Tipperary 2-32
Laois 0-18
Stephen Barry reports from FBD Semple Stadium
LIAM CAHILL WON the battle of Ballingarry clubmates as his Tipperary side beat Willie Maher’s Laois with a facile 20-point victory to open their Allianz Hurling League campaign.
This game will be soon forgotten but it at least provided an early marker of Tipp’s progress since beating the same opposition by four points last year.
Tipperary had only three starters overlapping from that day and two of those were playing totally different roles; Michael Breen from midfield to full-back and Séamus Kennedy from centre-back to wing-forward.
The only worry came as Conor Stakelum limped off after turning awkwardly and falling to the ground. For Laois, meanwhile, pragmatism may influence Maher to consider fielding a sweeper down the line.
Tipperary were over-reliant on Jason Forde for scores in pre-season. With the Silvermines star left on the bench, the test was to see who would step up to take over the bulk of the scoring burden.
The answer, in part, was Gearóid O’Connor with 0-11. More encouragingly, though, they had 14 different scorers from play across the 70 minutes despite firing 18 wides.
Five forwards had registered by the 20th minute. The one attacker who didn’t score did most of the spadework, Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher directly assisting 1-4 and setting up many more moves.
O’Connor had the first five points, two from play, before Maher crafted a goal chance for Kennedy. With the Laois defence marked absent, Kennedy slotted low under Enda Rowland.
Tipp had six goal chances in the first half, with Rowland saving from Seán Ryan and Cian O’Dwyer, Noel McGrath hitting the side-netting, and O’Dwyer and McGrath blocked when eyeing goal.
Tipp accumulated 10 wides in the first 35 minutes but their shooting improved as the half progressed according to plan. Stakelum advanced from midfield for three points, O’Dwyer and John McGrath had two each, with one apiece for Ryan and Ronan Maher on his first appearance of 2023.
Breen won four good balls at full-back early on but one late slip up allowed Martin Phelan in. However, the debutant failed to rise the sliotar and was replaced in a half-time double substitution.
William Dunphy also endured a tough start to life as Laois captain, hooked before half-time, as the O’Moore men finished with a brace of James Keyes points to trail by 13 at the break, 1-17 to 0-7.
The second half was played at half-pace, won by Tipp by 1-15 to 0-11.
Ronan Maher took his tally to three points, while their bench all contributed: John Campion, Mark Kehoe, Conor Bowe, and Jake Morris registering points, with Kehoe, Morris and Paddy Cadell providing assists.
The bright spark for Laois was Keyes, slotting four points from midfield and winning three scoreable frees as PJ Scully took his final tally to 0-6, although he was heavily limping at the final whistle. They also had four point-scorers off the bench in Patrick Purcell, James Duggan, Liam Senior, and Ross King.
It ended with another 1-1 for Morris in stoppage time, the goal set-up by a Kennedy pass.
Scorers for Tipperary: Gearóid O’Connor 0-11 (7f, 1 65); Jake Morris 1-2; Séamus Kennedy 1-0; Conor Stakelum, Seán Ryan, Ronan Maher (1f) 0-3; Cian O’Dwyer, John McGrath 0-2; Cathal Barrett, Brian McGrath, Noel McGrath, Conor Bowe, John Campion, Mark Kehoe 0-1.
Scorers for Laois: PJ Scully 0-6 (5f); Tomás Keyes 0-4; James Keyes 0-2; Ryan Mullaney, Fiachra C Fennell, Liam Senior, Ross King, Patrick Purcell, James Duggan 0-1.
Tipperary
1. Barry Hogan (Kiladangan), 2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), 3. Michael Breen (Ballina), 4. Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers), 5. Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill), 6. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), 7. Brian McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), 8. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney, capt), 9. Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), 10. Séamus Kennedy (St Mary’s), 11. Gearóid O’Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy), 12. Cian O’Dwyer (Clonakenny), 13. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), 14. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha), 15. Seán Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)
Subs: 20. John Campion (Drom & Inch) for Stakelum (37 inj), 25. Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg) for O’Dwyer (51), 24. Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) for P Maher (51), 19. Paddy Cadell (JK Brackens) for N McGrath (60), 17. Conor Bowe (Moyne-Templetuohy) for J McGrath (62)
Laois
1. Enda Rowland (St Lazerian’s Abbeyleix), 2. Donnchadh Hartnett (Rosenalis), 3. Pádraig Delaney (The Harps), 4. Pádraic Dunne (The Harps), 5. Jack Kelly (Rathdowney-Errill), 6. Ryan Mullaney (Castletown), 7. Fiachra C Fennell (Rosenalis), 8. Aidan Corby (Clough-Ballacolla), 9. Tomás Keyes (Camross), 10. Aaron Dunphy (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton), 11. William Dunphy (Clough-Ballacolla, capt), 12. James Keyes (Colt-Shanahoe), 13. Stephen Maher (Clough-Ballacolla), 15. Martin Phelan (Castletown), 14. PJ Scully (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton)
Subs: 20. Ross King (Rathdowney-Errill) for W Dunphy (33), 21. Patrick Purcell (Rathdowney-Errill) for A Dunphy (h-t), 22. James Duggan (The Harps) for Phelan (h-t), 17. Ian Shanahan (Ballinakill) for Corby (57), 19. Liam Senior (Clonaslee St Manman’s) for Maher (60)
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
