By Eoghan Cormican
Tipperary 1-15 Waterford 1-7
Not exactly the 22-point hammering dished out 12 months ago, but Tipperary were once again successful in dealing with the challenge of Waterford at the quarter-final stage of the Munster SFC.
The damage was done in the third quarter of this desperately poor contest, Tipperary hitting 1-4 without reply to put significant daylight between the teams.
The Tipperary goal arrived on 47 minutes and had more than a bit of luck attached to it. Kevin O’Halloran’s delivery was flicked onto the crossbar by Michael Quinlivan, but the ball hit Waterford defender Maurice O’Gorman on the back as it came back out and dribbled back across the line.
Points subsequently from Quinlivan, Peter Acheson and Brian Fox stretched their lead out to 1-14 to 0-6 by the 58th minute to effectively end this game as a contest.
A Paul Whyte goal brought to an end a 23-minute barren spell for the home side, but it was mere consolation at that stage.
Tipperary had returned to the dressing-room 0-8 to 0-6 in front, the visitors to Dungarvan having successfully weathered Waterford’s early burst which consisted of three unanswered Paul Whyte minors.
Michael Quinlivan and the excellent George Hannigan put Tipperary on the board and Liam Kearns’ side had goalkeeper Evan Comerford to thank for ensuring the sides remained deadlocked for the time being – the Tipperary custodian pulled off two excellent saves to deny Paul Whyte on 16 and 19 minutes respectively.
Full-forward Whyte kicked all but one of Waterford’s first-half total, including an excellent free on the right sideline which he swung over on the stroke of half-time. Tipperary, by this juncture, had swept ahead; Peter Acheson, Hannigan and Martin Dunne on target, with Colm O’Shaughnessy doubling their advantage in first-half stoppages.
Scorers for Tipperary: M Quinlivan (0-4); G Hannigan, P Acheson (0-3 each); M O’Gorman (1-0 OG); K O’Halloran (0-2, 0-2 frees); M Dunne, C O’Shaughnessy, B Fox (0-1 each).
Scorers for Waterford: P Whyte (1-5, 0-3 frees, 0-1 ’45); G Crotty, T Prendergast (0-1 each).
Tipperary: E Comerford; C O’Shaughnessy, A Campbell, C McDonald; B Maher, P Acheson, S Leahy; M Dunne, G Hannigan; P Austin, A Moloney, B Fox; J Keane, M Quinlivan, K O’Halloran.
Subs: J Feehan for Leahy (45); I Fahey for Austin (55); B Hewitt for Moloney (62); M Hanley for O’Shaughnessy (68); D Leahy for Fox (72).
Waterford: S Enright; R Ó Ceallaigh, M O’Gorman, T O’Gorman; M Curry, S Prendergast, T Ó hUallacháin; T Prendergast, C Curry; G Crotty, P Hurney, J McGrath; JJ Hutchinson, P Whyte, L Ó Corraoin.
Subs: C Murray for Hutchinson (HT); J Veale for Crotty (50); M O’Halloran for McGrath (54); B Looby for M Curry (56).
Referee: D Gough (Meath)
