Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group B
Dublin 0-24
Tipperary 2-23
Tipperary made a winning return to Croke Park on their first appearance at GAA headquarters since the 2019 All-Ireland final.
A sparser crowd this cold February evening but Tipperary’s firepower told with second-half goals from substitute Conor Bowe and Jason Forde, who finished with 1-10, for a five-point victory.
The supreme point-scoring of Donal Burke kept Dublin in touch for much of the game and the Na Fianna star struck 15 points, eight from play, before limping off with cramp late on.
In a week when Tipperary hurling lost five-time All-Ireland winner Mick Burns, it was fitting his Nenagh Éire Óg clubmate Conor McCarthy would make his League debut.
It made for a fresh-faced full-back line alongside Bryan O’Mara and Johnny Ryan, all members of Tipp’s U20 All-Ireland champions under Liam Cahill in 2019.
O’Mara was making his first appearance in the no.3 jersey and he couldn’t have had a better start. Three times he blocked down Alex Considine’s shots at the posts before bailing out his defensive colleagues for some casual defending when hooking Cillian Costello as he was eyeing goal.
Gearóid O’Connor was having a similar impact in attack, twice turning over the sliotar to snipe points. Séamus Kennedy and Mark Kehoe also added a pair of points from play.
But every time Tipp edged ahead, Burke inevitably had a response. He lasered over nine points across the first half, six from play, including efforts from inside his own half and when pinned to either sideline.
The game was level five times before four Forde frees had Tipp three ahead approaching the interval. But a one-handed Considine point under pressure and a Burke free had the half-time gap at one, 0-14 to 0-13.
Most notable was that Tipperary, so dangerous against Laois and Kilkenny, failed to create a goal chance all half, with Paddy Doyle making a crucial interception when Dublin were stretched.
Tipp restarted with a new midfield combination of Noel McGrath and Kennedy and the former was involved in two scores inside the first minute for Jake Morris and Forde.
Bowe was a half-time sub and he had a goal within four minutes, picked out by Kehoe and showing improved finishing from his two shots saved against Kilkenny.
A Forde free nudged Tipperary six ahead, 1-17 to 0-14, but Dublin hit the next three, two from Burke, one after fielding a puck-out, and the other from Considine.
Burke uncharacteristically missed two frees in quick succession but from play he was near-unstoppable, taking his tally to 0-13.
But Dublin’s good work was undone when they failed to deal with Michael Breen’s long delivery and Forde flicked home. 2-19 to 0-19 now.
Alan Tynan struck back-to-back points to complete the set of six starting Tipp forwards, plus Bowe, registering on the scoreboard.
Barry Hogan made saves from Cian Boland (twice) and Paul Crummey (with the help of the crossbar) and when Crummey appeared to have him beaten in stoppage time, a square ball was awarded.
Scorers for Dublin: D Burke (0-15, 6 frees, 1 65); A Considine (0-3); C Burke, D Gray, C O’Leary, J Flanagan (free), P Crummey, S Currie (0-1 each).
Scorers for Tipperary: J Forde (1-10, 0-8 frees); G O’Connor (0-4, 2 frees); C Bowe (1-0); M Kehoe (0-3); A Tynan, S Kennedy (0-2 each); B McGrath, J Morris (0-1 each).
DUBLIN: S Brennan; J Bellew, E O’Donnell, P Doyle; J Madden, C Burke, D Gray; C Donohoe, C O’Leary; C Costello, D Burke, D Sutcliffe; F Whitely, A Considine, C Boland.
Subs: J Flanagan for Costello (53), P Crummey for Considine (55), D Leavy for Sutcliffe (61), D Keogh for Whitely (61), S Currie for D Burke (64 inj).
TIPPERARY: B Hogan; C McCarthy, B O’Mara, Johnny Ryan; M Breen, R Maher, B McGrath; C Stakelum, D McCormack; A Tynan, G O’Connor, S Kennedy; J Forde, J Morris, M Kehoe.
Subs: N McGrath for B McGrath (34 inj), C Bowe for Stakelum (h-t), S Callanan for Kennedy (55), P Maher for Forde (62), C O’Dwyer for O’Connor (68).
Referee: P O’Dwyer (Carlow).
