Allianz Hurling League Division 1A – Dublin 2-15 Tipperary 0-21

Rushe salvages a draw for Dublin

Allianz Hurling League Division 1A: Dublin 2-15 Tipperary 0-21

Report from GAA.ie

Dublin earned the first point of their Allianz League campaign at Croke Park on Saturday night, where Liam Rushe scored a brilliant goal three minutes into added time to salvage a last gasp draw against Tipperary. The Dubs appeared on the verge of a fourth successive defeat, and the worst possible start to the defence of their League title, as Tipperary’s superb second half comeback had Declan Ryan’s side three points clear with time running out.

However, Rushe hit the net in front of Hill 16 in dramatic fashion with what was effectively the last puck of the game, although Dublin really needed two points to have any hope of avoiding a relegation play-off to save their top flight status. After losing to Cork and Kilkenny in agonising circumstances in each of their last two games, Rushe’s late goal must have come as a sweet relief for Anthony Daly, to see his side finally catching a lucky break.

Dublin trailed by 0-9 to 0-7 at the break, but David Treacy came off the bench at half-time and within four minutes of the restart he had scored 1-1 to leave them 1-9 to 0-9 ahead, his goal coming after the Cuala man picked up a loose ball and drove a shot past Darren Gleeson, the Tipperary goalkeeper. Both sides were involved in remarkably high-scoring games last weekend, but this was a far tighter, scrappier affair, which did not really come to life until the final quarter, when the Tipperary forwards finally found their range.v Brian O’Meara, especially, was starting to cause real problems for the Dublin defence and he finished with four points from play. Points from John O’Brien, Noel McGrath and O’Meara had Tipp a point clear with three minutes left, but Dublin sub Niall McMorrow levelled and it was anyone’s game to take with two minutes to go.

It was Tipperary who grasped that opportunity, as John O’Brien and Shane McGrath hit the target, and then O’Meara looked to have sealed victory for the Premier County with a fourth point of the day in the 72nd minute. It was to be Dublin and Rushe who had the final say, though. Dubin opened brightly, with Alan McCrabbe and Danny Sutcliffe putting them two points clear early on. Tipperary opened their account on six minutes, when Pa Bourke hit the first of four first half frees. Ryan O’Dwyer snaffled a point against his native county and Sutcliffe, who scored two goals against Kilkenny last week, had the League champions 0-4 to 0-2 ahead on 12 minutes.

Dublin corner forward Eamon Dillon had the only real goal chance of a tight first half, but when he created an opening his low shot was saved by the Tipperary goalkeeper Gleeson. Gleeson did well again minutes later when called into action, coming off his line to block a shot with his hand. Shane Bourke levelled matters at 0-4 apiece with a point from play on 19 minutes, but two quick points from Liam Rushe – the second after a sloppy pass out of the Tipperary defence – handed the advantage back to the Dubs. In truth, the Daly’s men should have been further ahead at that stage, but seven first half wides would prove costly. Two points in quick succession, from Pa Bourke and McGrath, drew Tipperary level again, before McCrabbe found his range from a placed ball and nudged the Dubs back into the lead.

But that would be their last point of the half, as Tipp hit three on the trot to go into the break leading by 0-9 to 0-7. McGrath started that purple patch before O’Meara had Tipperary ahead for the first time on 31 minutes, with Pa Bourke then leaving two between the sides at the interval.

Dublin hurling boss Anthony Daly was delighted with Liam Rushe’s last ditch equalising goal against Tipperary on Saturday evening in Croke Park, even though his side are now guaranteed to be in the relegation play-off in Division IA in a few weeks time. Rushe scored a stunning goal with the last puck of the game to rescue a draw in a thrilling finale against the Premier County. “It looked like it was gone,” said Daly. “We had a couple of chances last week and the week before to win, or to draw at least, but that was brilliant today and in fairness to Liam it was a great goal, a great catch and a great finish.” While Daly is obviously disappointed his side will now face a game to decide their fate in Division IA, he expects an intense encounter which will ultimately benefit his side come the summer. “We know we are in the relegation final for sure and you know, in some ways that could be more intense than a League semi-final. It will be a great pre-run for the Championship and hopefully we’ll have a few more bodies available.”

Daly’s counterpart, Tipperary boss Declan Ryan, lamented his side’s failure to create goal chances and he put it down to Dublin’s strong defence. “We didn’t get enough ball in around the danger area quick enough, but in fairness to Dublin they play a defensive style of game anyway and they did for a lot of the second half especially there,” he said. There were some question marks over how many steps Rushe took on route to his goal but Ryan said he couldn’t tell from his vantage point. “I couldn’t really say, I didn’t have a great view of it. I thought someone might have pulled him down but it didn’t happen!” he said.

Dublin: G Maguire; N Corcoran, P Schutte, R Trainor; M Carton, J Boland, J McCaffrey (0-1); S Durkin, S Lambert; L Rushe (1-2), R O’Dwyer (0-2), D Sutcliffe (0-2); E Dillon, D O’Callaghan (0-1), A McCrabbe (0-3, 0-2f).

Subs: D Treacy (1-2) for E Dillon (HT), S Stapleton for Lambert (52), N McMorrow (0-2) for McCrabbe (56), M O’Brien for Schutte (58).

Tipperary: D Gleeson; D Maher, P Curran, M Cahill; T Stapleton, C O’Mahony, Pádraic Maher; B Maher (0-1), J Woodlock; G Ryan, N McGrath (0-4, 0-2f), P Bourke (0-6, 0-5f); J O’Neill (0-1), B O’Meara (0-4), S Bourke (0-1).

Subs: J O’Brien (0-2) for S Bourke (HT), D Young for Coughlan (46), J Ryan (0-1) for P Bourke (48), S McGrath (0-1) for Woodlock (59), T Hammersley for J O’Neill (70).

Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly)

Dublin 2-15 Tipperary 0-21

Report from the RTE.ie web site

David Treacy’s goal early in the second half helped Dublin earn a point at Croke Park A 74th minute goal from Liam Rushe ensured a share of the spoils for Dublin against Tipperary in a 2-15 to 0-21 draw in Croke Park.

The sides were tied on ten occasions in the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A clash at Croke Park, including four times in the opening half.

Late scores from Brian O’Meara and Pa Bourke gave Tipperary a 0-09 to 0-07 interval advantage, but Dublin hit back with David Treacy’s 38th-minute goal. Dublin led by two points with nine minutes remaining and although Tipperary broke ahead, Rushe had the final say.

Injuries continued to cause Dublin boss Anthony Daly headaches in the build-up to the game, with Paul Ryan the latest player to be ruled out. A hamstring tear, sustained against Kilkenny last Sunday, will keep the freetaker out for up to six weeks.

However, there was some good news for Daly with Alan McCrabbe returning to action and the Craobh Chiaráin clubman had a strong influence on the Metropolitans’ attack.

Tipperary made two changes to the team announced midweek with Michael Cahill and Conor O’Mahony replaced by Conor O’Brien and John Coghlan respectively.

Dublin started solidly with McCrabbe and Danny Sutcliffe both registering a point inside the opening four minutes.

Little was given away by either side early on with two quick scores from Pa Bourke and Brendan Maher ensuring the sides were deadlocked at 0-02 apiece after six minutes.

Every time Dublin got on top Tipperary seemed to have an answer. Ryan O’Dwyer and Sutcliffe strung together scores before efforts from Pa and Shane Bourke tied the contest at 0-04 apiece after 19 minutes.

Two minutes earlier, Tipperary goalkeeper Darren Gleeson pulled off a superb save. Rushe cut loose, breaking through the centre before feeding Eamon Dillon with a pass. However, Dillon failed to get his shot past the well-positioned Gleeson.

A brace of quick points from Rushe pushed Dublin 0-06 to 0-04 ahead after 21 minutes, but Tipperary managed to outscore their opponents by five points to one in the closing 10 minutes of the half.

Pa Bourke continued to show impressive accuracy from placed balls, while Noel McGrath and O’Meara chipped in with some excellent scores from play.

Declan Ryan’s charges led by 0-09 to 0-07 at the break, but Daly’s men rose again on the restart. The introduction of David Treacy certainly spurred the Metropolitans on, with the DIT student showing razor sharp form.

A two-year stint on the sidelines due to a succession of hamstring injuries has hampered Treacy, but he showed glimpses of his best when outgunning the Premier County defence.

Defender Johnny McCaffrey set Dublin off to a great start with a point in the opening minute of the second half, before Treacy delighted the home crowd with a timely goal.

Treacy beat Tipperary half-back Thomas Stapleton for pace and then slotted a low shot past Gleeson at the Hill 16 end of the ground.

Leading by 1-10 to 0-10 after Treacy had brought his tally to 1-02 in the 44th minute, Dublin looked poised to push on for their first win of the league campaign.

However, four of the next fives points came from Tipperary to tie the game at 0-14 to 1-11 with nine minutes left on the clock.

David O’Callaghan and substitute Johnny Ryan traded scores, with the sides level for the seventh time. Niall McMorrow and Tipperary native O’Dwyer both pointed to push Dublin 1-14 to 0-15 ahead in the 62nd minute, but Tipperary gritted their teeth and battled on.

Kilruane MacDonaghs clubman Brian O’Meara struck four excellent points from play in the closing 35 minutes, including two in the latter stages, as Tipperary dominated to turn things around to lead by 0-21 to 1-15 in injury-time.

However, there was still time for Rushe to rip up the script with a fantastic levelling goal. He rose highest to brilliantly gather Joey Boland’s delivery in and burst clear to rocket a stinging shot past Gleeson, although it did appear that he had taken too many steps.

Dublin: D Treacy, L Rushe 1-02 each, A McCrabbe 0-03 (0-02f), N McMorrow, R O’Dwyer, D Sutcliffe 0-02 each, J McCaffrey, D O’Callaghan 0-01 each

Tipperary: P Bourke 0-06 (0-05f), B O’Meara 0-05, N McGrath 0-04 (0-02f), J O’Keeffe 0-02, B Maher, S McGrath, J Ryan 0-01 each

Dublin: G Maguire; N Corcoran, P Schutte, R Treanor; M Carton, J Boland, J McCaffrey; S Durkin, S Lambert; L Rushe, R O’Dwyer, D Sutcliffe; E Dillon, D O’Callaghan, A McCrabbe.

Subs used: D Treacy for Dillon (half-time), S Stapleton for Lambert (52 mins), N McMorrow for McCrabbe (55), M O’Brien for Schutte (58).

Tipperary: D Gleeson; D Maher, P Curran, C O’Brien; T Stapleton, J Coghlan, P Maher; B Maher, J Woodlock; G Ryan, N McGrath, P Bourke; J O’Neill, B O’Meara, S Bourke.

Subs used: J O’Brien for S Bourke (half-time), D Young for Coghlan (46 mins), J Ryan for P Bourke (48), S McGrath for Woodlock (58), T Hammersley for O’Neill (69).

Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly)