Waterford Crystal Cup Hurling Preliminary Round – Tipperary 4-16 Mary I 1-16

Tipperary defeated Mary Immaculate College Limerick by 4-16 to 1-16 in the Preliminary Round of the Waterford Crystal Cup on Friday January 9th at Dr. Morris Park Thurles.

Callanan hat-trick decisive for Tipp

By Jackie Cahill for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Waterford Crystal Cup

Tipperary 4-16 Mary Immaculate College 1-16

Seamus Callanan spared Tipperary’s blushes with a deadly second-half hat-trick of goals in last night’s Waterford Crystal Cup preliminary round fixture against Mary Immaculate College.

With the sides deadlocked at 1-14 apiece entering the final 10 minutes, Callanan struck for three goals in as many minutes to set up a quarter-final clash with Clare, a repeat of the last three finals.

Callanan’s blistering treble dug Tipp out of a hole on a blusterly, squally evening in Thurles as the holders got off to a winning start.

Newcomer David Butler also impressed with four points from corner forward, while fellow debutant Sean Maher hit 1-1, including an early second-half goal. However, Tipp panellist Niall O’Meara quickly replied with a superb goal to restore Mary I’s advantage, as the visitors had led by 0-11 to 0-10 at half-time.

But not even a personal haul of 0-10, including eight frees, from Limerick’s David Reidy was enough to spring an upset as Tipp finally clicked through the gears to get over the line.

But, for long periods, this was a real struggle for an experimental Tipperary side, as manager Eamon O’Shea handed starts to newcomers Joe O’Dwyer, Stephen Maher, Liam Treacy, Maher and Butler. O’Shea will hope for a much improved show against Clare but this one was all about blowing off the cobwebs.

Scorers for Tipperary: S Callanan 3-7 (0-4f, 0-1 65), D Butler 0-4, S Maher 1-1, Pádraic Maher, K Bergin (f), D Maher & C Kenny 0-1 each.

Scorers for Mary Immaculate College: D Reidy 0-10 (8f), N O’Meara 1-1, D O’Donovan & T Gallagher (1 sl), 0-2 each, C Sheahan 0-1.

TIPPERARY: D Egan; J O’Dwyer, P Curran, Stephen Maher; S McGrath, C O’Mahony, Pádraic Maher; K Bergin, G Ryan; D Maher, L Treacy, Patrick Maher; Sean Maher, S Callanan, D Butler.
Subs: J Woodlock for Stephen Maher (41), C Kenny for Butler (51), C Ryan for D Maher (63), Butler for Sean Maher (68), D Guinan for Callanan (68).

MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE: M Browne (Cork); R English (Limerick), A Ryan (Tipperary), C Fennessy (Clare); L Corry (Clare), S Kennedy (Tipperary), C Barry (Cork); D O’Donovan (Limerick), D Reidy (Limerick); N O’Meara (Tipperary), D Hannon (Limerick), J Hannon (Limerick); T Gallagher (Tipperary), D Corry (Clare), C Sheahan (Waterford).
Subs: S Taylor (Clare) for Sheahan (43), P Herlihy (Cork) for J Hannon (43), E Quirke (Clare) for Fennessy (50), T Lynch (Clare) for Gallagher (53), K Cleary (Limerick) for O’Donovan (68).

Callanan hat-trick inspires clinical Tipperary to place in Waterford Crystal Cup quarter-finals: http://t.co/tM1R9jc5Sk

— TheScore.ie GAA (@TheScoreGAA) January 9, 2015

Callanan hat-trick inspires clinical Tipperary to place in Waterford Crystal Cup quarter-finals

Jackie Cahill reports from Dr. Morris Park, Thurles for thescore.ie

In blusterly, squally conditions at Dr. Morris Park in Thurles, the star unleashed a deadly treble.

Waterford Crystal Cup SH preliminary round:
Tipperary 4-16 Mary Immaculate College 1-16

THREE GOALS IN as many minutes from Seamus Callanan sealed Tipperary’s safe passage to the quarter-finals of the Waterford Crystal Cup this evening. In blusterly, squally conditions at Dr. Morris Park in Thurles, Callanan unleashed a deadly treble in the 61st, 62nd and 63rd minutes to help see off the dogged challenge of Mary Immaculate College in this preliminary round clash.

The sides were level at 1-14 apiece before Callanan’s hat-trick eased Tipp’s nerves and ensured a winning start to 2015 for last year’s All-Ireland finalists. Tipp will now face Clare next Sunday in a repeat of the last three Waterford Crystal finals, with the Premier County hoping for a repeat of last year’s victory over Davy Fitzgerald’s men in the Gaelic Grounds decider.

But for long periods, this was a real struggle for an experimental Tipperary side, who handed starts to newcomers Joe O’Dwyer, Stephen Maher, Liam Treacy, Sean Maher and David Butler. It was an experienced head who got them over the line after Maher and Tipp panellist Niall O’Meara, on duty for Mary I, traded goals early in the second half.

At the break, Mary I were 0-11 to 0-10 clear, with Limerick’s David Reidy bagging six of those first-half points for Eamonn Cregan’s visitors. By full-time, however, Tipp had achieved the expected result, with 2014 Hurler of the Year nominee Callanan collecting a total of 3-7.

Butler helped himself to four points from play with Maher collecting 1-1. Reidy was Limerick’s leading scorer with a tally of ten points, including eight frees.

Scorers for Tipperary: Seamus Callanan 3-7 (0-4f, 0-1 65), David Butler 0-4, Sean Maher 1-1, Pádraic Maher, Kieran Bergin (f), Denis Maher & Conor Kenny 0-1 each.

Scorers for Mary Immaculate College: David Reidy 0-10 (8f), Niall O’Meara 1-1, Darragh O’Donovan & Tadhg Gallagher (1 sl), 0-2 each, Conor Sheahan 0-1.

TIPPERARY:
1. Darragh Egan (Kildangan)
2. Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
3. Paul Curran (Mullinahone)
17. Stephen Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
5. Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch)
6. Conor O’Mahony (Newport)
7. Pádraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule)
9. Gearoid Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)
10. Denis Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
11. Liam Treacy (Loughmore-Castleiney)
12. Patrick Maher (Lorrha)
13. Sean Maher (Clonoulty-Rossmore)
14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
15. David Butler (Drom & Inch)
Subs:
18. James Woodlock (Drom & Inch) for Stephen Maher (41).
20. Conor Kenny (Borris-Ileigh) for Butler (51)
21. Colm Ryan (Upperchurch-Drombane) for Denis Maher (63)
15. David Butler for Sean Maher (68)
22. Daniel Guinan (Killenaule) for Callanan (68).

MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE:
1. Mike Browne (Cork)
2. Richie English (Limerick)
3. Andrew Ryan (Tipperary)
4. Cillian Fennessy (Clare)
5. Liam Corry (Clare)
20. Seamus Kennedy (Tipperary)
7. Colm Barry (Cork)
8. Darragh O’Donovan (Limerick)
9. David Reidy (Limerick)
10. Niall O’Meara (Tipperary)
11. Declan Hannon (Limerick)
12. Jody Hannon (Limerick)
13. Tadhg Gallagher (Tipperary)
14. Darragh Corry (Clare)
15. Conor Sheahan (Waterford).
Subs:
25. Shane Taylor (Clare) for Sheahan (43)
22. Pa Herlihy (Cork) for J Hannon (43)
19. Eoin Quirke (Clare) for Fennessy (50)
28. Tadhg Lynch (Clare) for Gallagher (53)
23. Kieran Cleary (Limerick) for O’Donovan (68)

Referee: Nathan Wall (Cork)

'Blitzed!' 4 second half goals sees @TipperaryGAA beat Mary I tonight! @LiveGAAResults @PunditArenaGAA @MunsterGAA pic.twitter.com/EKlpXBSTcy

— Inpho Photography (@Inphosports) January 9, 2015

'Slick!' Seamus Callinan with the no look pass for @TipperaryGAA tonight! @LiveGAAResults @PunditArenaGAA @MunsterGAA pic.twitter.com/Tsoexq9Fhw

— Inpho Photography (@Inphosports) January 9, 2015

Team News

The Tipperary Senior Hurling team to play Mary Immaculate College Limerick has been named as follows – Darragh Egan (Kildangan); Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Paul Curran (Mullinahone), Conor O’Brien (Eire Og Annacarty); Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch), Thomas Stapleton (Templederry Kenyons), Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields); Kieran Bergin (Killenaule), Gearoid Ryan (Templederry Kenyons); Denis Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Liam Treacy (Loughmore-Castleiney), Patrick Maher (Lorrha); Shane Bourke (JK Brackens), Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch), David Butler (Drom & Inch)

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