Munster Minor Hurling Championship - Round 4
Tipperary 1-20
Waterford 1-12
By Michael Dundon
Tipperary minor hurlers' defence of the Munster and All-Ireland titles ended at Semple Stadium last week with a comprehensive win over Waterford, but it was too little, too late, to qualify them for the knock-out stages, Cork, Limerick and Clare claiming the top spots.
Both Tipp and Waterford went into this game without a win from three outings and so had nothing to play for but pride.
The disappointing aspect of the campaign from Tipp’s point of view is that they were getting better with each game, but losing their two opening games away to Clare and Cork left them with a mountain to climb and then they succumbed to Limerick in the last round, a game that looked theirs until a late error gifted Limerick a winning goal.
With nothing but pride at stake the Tipp boys responded well to the challenge. They looked sharp and focused and Stefan Tobin’s goal after eight minutes shot them into a 1-4 to 0-2 lead.
They extended this to 1-7 to 0-3 by the 21st minute but then came a Limerick surge that yielded three points and as they went in at half-time 0-7 to 1-8 behind, the visitors were very much still in the frame.
Tipp had seven different scorers in the first half and shot just four wides, a display which underlined the efficiency and quality of the side but when Waterford opened with the first score of the second half, a point from their key man Colm Hartley, it looked as though the home side were going to have a fight on their hands.
However, it was Tipp who took control, Waterford not helped by some poor shooting, six wides in twelve minutes. Robbie Ryan (3), Stefan Tobin, David Costigan and Jack Lahart hit the next six points for Tipperary to send them 1-14 to 0-8 clear and cruising after 42 minutes.
Waterford’s Conor Tobin hit the side netting with a goal chance on 46 minutes when a goal might have sparked a rally.
Instead the game petered out to the finish with both managers giving their fringe players a taste of the action. Waterford’s goal didn’t come until the 64th minute, from Conor Tobin, too late to be of any consequence.
It was a disappointing campaign for Tipperary when expectations were so high after last year’s success. They certainly were not helped by having their opening two games away from home, those losses putting them on the back foot from the start.
The pity of it is that this was a team with considerable potential and many of these lads will be heard of at under 20 and adult level in the coming years.
Manager James Woodlock afterwards spoke of his pride in his players. “Although we could not advance in the championship, the lads treated this game with utmost respect.
They wanted to win for themselves and before their home supporters and I am very proud of the effort they put into the campaign”.
In a slickly moving attack Stefan Tobin, Sam Rowan and Robbie Ryan were the key figures. Jamie Ormond and David Costigan worked tirelessly at midfield while Evan Morris and Jack Lahart shone in defence fronting the very confident Harry Loughnane in goal.
Waterford relied heavily on the attacking flair of Colm Hartley for their scores with Sean Mackey and Conor Tobin also a threat. Cathal O’Sullivan, Cormac Deevy and Liam Lynch were others to catch the eye for the visitors.
Tipperary: Harry Loughnane; Jack Lahart (0-1), Evan Morris, Ciaran Byrne; Shane Buckley (0-3f), Oisin O’Donoghue, Darragh Linnane; Jamie Ormond (0-1), David Costigan (0-1); Colm Kennedy, Sam Rowan (0-3), Leigh Loughnane (0-1); Jack Hayes (0-2), Stefan Tobin (1-2), Robbie Ryan (0-6, 0-3f).
Subs: Adam Ryan for Kennedy (42); Cormac Cahill for Costigan (53); Cillian Minogue for L Loughnane (55); Jake Houlihan for Hayes (58); Eoghan Doughan for Ryan (58).
Waterford: Leon Lannon; Liam Lynch, Dylan Ryan, Tom Ahern; Cormac Deevy, Cathal O’Sullivan, Philip Power; David Comerford, Callum Carroll (0-1); Colm Hartley (0-8, 0-5f), Gearoid Power, Sean Kelly; Conor Tobin (1-1), Sean Mackey(0-2), Adam Regan.
Subs: Ben Cummins for Regan (HT); Conor Murphy for G Power (44); Charlie Lineen for Kelly (44); Mark Power for Mackey (49); Kristian McLoughlin for Carroll (55).
Referee: Shane Scanlon (Cork)
