Clinical Tipp blitz Antrim to keep momentum going
Antrim's Eoghan Campbell tangles with Tipperary's Sean Ryan. Picture: INPHO/John McVitty
TIPPERARY arched into next week's Division One hurling semi-final against Limerick in impressive fashion as they swept aside Antrim at Corrigan Park on Sunday.
The Premier made it five wins from five in Group B and that stat was virtually wrapped up by the break as they led by 14 against an out-of-sorts Antrim.
The hosts did spark to life for a spell after the break, but couldn't get to within single figures as Tipp finished strongly to claim an emphatic win.
Neither side had much riding on this game with Antrim already assured of Division One hurling for 2024 and Tipperary through to next week's semi-final, but Tipp had a bit more energy and fluidity about them as their movement and touch was too much for an out-of-sorts Antrim team.
Seaan Elliott nudged Antrim into an early lead, but Tipperary were quickly into their stride with 1-4 in response - the goal coming when Antrim coughed up cheap possession and Mark Kehoe fired home on four minutes.
The scores began to flow for Tipperary with nine different scorers in the opening period, while Antrim struggled to make much headway with any ball into the attack easily mopped up by the visiting defence.
Tipperary's second goal game on 20 minutes as Sean Ryan put Conor Bowe into to rattle the net and this made it 2-8 to 0-4.
Conal Cunning, Nigel Elliott and Michael Bradley were carrying the fight for Antrim, but Tipperary were much more fluid with Gearóid O'Connor, John McGrath and Sean Ryan all finding their range as well as wing-back Enda Heffernan, while goal number three arrived just before the break asp auric Campion got in on the right and finished, helping Tipperary into a 3-13 to 0-8 half-time lead.
O'Connor frees extended the gap after the break before Antrim enjoyed a decent spell with two goals I four minutes, the first coming when Domhnall Nugent put Nigel Elliott in to rattle the net and then Cunning put Rian McMullan in to finish.
However, they were unable to sustain the pressure with the gap down to 10 as Tipp hit back with their fourth major on 49 minutes as the impressive Sean Ryan shrugged off a challenge to blast bast Ryan Elliott.
That was that as John McGrath began to put on an exhibition of point-talking, while substitutes Johnny Ryan and John Campion got in on the act.
Antrim had a couple of decent phases with a few of their replacements, Paul Boyle, Seamus McAuley and Scott Walsh on target, but Tipperary could manage the game out as they powered over the line with yet another big score ahead of next week's semi-final against Limerick.
C Cunning 0-5 (3 frees, 1 65), N Elliott 1-2, R McMullan 1-1, M Bradley 0-3, P Boyle 0-2, S Elliott 0-1, S Walsh 0-1, S McAuley 0-1
G O'Connor 0-9 (7, frees, 1 65), J McGrath 0-7 (1 free), S Ryan 1-3, M Kehoe 1-0, C Bowe 1-0, P Campion 1-0, E Heffernan 0-3, A Tynan 0-2, J Fogarty 0-2, J Ryan 0-1, J Campion 0-1
R Elliott; P Burke, R McGarry, P Duffin; G Walsh, E Campbell, N O'Connor; M Bradley, J McNaughton; N Elliott, K Molloy, D Nugent; C Cunning, R McMullan, S Elliott.
Subs: S Walsh for N O'Connor (HT), P Boyle for S Elliott (HT), C McKernan for J McNaughton (52), S McAuley for N Elliott (55), R McCloskey for G Walsh (65)
: R Shelly; E Connolly, M Breen, B O'Meara; E Heffernan, R Maher, P Campion; J Fogarty, A Tynan; K O'Kelly, M Kehoe, G O'Connor; C Bowe, J McGrath, S Ryan.
Subs: J Campion for R Maher (26), J Ryan for B O'Meara (HT), P Creedon for K O'Kelly (49), D McCormick for A Tynan (53), C O'Dwyer for G O'Connor (64)
P O'Dwyer (Carlow)
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