Tipperary 4-14 Waterford 2-16THE AFTERNOON ended with quiet sighs of relief from natives as Tipperary defended their provincial title on a watershed day for the GAA. Willie Ryan of Toomevara became the first Premier County man to raise the Munster senior cup in Semple Stadium since Declan Carr did so back in 1991.
That turned out to be an auspicious year for Tipperary hurling and this year’s vintage head for the All-Ireland semi-finals in reasonably good shape. But for all the terrific scoring and unquestionable honesty of this team, a patched-up and occasionally inspired Waterford gave them plenty of food for thought.
As the 73rd minute elapsed, Tipperary had seen their once sumptuous 10-point lead steadily disappear as Waterford gamely rattled over six points in the last ten minutes. Through that stage, there was the sense that Tipperary were doing what was required to get them over the line but a few nearly moments flash through the predictable traffic of that second half: Padraic Maher throwing his body at a half-shot at goal by Maurice Shanahan and a snap-shot from Eoin McGrath that the perfectly placed Brendan Cummins rendered harmless.
Had Waterford squeezed a goal out of either of these chances, Tipperary would have found themselves in the unaccountable position of having to graft to get a result from a match in which at times they had seemed poised to run out of sight.
The departure of Eoin Kelly, who looked to have hit his stride with 1-3 in the first half despite tearing a hamstring, weakened Tipperary’s option and helps to explain their derisory return of 1-04 in the second half. But their play in the first half was sensational at times and as they retreated from the field at half time, they might have felt their tally of 3-10 (to 2-04) left them in an unassailable position.
All six starting forwards had scored from play and midfielder Shane McGrath posted a notice that suggested that he is not so far from recapturing last year’s form with a majestic solo point after 20 minutes, taking Clinton Hennessy’s puc-out and, after a straight-as-an-arrow run, returning the ball over the Waterford goalkeeper’s crossbar.
Seamus Callanan found there was no change to be had out of Michael Walsh but thrived once Liam Sheedy moved him out of the centre-back’s vicinity, scoring the first goal of the match and playing important roles in the next three.
Callanan burst through the Waterford defence before setting up Eoin Kelly with a handpass that the Mullinahone man converted with his customary efficiency. This was the period, in the ten minutes before half time, that Tipperary threatened to obliterate Waterford’s challenge.
They had survived Waterford’s early surge of fire and athleticism and several worrying defensive errors to force their own rhythm of the match. The Tipperary forwards hounded their opposite numbers and there was a certain irony that Michael Walsh, a huge presence for Waterford in the centre and sweeping across the sweep field to put out fires, found himself caught by Callanan near Waterford’s ‘65’ a minute before half time.
Shane McGrath collected and sent a smart, high ball back in to the harassed Waterford back line. Even before Corbett caught hold of the dropping ball, there was a sense that with Walsh stranded outfield, these were critical seconds for Waterford. So it proved. Corbett, the local kid, finished in style. Waterford were in a hole.
It must have been a tough dressing room for Davy Fitzgerald. The hot promise of their opening attacks seemed like a distant memory. In the opening seconds, John Mullane tapped into the sublime form that has distinguished his summer.
The De La Salle man was stunning again yesterday, his 1-5 from play all the more admirable because he was playing into increasingly hopeless odds. The central problem for Waterford was that apart from Mullane and Eoin Kelly, who delivered 1-07 from placed balls, no other players stepped up to find the target until this final was beyond rescue.
Memories of the black conclusion to Waterford’s gallant run in last year’s All-Ireland series must have floated across the minds of many fans – and perhaps players — at times here, particularly after Corbett punished an awful defensive error to nail Tipperary’s fourth goal in the 41st minute.
That left the score at 4-11 to 2-06 and with Mullane now well-marshalled and Eoin Kelly drifting further outfield in an attempt to make things happen, fears grew that Waterford were on the verge of another big-day hammering.
That they fought back from that bleak position is the big message Fitzgerald can carry into training next Tuesday evening. They hurled on, they showed patience and heart – the sight of Tony Browne haring to his own end line to try and rescue possession with two minutes remaining spoke volumes and, in the end, they walked away from a scoreboard that had plenty in terms of respectability.
But Tipperary’s failure – or lack of interest – in returning the Waterford team to the blacker moments of despair through which they had to play Kilkenny in last year’s All-Ireland final may give them cause for concern. Glowing as their first half showing was, they failed to send out the sort of resounding, fearful message that helped put the shine on Kilkenny’s frightening reputation.
Padraic Maher’s assured display after he was sent into man the full back position was the most significant aspect of their second half display.
Tipp remain the best team in Munster, capable of ferocious bursts of scoring and are still steadily on course as the biggest challenge to the men in stripes.
Waterford leave the Munster arena bruised but with that wonderful cavalier spirit intact.
It will be fascinating to see what happens should these sides meet again in Dublin.
But for now, in Thurles, all is right with the world.
