Senior Hurling: Wexford v Tipperary

Tipperary 3-13 Wexford 1-16

Tipperary did enough in the first half to claim the points over a Wexford side that started the game very slow, but were a transformed side in the second half and made a run at pulling off a result.  Tipp made it look easy in the first 30 minutes, but had to work in the second to hold off a late challenge that saw Wexford cut a 10 point half time lead to four.  Wexford left it too late, however, and Tipp won the game to leave Wexford looking up at the other 3 clubs in the table.

Tipp had the measure of Wexford at the ICC on Sunday.

Tipperary dominated proceedings in the opening half.  With Limerick duo Barry Nash and Cian Lynch on the half forward line, Tipp lorded over proceedings.  Nash opened with two points, and further scores were added from Lynch and Mark Kavanagh at corner forward before Tipp hit their first goal.  Lynch netted from a tight angle on the edge of the square, and shortly afterwards was followed by another from Kavanagh.   This was all too easy for the defending champions.

Wexford were unable to find a real foothold in the game but as the first period wore on found some measure of success and put 4 points over the bar from Shane Ryan to get off the ground.  Tipperary, however, were up to most anything that Wexford could throw at them and at the break went in ahead by 2-8 to 0-4.

The second half saw Wexford claw their way back into the game.  An early penalty helped, and Ryan made no mistake.  Tipp answered in kind with a Nash penalty after holding in the box, but in the points column it was Wexford who made up ground.  Kieran O’Dea made a difference after coming on at corner forward, and Ryan made the most of frees earned by the Slaneysiders.  Entering the final 15 minutes it was a six point game and Wexford hopes were up.

The last quarter was Tipp’s defenders who were put to the test.  Sean Nally, Michael Carey and Andrew Ryan had to step in on several occasions to cut out the Wexford threat.  Shane Ryan was still the main scoring threat for Wexford and added three scores to Tipp’s one to give Wexford hope of pulling off a comeback.  Tipp managed to hang on and do enough to ward off the Wexford threat.  Jason Bergin pointed late for insurance, and two late points from Eoghan Kavanagh and Paudge Guinan, left a goal between the sides, but the clock ran out on Wexford and the Brighton men need a win in their next outing against Fr. Tom’s next week.

Tipp:  J. Maher, M. Casey, C. Neville, B. Troy, A. Ryan, S. Nally, C. Dempsey, P. Ryan, B. Nash, L. Moloney, C. Lynch, M. O’Malley, M. Kavanagh.  Wexford:  D. O’Callaghan, J. McCarthy, D. Guinan, R. Sludds, B. Phelan, D. Walsh, T. Moloney, E. Kavanagh, G. Murphy, E. Flaherty, P. O’Connor, S. Ryan.

Saturday afternoon saw the Galway senior Hurlers complete a Galway double over Fr. Tom Burke’s with an emphatic 7-17 to 1-9 victory.  With Corkmen Jamie Coughlin and Mark Ellis in the side, Galway bagged three early goals that set the tone for the rest of the game.  An early sending off reduced Tom’s to 12 men and Galway cruised for the rest of the game.  The win puts Galway on top of the table and in pole position for the automatic final berth.

By Rory O'Donnell