Senior Hurling: Fr. Tom Burke's v Tipperary

Fr. Tom Burke’s 2-8 Tipperary 1-10

Tom’s made it 2 wins from 3 games with an exciting, albeit low scoring, win over Tipperary on a drizzly Sunday afternoon at Canton.  The teams were neck and neck all through, and a second half goal from substitute, Stephen Lorigan, edged Tom’s over the line.

It was a well contested game between Tom's and Tipp.

It was a low scoring first half with both teams struggling to put good chances between the posts.  Tom’s kept in the game thanks to a great goal from corner forward Alex Morey.  Dean Delaney drove a ball in from distance and Morey got the final tip on the ball to direct it past James Maher in the Tipp goals.  On a couple of occasions Tom’s threatened to break through, however, at the crucial moment the ball was lost and the chance went a begging.

With 20 minutes gone there were just four scores in total, 1-1 for Tom’s and 0-2 for Tipp.  

The Premier men came to grips with shooting matters with about 10 minutes to go.  Colm Rafferty took a point well from just inside his own half, and Robbie Hanley tied it up shortly afterwards.  A Michael O’Malley free put Tipp one to the good before Morey leveled the scores as half time approached.

Every score was a big score in Sunday's senior hurling contest.

Tipperary got off to a fast start in the second period.  O’Malley pointed and a fine goal followed from the corner forward.  After Tom’s missed another great chance, the westerners started to make inroads.  The ball into Morey was the key.  The Clareman converted a great score from play and two frees to bring Tom’s within a point.  After Mark Kavanagh blazed a chance at another Tipp goal wide of the far post, Morey and O’Malley exchanged fantastic points, in stark contrast to the misses from the first period.

Then came a goal from Tom’s to nudge them a point ahead.  Morey’s shot was well saved by James Maher and Lorigan, who had just come on the field, was on hand to finish into the net.  O’Malley leveled before Gary Brennan and Morey put Tom’s 2 to the good.  An O’Malley free to make it a one point game set up a tense final 4 minutes.  Tipp desperately searched for an equalizing score, but it never came as Tom’s shot down possible openings.  After one round of the championship it is Tom’s joining Galway on top of the table. 

Tom’s:  O. O’Rourke, S. Kilduff, C. Bergin, K. Kennedy, C. Joyce-Power, C. Burke, P. Whelan, G. Brennan, D. Delaney, A. Hogan, S. Riordan, A. Morey, R. Hanley.   Tipp:  J. Maher, S. McGarr, C. Neville, A. Ryan, B. Troy, J. White, E. Moriarty, C. Dempsey, L. Moloney, C. Rafferty, S. Nally, M. O’Malley, M. Kavanagh.

By Rory O'Donnell