Waterford Crystal Cup Senior Hurling Preliminary Round – WIT 2-17 Tipperary 1-19

The Waterford Institute of Technology defeated Tipperary by 2-17 to 1-19 in the Waterford Crystal Cup Senior Hurling Preliminary Round on Sunday in Clonmel Sportsfield.

Tipperary led by 1-6 to 0-2 after 10 minutes with John O’Neill scoring the Tipperary goal after good work by Paddy Fanning. WIT slowly came back in to the match and goals by Cathal Parlon and Timmy Hammersley helped WIT to a 2-10 to 1-9 interval lead. Tipperary with wind assistance in the second half came back to take a one point lead with 5 minutes remaining but WIT converted two late frees to secure a deserved victory after a highly competitive match played in good conditions at Clonmel. Timmy Hammersley (1-10, 0-7 frees) and Cathal Parlon (1-4, 1-3 from play) accounted for most of WIT’s scores while Pa Bourke scored 11 points (8 frees) for a Tipperary side which started with just 1 of its All-Ireland team.

Match Reports

Hammersley on fire for WIT

Waterford IT 2-17 Tipperary 1-19

By Diarmuid O’Flynn for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Monday, January 17, 2011

“A GOOD ould workout,” was the verdict of new Tipperary manager Declan Ryan after yesterday’s one-point loss to WIT in this Waterford Crystal Tournament preliminary-round match, a game that doubled as the 2011 season opener for the All-Ireland champions. “Four weeks from yesterday we play Kilkenny in the opening league game. A lot of those lads only came back from Jamaica on Tuesday (Tipperary team holiday), so it’s good to have a workout. The Fitzgibbon Cup starts next week so WIT probably have a lot more work done than us, while our guys are in the middle of a heavy training schedule at the moment, some of the legs looked heavy there finishing up.”

The good news for Ryan was that his own clubman from Clonoulty-Rossmore, Timmy Hammersley, top-scored with an impressive 1-10, 1-3 of that from play. The bad news, however — Timmy was one of five Tipperary men on a strongly motivated WIT side that overcame a very poor start and went on to post a morale-boosting win. This was a very experimental Tipperary team, with only one starter from September’s magnificent All-Ireland win in centre-back Conor O’Mahony (Gearóid Ryan made an appearance, while All-Ireland substitute David Young played the full 70 minutes, impressed with his catching). Nevertheless they hit the ground running and looked very slick as they raced into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead after just six minutes, corner-forwards John O’Neill (1-1) and free-taker Pa Bourke (0-2), along with sharp-shooting wing-forward Darragh Hickey on target. Gradually, however, and with Hammersley (1-7) and Offaly star Cathal Parlon (1-1) in superb form, WIT worked their way into the game, and by half-time they led by four, 2-10 to 1-9. Ten minutes into the second-half WIT had extended that lead to five (2-14 to 1-12), and it was looking ominous for the All-Ireland champions.

However, the introduction of former star James Woodlock at the break (he hadn’t played for Tipperary since the All-Ireland final loss of 2009 after shattering his leg a few weeks later in the Tipp county final) made a big difference in the middle of the field, and now it was the Premier men’s turn to work their way back. With Pa Bourke on target (the Thurles Sarsfields star finished with 11 points), and with goalkeeper Darren Gleeson powering over a pointed free from inside his own 45, Tipp were back on level terms by the 58th minute (1-17 to 2-14), and in fact twice thereafter took a one-point lead. Ultimately, however, it was the students with just that little bit extra in the tank, and it was former De La Salle colleges star Stephen Power with the winner, a booming free from over 60m on the left.

An opening loss for the All-Ireland champions, an opening loss for Declan Ryan as manager, but nothing – he reckoned — to be concerned over. “We brought in a few lads we want to have a look at and these are ideal games to do that – good to see them in action there today. I am delighted to see James Woodlock coming back after his serious injury. For WIT, Timmy (Hammersley) played very well — I’ll have to give out to him about that! Buggy O’Meara (Brian, WIT centre-forward) showed very well and used the ball very well. We’ll have to sit down in the very near future and pick a panel for the league, that was what today was about, as much as anything else. “Talking to them all they’re anxious to get back to some hard work, looking forward to the challenges ahead. “The game against Kilkenny will certainly focus the minds.”

Scorers for WIT: T Hammersley 1-10 (0-7 frees); C Parlon 1-4 (0-1 s/l); K Grehan, L Harney, S Power (free), 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tipperary: P Bourke 0-11 (0-6 frees; 0-2 65s); J O’Neill 1-1; D Hickey 0-2; S Carey 0-2; S Lillis, D Young, D Gleeson (free), 0-1 each.

WIT: L Tierney (Kilkenny); B Kenny (Galway), S Fives (Waterford), N Connors (Waterford); W Hutchinson (Waterford), D Langton (Kilkenny), E Barrett (Clare); W O’Dwyer (Tipperary), L Harney (Kilkenny); C Parlon (Offaly), B O’Meara (Tipperary), K Grehan (Kilkenny); R McLoughney (Tipperary), M Sheedy (Tipperary), T Hammersley (Tipperary).

Subs: E Hickey (Kilkenny) for O’Dwyer (35); J Gahan (Wexford) for Sheedy (58); S Power (Waterford) for Grehan (58); B Burke (Galway) for Hammersley (inj. 69).

TIPPERARY: D Gleeson; C O’Brien, J Coghlan, E Connolly; D Young, C O’Mahony, H Maloney; S Carey, M Gleeson; J Brennan, P Fanning, D Hickey; J O’Neill, D Egan, P Bourke. Subs: S Lillis for Hickey (35); J Woodlock for Gleeson (35); J O’Dwyer for Brennan (53); G Ryan for Fanning (56).

Referee: J O’Mahony (Limerick).

Tipperary pipped at post by Power

From the Irish Times newspaper

Waterford IT 2-17 Tipperary 1-19: ALL-IRELAND champions Tipperary welcomed back midfielder James Woodlock from a 15-month injury lay off yesterday but fell to a one-point defeat against Waterford IT in Clonmel yesterday. The students edged the tie as Stephen Power’s free settled the issue in the first minute of stoppage time.

WIT were inspired by Tipp senior panellist Timmy Hammersley, who scored 1-10, Offaly’s Cathal Parlon added 1-4. Kilkenny’s Liam Tierney saved magnificently to keep out Dara Egan twice in the first half and John O’Neill. Tipp stormed into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead as O’Neill netted in the sixth minute but WIT were level at 1-6 apiece after 20 minutes and led 2-10 to 1-9 at half-time. Bourke missed a free in stoppage time to take the match into extra-time.

WATERFORD IT: L Tierney; B Kenny, S Fives, N Connors; W Hutchinson, D Langton, E Barrett; W O’Dwyer, L Harney (0-1); C Parlon (1-4, one sideline), B O’Meara, K Grehan (0-1); R McLoughney, M Sheedy, T Hammersley (1-10, 0-7 frees). Subs: E Hickey for O’Dwyer (half-time), J Gahan for Sheedy (58 mins), S Power (0-1, free) for Grehan (58 mins), B Burke for Hammersley (70 mins).

TIPPERARY: D Gleeson (0-1, free); C O’Brien, J Coghlan, E Connolly; D Young (0-1), C O’Mahony, H Maloney; S Carey (0-2), M Gleeson; D Hickey (0-2), P Fanning, J Brennan; P Bourke (0-11, 0-5 frees, 0-3 65s), D Egan, J O’Neill (1-1). Subs: J Woodlock for Gleeson, S Lillis (0-1) for Hickey, J O’Dwyer for Egan (all half-time), T Dalton for Brennan (53 mins), G Ryan for Fanning (56 mins), B Dunne for O’Brien (blood sub, 70 mins).

Referee: J O’Mahony (Limerick)

Team News

The Tipperary SH team to play WIT in the Waterford Crystal Tournament this Sunday January 16th at 2pm in Clonmel Sportsfield is as follows –

1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)

2. Conor O’ Brien (Eire Óg Anacarthy)

3. John Coughlan (Moyne Templetuohy)

4. Eddie Connolly (Loughmore Castleiney)

5. David Young (Toomevara)

6. Conor O’Mahony (Newport)

7. Hugh Moloney (Nenagh Eire Óg)

8. Sean Carey (Moyle Rovers)

9. Michael Gleeson (Thurles Sarsfields)

10. Jody Brennan (Upperchurch-Drombane)

11. Paddy Fanning (Moneygall)

12. Daragh Hickey (Boherlahan-Dualla)

13. John O’Neill (Clonoulty-Rossmore)

14. Dara Egan (Kildangan)

15. Pa Bourke (Thurles Sarsfields)

16. Brendan Cummins (Ballybacon-Grange)

17. James Woodlock (Drom & Inch)

18. Gearóid Ryan (Templederry)

19. Stephen Lillis (Thurles Sarsfields)

20. Timmy Dalton (Aravale Rovers)

21. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)

22. Paul Curran (Mullinahone)

23. Benny Dunne (Toomevara)

24. Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch)

25. Paul Kelly (Mullinahone)

26. Pat Kerwick (Killenaule)

Team Mentors

Manager: Declan Ryan (Clonoulty-Rossmore)

Coach: Tomás Dunne (Toomevara)

Selector: Michael Gleeson (Thurles Sarsfields)

Trainer: Cian O’Neill (Moorefield)