Tipp turn attention to Cork assignment after swatting Offaly aside

Tipperary’s Jason Forde with fans after the game. Pic: Ryan Byrne

AHL Division 1A: Offaly 1-18 Tipperary 5-24 

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.

Eight changes were made from the win over Galway. Jason Forde was one to make a return. He authored a 3-10 reminder of exactly what Tipp had been missing.

“When fellas get the opportunity to get in, they're anxious to take it,” Cahill said after the victory. “The effort was superb today, again, from everybody, from the starting 15 to the five that came in. The effort was really, really good.

“That's all we can ask for every day we go out, is for everybody to give it everything they've got. Once we stay doing that, we can't have any complaints.” Tipp made the most of what they could extract from Tullamore. 

A sterner test awaits though, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh is up next.

“It's round two of the league now,” Cahill added. “We have a big assignment next week, next Saturday night in Cork. We're trying to get lads back onto the field and get a bit of competitive action back into them.

“Obviously, I've said it already without repeating myself, it's a case of managing the workload of the guys that are still involved in Fitzgibbon Cup as well. It's always going to be a difficult couple of weeks to manage.” 

Darragh McCarthy, who had impressed for UL last week was rested. Jake Morris, Sam O’Farrell and Oisin O’Donoghue didn’t feature here either, but Tipp hardly missed a beat.

Bryan O’Mara was immaculate. He shackled Ciarán Cleary throughout and saved his finest moment for the 74th minute, intercepting Brian Duignan’s lobbed flick to prevent a certain goal, when the outcome had long been decided.

They had put the game to bed much earlier, McGrath’s goal taking the Tipp lead to eight after 40 minutes. Five unanswered white flags would follow over the next eight minutes, with Offaly still scoreless in the second half.

And when Gearoid 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 the Faithful trailing by two as Cleary set up Duignan for the close range finish, but Tipp would regain control in the second quarter.

The first two Tipp goals were self-inflicted though, as Offaly – missing five through injury – were turned over by Andrew Ormond and Josh Keller who raced forward in sync before serving up Paddy McCormack for the green flag finish on 11 minutes.

The second major was double costly for Offaly.

Full-back Ben Miller carried possession into trouble, then gave the sliotar straight to Ormond – who he immediately hauled 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.

Scorers for Offaly: 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.

Scorers for Tipperary: 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.

OFFALY: 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.

Subs: 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).

TIPPERARY: 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.

Subs: 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)