Jason Forde rattles 3-10 as Tipp dismiss Offaly challenge
Jason Forde of Tipperary scores the fifth goal against Offaly at Glenisk O'Connor Park in Tullamore, Offaly. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile
Conviction and class. That was the currency Tipp traded in at Glenisk O’Connor Park on Sunday, as Liam Cahill’s side turned a competitive opening half into a one-sided demolition of Offaly in round two of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A.
After leading by five at the break, Tipp hit Offaly for 2-5 unanswered to kick start the second half and put the game beyond reach. John McGrath struck first in that decisive passage after a clever flick from Willie Connors, and from there they bolted. They would end Sunday’s contest with only four wides.
But two men in particular – one at each end – set Tipp apart.
Bryan O’Mara shackled Ciarán Cleary from start to finish. He was faultless at full-back, saving the best until last when he cleared Brian Duignan’s lobbed flick off the line in the 74th minute. At the other end it was Jason Forde, and his haul of 3-10 that catapulted Tipp to their 18-point win.
After McGrath’s goal moved the Tipp lead to eight in the 40th minute, they nailed five points from play across the next eight minutes to push that lead out to 13.
Their opponents were still scoreless with 13 minutes of the second half played.
And when Gearóid O’Connor made another incisive run to send Forde on his way for his second green flag, that left the score at 4-17 to 1-10.
When Offaly finally opened their second-half account, they did so through sub Dan Bourke – who would finish with 0-3 – after 53 minutes, when the outcome had long been confirmed.
Tipp would continue to fire over scores with minimal fuss, and in the 69th minute, they had their fifth and final major, Jason Forde hitting the post one-on-one with Liam Hoare, before moving in to sweep up the rebound and bat home.
A sharp contrast with the opening half, where, in front of 5,897, Offaly weren’t far off their opponents. Their goal had been well taken in the 18th minute and left them trailing by two, Cleary setting up Duignan for the close range finish, but Tipp would regain control in the second quarter.
The first two Tipp goals were self-inflicted by an Offaly side missing five through injury, Andrew Ormond and Josh Keller forcing a turnover in midfield before carrying it forward and finding Paddy McCormack for a goal after 11 minutes.
The second major was a double slap for Offaly, in particular full-back Ben Miller.
He carried the ball into trouble, then gave possession straight to Ormond – who he immediately brought down for a black-card penalty – which Jason Forde blasted into the top corner on 29 minutes, 2-11 to 1-7.
Offaly’s response of three unanswered to close out the half suggested this one might stay a contest for a little longer, but Tipp’s second half start killed that idea and Johnny Kelly’s side.
B Duignan 1-2, E Cahill 0-4 (0-2 f), D Bourke 0-3, O Kelly, L Hoare (2 f) 0-2 each, B Conneely, D Ravenhill, L Watkins, A Screeney (f), C King 0-1 each.
J Forde 3-10 (0-5 f, 1-0 pen, 0-2 65), J McGrath 1-1, P McCormack 1-0, C Stakelum, J Leamy 0-3 each, J Keller, D Stakelum 0-2 each, C Martin, G O’Connor, N McGrath 0-1 each.
L Hoare; R Kelly, B Miller, P Taaffe; L D Ravenhill, B Conneely, B Kavanagh; L Watkins, C Spain; R Ravenhill, E Cahill, C Doyle; O Kelly, C Cleary, B Duignan.
C King for Watkins (32), D Bourke for R Ravenhill, T Guinan for Doyle (both HT), A Screeney for Kelly (43), S Bourke for Conneely (61-FT temp), D Hand for Spain (62).
B Hogan; C O’Reilly, B O’Mara, J Ryan; C Martin, C Morgan, S Kennedy; W Connors, C Stakelum; J Keller, A Ormond, G O’Connor; J Leamy, P McCormack, J Forde.
D Stakelum for Keller, J McGrath for McCormack (both HT), N McGrath for Ormond (46), A Daly for Morgan (51), C English for C Stakelum (61).
Referee: C McDonald (Antrim)
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