Senior Hurling: Tipperary to Meet Wexford in Semi Final

Fr. Tom Burke’s 1-14 Tipperary 2-16

It was an extremely entertaining game between Tipperary and Fr. Tom’s to decide who would go on to meet Wexford in Wednesday night’s semi-final.  Tipperary had that little bit extra on the bench that saw them through the final 10 minutes to put some distance between the teams.  Jamie Dwyer made a difference after entering the fray in the latter stages, while two Michael Ryan points in injury time settled the game.

Tipp Senior Hurlers Beat Fr. Tom's in Sunday's Replay

The opening 30 minutes was played with gusto.  Tom’s had the edge in the early stages and went into a three point lead.  A Thomas Carroll goal after quick ball into the full forward line was gathered by the corner forward who fired into the far corner of the net.  Points followed from Shane Howley and Brendan Murphy and 4 of the 5 Tom’s forwards were on the scoresheet.  With less then 10 minutes to the break Tipp opened up.  It began with a pointed O’Loughlin free, and then Brian Hartnett was involved in a two goal double strike.  Hartnett looked lively in the corner for Tipp.  First the Corkman made a solo run and and drove the ball home from an angle, and for the second he took a quick free to Michael Ryan who was left unmarked right in front of goal, and Ryan fired home.  With the momentum in their favour Tipp landed four more points on the trot.  Two were fantastic efforts from John Wall, and the Permier county boys went in at the break with a 2-9 to 1-8 lead.

Fr. Tom's Senior Hurlers

The sides traded scores to get the second half going.  Howley and O’Mahoney for Tom’s and John Roche and Rigney for Tipperary.  Tom’s threatened the Tipp goal on a couple of occasions, but a Tipp hurl or body managed to keep the ball from the back of the net on each occasion.  It looked as though fatigue was beginning to set in for Tipp as Tom’s seemed to be getting the upper hand and returning balls towards the Tipp goal.  On most occasions however, there was a Tipp defender in the vicinity more often than a Tom’s forward.  Tipp had a great chance to put some daylight between the team when subsititute Jamie Dwyer was held in the area, but Paudie O’Brien’s penalty came off the crossbar and Tom’s cleared the danger.  Would it be an omen?  Murphy and O’Mahoney brought Tom’s within a point with five minutes to go.  Tipp, as they have done in recent games, introduced some fresh legs to help the team get over the finish line.  John O’Loughlin made it a three point lead for Tipp and two Ryan points sealed the game for Tipp in injury time, with a third from Dwyer for good measure.  And so, after 140 minutes of hurling, it is Tipp who will meet Wexford in the semi-final next Wednesday night at 5:00.

Before the game a minute’s silence was observed for the late John Joynt who played with Fr. Tom’s in 1959.  Ar Dheis De go raibh a anam.

Referee:  James Owens (Loch Garman)

Man of the Match:  Michael Ryan (Tipperary)

Tom’s:  F. Hynes, N. O’Muineachan, P. Heneghan, S. Higgins, G. McInerney, P. McGrath, T. Corcoran, E. Murphy, S. Howley, C. Moore, B. Murphy, D. O’Mahoney, T. Carroll.  Tipp:  P. O’Brien, J. Kindregan, B. O’Carroll, S. Norton, J. Rigney, J. Dougan, C. Dempsey, A. Callinan, J. Wall, J. Roche, K. O’Loughlin, B. Hartnett, M. Ryan.

By Rory O'Donnell