Tipp on top as Waterford miss Fitzgerald

Tipperary manager Brendan Cummins. Pic: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

Munster U20 Hurling Championship: Tipperary 1-21 Waterford 0-15  

A one sided second half saw Brendan Cummins' Tipperary outscore Ken McGrath's Waterford by fourteen points to five in the Dungarvan sunshine on Friday evening and make it two Munster wins out of two.

The sides were all square at the break but the hosts should have been ahead after shooting six wides. They wouldn't score again until the 46th minute as a slick and speedy Premier side took over and punished misplaced short passes from the Déise.

Minus the suspended Paddy McCormack, all six Tipp forwards and both midfielders troubled Waterford posts. Oisin O'Donoghue led the way with 1-3 from play including a fourth minute green flag. Darragh McCarthy (0-7), Conor Martin (0-3) and Senan Butler (0-3) also shone for the visitors who lost corner back Jack Quinlan to injury in the first quarter.

Senior panellist Patrick Fitzgerald didn't start for the home team, two days out from the Munster opener against Cork. Players are allowed to play at both levels if the games are more than seven days apart, a rule set to be reduced to 60 hours from next year.

His absence frustrated manager Ken McGrath.

"He was a huge loss; he's a county senior star. It's a stupid rule to be honest with you. 60 hours, it doesn't make sense. If the game was on Wednesday or Thursday, he'd be able to play. It's a bananas rule. Look, all the counties have to deal with it. It doesn't make sense at all, I don't understand it."

The floodlights were switched on but they proved unnecessary as the sun made a welcome appearance. It started so well for Waterford as corner back Cillian Ryan landed a long range point and Charlie Treen slotted a free. Ryan's high catches lifted the home crowd throughout.

A two minute Tipperary blitz of 1-3 knocked the stuffing out of the young men in white and blue. Senan Butler crossed for Oisin O'Donoghue on four minutes and he fired to the Waterford net. 

Adam Daly, Darragh McCarthy and Sam O'Farrell tacked on points.

In an end to end first quarter, white flags from Treen and Michael Morrissey reduced the deficit to three. Two Waterford errors were punished by McCarthy and O'Donoghue to make it 1-6 to 0-4 before O'Farrell fired a shot across the face of goal. Tipp defender Jack Quinlan was stretchered off after a three minute stoppage.

Waterford clawed back that five point deficit in the second quarter. 

They bossed the middle third, drove at the Premier defence and drew frees. Marc O Mathuna took over the dead ball duties, after Treen went off with a blood injury, and the man from Junior B outfit An Sean Phobal nailed five points (three frees, one 65 and one from play) as McGrath's men went in on level terms (1-7 to 0-10). 

They should have been in front after shooting six wides.

Tipp launched the first attack on the restart and it nearly yielded a goal as Scott Ryan saved from Senan Butler. Darragh McCarthy dispatched the subsequent 65. Butler and Conor Martin struck three points apiece in the second half as the Premier pulled away. They created two more goal chances.

Waterford's short game broke down as ball after ball spilled over the sideline. It took sixteen minutes to move the scoreboard via another O Mathuna free. They ended up with ten wides. In Fitzgerald's absence, Michael Morrissey, Cillian Ryan and Conor Keane put up most resistance.

Back to back defeats for Ken McGrath's Déise, back to back victories for Brendan Cummins' Tipp.

Scorers for Waterford: M O Mathuna 0-6 (4fs, 1 65), C Treen (2fs), M Morrissey 0-3 each, C Keane 0-2, C Ryan 0-1.

Scorers for Tipperary: D McCarthy 0-7 (3fs, 2 65s), O O'Donoghue 1-3, S Butler, C Martin 0-3 each, C English 0-2, S O'Farrell, A Daly, E Craddock 0-1 each.

Waterford: S Ryan (Mount Sion); C Keane (De La Salle), D Lalor (De La Salle), C Ryan (Brickey Rangers); A O’Neill (Ballygunner), B O’Connell (Abbeyside), S Fleming (Ballygunner); J O'Keeffe (Lismore), E Spellman (Fourmilewater); S Mackey (Fenor), C Treen (Abbeyside), M O Mathuna (An Sean Phobal); J Twomey (De La Salle), M Morrisey (Fourmilewater), B Callaghan (Abbeyside).

Subs: J Power (Kilrossanty) for O'Keeffe (Blood, 24-25), J Power (Kilrossanty) for Treen (Blood, 28-30), J Power (Kilrossanty) for Treen (44), J O'Donnell (Ballyduff Lower) for Callaghan (47), M Burke (Dungarvan) for Fleming (53), F Hallinan (Fourmilewater) for Ryan (56), E O'Callaghan (Dungarvan) for Spellman (60).

Tipperary: E Horgan (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams); J Quinlan (Fethard), A O'Halloran (Carrick Swan), P O'Dwyer (Killenaule); R Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs), B Currivan (Golden Kilfeacle), J Collins (Ballina); S O'Farrell (Nenagh Éire Óg), A Daly (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams); C English (Fr Sheehys), C Martin (Cappawhite), E Craddock (Holycross Ballycahill); S Butler (Kilsheelan Kilcash), O O'Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs), D McCarthy (Toomevara).

Subs: C O'Donnell (Ballylooby Castlegrace) for Quinlan (14), M Cawley (Nenagh Éire Óg) for Connolly (38), J O'Callaghan (Portroe) for Cawley (Blood, 44-48), Ciaran Foley (Borrisokane) for O'Farrell (48), D Corbett (Gortnahoe Glengoole) for Martin (57), J O'Callaghan (Portroe) for O'Donoghue (60) 

Referee: E Stapleton (Limerick)