Allianz Hurling League Division 1 – Tipperary 4-23 Galway 1-14

Ryan lauds classy Tipp display

Galway 1-14 Tipperary 4-23

By Diarmuid O’Flynn for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Monday, April 04, 2011

MOTHER’S DAY yesterday in sunny Salthill, and many of Galway’s matrons took the opportunity to head for Pearse Stadium in hopes of seeing their hurlers bring down the All-Ireland champions, and in the process secure their place in this year’s Allianz Hurling League final. What they witnessed, however, was a team rapidly reaching its pompspoiling their outing by beating the home side with a consummate performance.

“I’m sure Galway would be disappointed with their performance, but we’re certainly very happy with the way our lads played,” said Tipperary manager Declan Ryan. “Their workrate in the first-half set the foundation for the win, against a fairly strong breeze. We could have no complaints about the performance, everything seemed to go our way and when the chances came, our guys took them. We’re thrilled, we haven’t been scoring too many goals so we’re delighted with the tally.”

Galway disappointed? Manager John McIntyre can make the legendary Alex Ferguson hair-dryer treatment seem like a gentle breeze, when he feels the occasion warrants it. Yesterday, even he was subdued. “It’s a sobering day for Galway hurling but there is no blame game — there is collective responsibility. We have been handed a hurling lesson, to be beaten by 18 points was not what we anticipated when we were gathering in the hotel (this morning) but Tipperary showed why they are All-Ireland champions. They were much slicker, and you could see the confidence oozing through their play. Really the damage was done in the first-half; we were playing with a very strong wind but to go in two points down, I knew we were in trouble.”

Tipperary set out their stall from the start, were two points ahead into that gale (both from young corner-forward Shane Bourke, who went on to give a man-of-the-match performance) before Galway managed their first score, a Ger Farragher point from halfway. In the 10th minute Galway even had the temerity to take the lead, late call-up Eoin Forde getting on the end of a massive Colm Callanan free to goal with Farragher adding a point within a minute to give hope to the fine home crowd.

The next 15 minutes saw Tipp at their regal best, however, and a string of five points (Patrick Maher, Lar Corbett, John O’Brien and a Pa Bourke brace) soon had them back ahead. Another Farragher free was but a brief interruption, and when full-forward John O’Brien collected a low Pa Bourke sideline to goal from close range, it put Tipp four in front (1-7 to 1-3) by the 22nd minute. Galway mounted a comeback before the break, points from Farragher (two frees), Forde and wing-back Adrian Cullinane, making things a bit more respectable at the interval (1-10 to 1-8). But they were also set to face that gale. As referred to by both managers, the signs were ominous, and so it proved. It was one-way traffic for the second-half, Galway blown away by the Tipperary blitzkrieg led by hat-trick hero Shane Bourke.

“Some days everything goes right and (today) was one of them for me,” said the JK Brackens star; “They didn’t go well for me last week (taken off at half-time against Cork) but the boys were encouraging during the week. Larry (Corbett) gave me a good start, threw me out a couple of handy balls early on for scores and that kind of got me into the game.” That kind of intelligent and unselfish teamwork typified this Tipperary effort, but their overall workrate – in defence and attack – was the bedrock for the win.

And what of Galway? “We are still in the league,” said a defiant McIntyre. “If we go down to Waterford and get a result we will be in the league final. I still have faith in these Galway players; they’ll just have to learn from (today), pick themselves up and drive on. We’re not going to have any postmortem in the Galway dressing-room until next Friday night, when everybody is less raw and we can reflect on what happened, and the reasons why it happened, and try to plan our way forward. No-one saw Tipperary ending up as All-Ireland champions last year when they took a bad beating from Cork in the first round in Munster but they stood together, kept very united despite all the criticism that was thrown at them — we intend to do the same.”

Scorers for Tipperary: S Bourke 3-4; J O’Brien 1-1; L Corbett 0-4; Patrick Maher 0-4; P Bourke 0-4 (0-1f, 0-1 65); S Carey 0-2 (0-1f); B Dunne, S McGrath, G Ryan, B O’Meara, 0-1 each.

Scorers for Galway: E Forde 1-2; G Farragher 0-5 (0-4f); A Smith 0-2; A Cullinane, D Burke (free), I Tannian, A Harte, J Coen, 0-1 each.

Subs for Tipperary: B O’Meara for O’Brien (47); S Carey for Dunne (54); M Gleeson for Ryan (63); J Woodlock for Young (inj. 62); J O’Neill for Corbett (67).

Subs for Galway: N Donoghue for O’Halloran (30); A Harte for Cooney (38); J Lee for Joyce (44); J Coen for Farragher (46); D Hayes for Regan (61).

Referee: J Owens (Wexford)

Tipperary triumph all over the field

By SEÁN MORAN at Pearse Stadium for the Irish Times newspaper

GAA: ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE: IT’S PROBABLY comforting for Galway to explain this pasting as one of those freakish things that occasionally happen at this time of the year. But viewed another way, it was also an extension of a worrying trend visible against Dublin in the previous week’s Allianz Hurling League Division One. When these counties met in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final they produced one of the matches of 2010, which ultimately proved the launching pad for Tipperary’s sensational dethroning of Kilkenny.

What was on view yesterday before a crowd of 5,247 in Galway’s Pearse Stadium suggested the gap between the counties has grown exponentially and if that’s an exaggerated conclusion there’s still no denying the quality of Tipp’s play on a sunny April afternoon. Galway were missing important front-line players but their opponents were also short four All Stars from last year. Tipperary won everywhere, their defence not allowing Galway to gain a foothold, which might have helped them back into the match, their centrefield driving forward and the attack showing a range of strokes and vision that accounted for all but two points of the bulky total, just three points of which came from the placed ball.

The day’s star turn was Shane Bourke. His energy and skilful touches persecuted Galway and he ended the afternoon with 3-4, all scored from play. Supplementing this barrage was an attack in which all of the starting six plus two replacements scored from play. Manager Declan Ryan commended his corner forward’s application after a subdued display the previous week in Cork and also praised Larry Corbett, current hurler of the year, who was in lively form on just his second start of the season after recovering from injury, finishing with four points from play.

“He was disappointed to have been taken off at half-time against Cork and it’s probably a new level for Shane but he has been training very well and I’m sure he’ll be very pleased with his performance. Lar (Corbett) is also coming back to himself but it’s not easy to start off where he left off last year. He’s getting a bit of training under his belt and we’re certainly happy with his performance too.” The signs were ominous for Galway by the break, as they turned over two behind having benefited from the obligatory Salthill wind. Yet for a while the home side looked as if they might be settling into the larcenous mood of the previous week when they filched a win from a profligate Dublin with an injury-time goal.

In the 10th minute, with the visitors having done most of the hurling, Eoin Forde, a late call-up and Galway’s best forward, scrambled home a goal to put his side two up, 1-1 to 0-2. But Tipperary were not going to gift Galway the number of missed opportunities from which they had benefited at Parnell Park. From the moment Pa Bourke’s pointed free pushed Tipperary in front in the 18th minute they never lost the lead and it took a further three minutes before they hit their first wide. By then John O’Brien had fired in the first goal, moving unhindered on to Pa Bourke’s line ball and hammering past Colm Callanan. By scoring the last four points of the half, including two sharp scores from Forde and Adrian Cullinane, Galway were doing better at half-time, 1-8 to 1-10, than was strictly reflective of the play but facing into the wind in the second half they disintegrated.

In the 39th minute Shane Bourke got his first goal, a tightly-angled strike after a glorious sequence of interplay by the Tipp forwards. By the time replacement Johnny Coen had steamed through for Galway’s first point of the half in the 47th minute, the winners had racked up 1-5 without reply. Bourke added his second, a deft flip of the ball to flick the goal past Callanan and the third, tearing on to the rampant (four points from play) Patrick Maher’s pass in from the left corner and burying the sliotar. “Really the damage was done in the first half,” said Galway manager John McIntyre afterwards. “We were playing with a very strong wind, it mightn’t have looked it from the stand but to go in two points down having had nearly the assistance of a gale, I knew we were in trouble. “We tried to . . . we were plugging gaps and fire fighting on the line all day. It is a bad day at the office. There are no excuses. We are after getting a kick up the rear end. Hopefully we will all learn from it. We need to up our game. “The Galway supporters turned out in big numbers today. I am disappointed we produced a performance that they won’t be proud of but more importantly the team management and the players won’t be proud of.”

GALWAY : C Callanan; D Joyce, C O’Donovan, G O’Halloran; D Barry, T Regan, A Cullinane (0-1); D Burke (0-1, free), G Farragher (0-5, 0-4 frees); J Cooney, A Smith (0-2), C Donnellan; E Ryan, I Tannian (0-1), E Forde (1-2). Subs: N Donoghue for O’Halloran (30 mins), A Harte (0-1) for Cooney (38 mins), J Lee for Joyce (45 mins), J Coen (0-1) for Farragher (46 mins), D Hayes for Regan (61 mins).

TIPPERARY : D Gleeson; M Cahill, P Curran, J Coghlan; D Young, Páraic Maher, J O’Keeffe; G Ryan (0-1), S McGrath (0-1); P Bourke (0-4, 0-1 free, 0-1 65), Patrick Maher (0-4), B Dunne (0-1); S Burke (3-4), J O’Brien (1-1), L Corbett (0-4). Subs: B O’Meara (0-1) for O’Brien (47 mins), S Carey (0-2, one free) for Dunne (54 mins), J Woodlock for O’Keeffe (63 mins), M Gleeson for Ryan (64 mins), J O’Neill for Corbett (67 mins).

Referee : J Owens (Wexford)

Allianz Hurling League One: Bourke treble inspires Tipp

From the GAA.ie web site

Sunday, April 03, 2011

Tipperary 4-23 Galway 1-14

Tipperary produced a sensational performance against Galway in Division 1 of the Allianz Hurling League on Sunday, landing a deserved 18-point triumph in Pearse Stadium. It leaves Tipperary with an outside chance of making the league final with Galway now in a fight with the Premier and Dublin to make the decider alongside Kilkenny, who look hot favourites to make it. It also will provide a reminder as the campaign for Liam MacCarthy looms that the reigning champions are looking in excellent shape for a strong defence. Tipp played against a very strong wind in the first half but still went in two points ahead at the break. They started the second half in spectacular fashion and burst into a massive lead which was never threatened and only added to until the end.

The remarkable display of young Shane Bourke was perhaps the biggest story of the game, the JK Brackens clubman hitting 3-4 in a brilliant performance. Bourke started as he meant to go on, hitting the first two points of the game, both controlled efforts from the right wing. Galway responded well with Ger Farragher showing his usual accuracy from placed balls and then the Tribesmen moved into an early lead thanks to a goal from Eoin Forde. The ball was being knocked around the Tipperary goalmouth and should have been cleared but Burke managed to nudge a scrappy finish to the net in among a clatter of sticks. The Galway lead was an illusion though as Tipperary embarked on a five-point scoring spree which they never looked back from.

Patrick Maher, Lar Corbett, John O’Brien and Pa Bourke (0-2) all scored in the fruitful patch to put Tipperary in control. Farragher eventually stopped the run with a placed ball but Tipperary goaled brilliantly seconds later through O’Brien. Pa Bourke clipped a sideline ball in from the right and O’Brien rose, caught, turned sharply and buried the ball low to the left in what was an outstanding exhibition of all the skills of hurling in a mere split-second. It put Tipperary four points ahead and they moved further in front after efforts from Corbett and the two Bourkes, but Galway finished the half strongly and through points from Farragher, Forde, Andy Smith and Adrian Cullinane, managed to cut the gap to two at the break, 1-10 to 1-8.

The breeze had been very strong though and Tipperary showed how superior they were very soon after the restart once they had that wind with them. Shane Bourke hit the first score of the half, as he did in the first and then Corbett landed a wonderful score from distance after some great stickwork to control the sliotar before striking. O’Brien then fed Shane Bourke on the right and he raced in before smashing his finish high to the net from an acute angle. Tipp couldn’t stop scoring and continued to batter Galway, Gearóid Ryan, Patrick Maher and Pa Bourke all scoring fine points to push the lead out to 2-15 to 1-8, a 10-point gap.

Galway managed to hit the occasional score, Johnny Coen landing one fine effort, but the Tribesmen were being totally overrun in truth, with Tipperary winning most possession around the middle of the field and showing remarkable ruthlessness in front of goal, wasting very little chances either for goals or points. Shane Bourke’s second and third goals were both excellent finishes, and were further evidence of his full range of skills. The second came after he was fed by O’Brien before hitting past Colm Callanan from a tight angle. It had come just as Galway looked like making some kind of a revival but once it did come, the match was well and truly over as a contest. He completed his hat-trick with another fine finish on the run. It took his tally to a superb 3-4 from play.

It wasn’t just Burke who had been outstanding, the entire Tipperary forward line had been in top form all day, O’Brien, Corbett, Pa Bourke, Benny Dunne and Patrick Maher all contributing well for the full 70 minutes. Declan Ryan’s men continued to press on all the way to the finish, and Seán Carey’s point at the end epitomised their desire. The substitute forced two outstanding saves from Callanan in the Galway goal before making do with a point which completed the day’s scoring, sending Tipp home with a thumping tally of 4-23 and sending a serious message out ahead of the summer.

Team News

The Tipperary Senior Hurling team to play Galway in the Allianz Hurling League at Pearse Stadium on Sunday shows 3 changes from the team which drew with Cork last Sunday. Darren Gleeson comes into goals in place of Brendan Cummins, in defence John Coghlan has his first league start in place of the injured Paddy Stapleton and up front John O’Brien starts in place of Noel McGrath. The team is:

1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)
2. John Coghlan (Moyne-Templetuohy)
3. Paul Curran (Mullinahone) Captain
4. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields)
5. David Young (Toomevara)
6. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. John O’Keeffe (Clonoulty Rossmore)
8. Gearóid Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)
9. Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch)
10. Benny Dunne (Toomevara)
11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha & Dorrha)
12. Pa Bourke (Thurles Sarsfields)
13. Shane Bourke (JK Brackens)
14. John O’Brien (Toomevara)
15. Lar Corbett (Thurles Sarsfields)