who, on the whole, were the more balanced side. Jason O’Dwyer was excellent in goal, Luke Shanahan hurled well in defence while Jack Leamy and Sean Kenneally did the damage up front.

Tipperary manager, Paul Collins, was delighted with how his young men met the Waterford challenge, and with the utilitarian nature of the performance.

“It was an extremely tough game, which is the way you want it really. We feel we’ve more in us but we are really happy with the application of the boys and the contribution of bench. We played well in patches.

“Waterford asked so many questions of us and we came back and answered them in the end and I’m just delighted for the players. We’re back together 14 months now so to be in a Munster final is fantastic.

“What I want it is that no matter who comes in, it’s all about the team and I think that’s one thing that they all know, that nobody is more important than the team. Some guys that were starring the last day, it didn’t happen for them today and it’ll be somebody else the next day. It’s vital that everyone contributes."

Tipp were the quicker to settle and had two points on the board inside the opening minute through Kenneally and Tony Cahill. By the sixth minute they’d doubled their lead through scores from Stephen Ferncombe and Kenneally as Waterford struggled to find their range.

They shot four wides to match Tipp’s points before Joe Booth got them off the mark. Booth then traded scores with Conor McKelvey but Tipp got the perfect tonic going into the water break when Leamy found the net following good work from that man Kenneally.

Successive points on the resumption from Ferncombe and Peter McGarry stretched their lead to eight points, 1-7 to 0-2, and they looked to be in cruise control.

Waterford couldn’t seem to catch a break and when O’Dwyer pulled off a spectacular double save from Patrick Fitzgerald and Tom O’Connell they could have been forgiven for thinking the tide was against him.

However, they reeled off the next three points with two Fitzgerald frees and a score from play from Seán Callaghan. Ferncombe then added his third free to leave Tipp leading by 1-8 to 0-5 at the break.

Waterford then went onto dominate the third quarter, outscoring Tipp by 0-5 to 0-2 while Mark Fitzgerald controlled the game from centre-back. Patrick Fitzgerald landed three of the points, Liam Ó Síothcháin and Charlie Treen also found the mark while Tipp could only muster two frees from Leamy and McGarry to leave just a goal between them, 1-10 to 0-10.

Tipp were to never let them get closer than that though, as Lee and Leamy shared three points between them while Fitzgerald responded with two more frees for Waterford.

Then came Lee’s match-clinching goal and now it’s all about Limerick next weekend.

After 14 months of training, Collins wasn’t overly flustered by the short turnaround.

“It’s been such a long wait, all we want is matches now! Limerick are a top class team and have beaten a very fancied Cork side. They’re Munster champions, have a lot of lads from last year’s team so we’ll have it all to do in the final.”

Scorers for Tipperary: J Leamy (1-3, 2 frees), K Lee (1-1), S Ferncombe (0-3, 2 frees, 1 ’65), S Kenneally and P McGarry (1 free) (0-2 each), T Cahill and C McKelvey (0-1 each).

Scorers for Waterford: P Fitzgerald (0-7, 5 frees, 1 ’65), J Booth (0-2), C Treen, S Callaghan and L Ó Síothcháin (0-1 each) 

TIPPERARY: J O’Dwyer; D Slattery, R Doyle, J Duncan; C Quinn, M Corcoran (Capt), L Shanahan; D Stakelum P McGarry; S Ferncombe, C McCormack, J Leamy; S Kenneally, T Cahill, C McKelvey. Subs: P Hayes for Duncan (4 mins, inj), K Lee for Ferncombe (36 mins), D Fogarty for McKelvey (47 mins), E Ryan for McCormack (54 mins), P Ryan for Leamy (62 mins).

WATERFORD: C Troy; J Fitzgerald, C Cantwell (Capt), A Keane; N Browne, M Fitzgerald, M Mullaney; J Power, J Booth; T O’Connell, W Beresford, C Treen; S Callaghan, P Fitzgerald, L Ó Síothcháin. Subs: K Cullinane for Keane (23 mins), J O’Donnell for Browne (h/t), L Horgan for Callaghan (54 mins), S Lanigan for Mullaney (54 mins).

Referee: Simon Stokes (Cork).