Allianz Hurling League Division 1A – Tipperary 0-31 Waterford 2-15

Premier hit top gear to blow Déise away

Tipperary 0-31 Waterford 2-15

By Diarmuid O’Flynn for the Irish Examiner newspaper

A semi-final place has been the aim since we started the league. The obvious lack of goals aside (especially when compared to the extraordinary game in Nowlan Park), this was as complete a performance as anyone could reasonably expect from any team at this time of year. Tipperary pounded Waterford into submission in sunny Semple Stadium yesterday and in the process got their 2012 Allianz Hurling League challenge very much back on course.

Right from the off, the Tipperary attack clicked into gear and were six points to one ahead by the 10th minute — Pa Bourke and John O’Neill with two apiece, Noel McGrath and Shane Bourke chipping in with one each. By the 27th minute that lead had been extended to eight points (0-14 to 0-6), as Brian O’Meara, Johnny Ryan and bang-in-form Brendan Maher joined the scoring party, meaning all six forwards had scored, as had a midfielder (Maher).

In reply, Waterford were relying on the accuracy of young full-forward Martin O’Neill from placed balls to keep them in touch, though Maurice Shanahan and Shane O’Sullivan did come in with a point each. When midfielder Stephen Molumphy got on the end of a well-struck Gavin O’Brien sideline for a 29th minute goal, it gave Waterford some hope, and an exchange of points between O’Brien himself and the magnificent Noel McGrath meant there were only five points between the teams at the break, (0-15 to 1-7).

With the breeze behind Waterford in the second half, the expectation was that this might yet be a real contest. Didn’t pan out like that. Lapses of concentration up front caught Waterford napping on several occasions, Tipperary worked the short puckout at their leisure (Darren Gleeson very accurate in that respect), and, boy, did they capitalise. A series of points for the first 20 minutes of the second half, a parade of scorers also with Noel McGrath orchestrating things from centre-forward, and Tipperary were 10 in front in the 55th minute, 0-24 to 1-10. Waterford did then hit the briefest of purple patches, Maurice Shanahan (on the ball a lot more when shifted to the wing) with 1-1 from a penalty and a free, to bring them within six. That was as near as they’d get, however with Tipperary once again hitting the gas in the final ten minutes and coasting home the most comfortable of winners.

“We’re delighted with the points we scored today,” admitted manager Declan Ryan; “There was a lot of skill shown by the lads and we are happy enough with the way they closed out the game. They were very good in possession, used the ball very well and I think it was a step up from the Galway performance in that regard. 31 points is decent shooting.”

The result puts Ryan’s side back in the mix for one of the three league semi-final places on offer in this division and Premier fans will hope for more of the same against Dublin in Croke Park on Saturday. Ryan continued: “We’re looking to get to a league semi-final and that has been the aim since we started the league. We obviously didn’t get off to a great start but our performances have picked up considerably, we’re going in the right direction. Dublin blew us off the pitch last year in the league; they started off poorly this year but their performances are also on the way up. They need the points, so do we; it will be a massive battle, a huge physical battle.”

For Declan’s namesake and Waterford counterpart, Michael Ryan, there was no hiding from the truth — this was a trimming. “We’re still short five or six players but that’s not an excuse. Regardless of who we’re short the team is not performing as well as it should be performing. To gain good experience you have to be playing reasonably good as a team, otherwise players go away with bad memories and down and out. Everybody is ‘down’ in the dressing room and we have a lot of lifting to do. We have to start performing and performing fast. I’m not that bothered about results but what I AM bothered about is the level of performance that — it’s simply not good enough. We’ll have to look at our fitness, game-plan, attitude and focus. We’re just not up to the pace of the game. We don’t look sharp, we don’t look fit and we don’t look mentally focused. There are other problems and everybody has to step up to the plate, players and management.”

Scorers for Tipperary: N McGrath 0-7 (0-1f); P Bourke 0-7 (0-4f); B O’Meara 0-3; P Maher 0-2; B Maher 0-2; J Woodlock 0-2; J O’Neill 0-2; S Bourke 0-2; S McGrath 0-2; J Ryan, T Stapleton, 0-1 each.

Scorers for Waterford: M Shanahan 1-4 (1-0p, 0-1f); M O’Neill 0-4 (4f); S Molumphy 1-0; S O’Sullivan 0-2; G O’Brien, S Walsh, J Nagle, K Moran, E McGrath, 0-1 each.

Subs for Tipperary: S Maher (O’Keeffe 35); J O’Brien (O’Neill 55); S Curran (Ryan 60); T Stapleton (P Maher 64); S McGrath (Woodlock 67).

Subs for Waterford: J Dillon (O’Neill 48); E McGrath (P O’Brien 55); T Ryan (S Walsh 68).

Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).

Ryan slams Deise’s lack of focus after Tipperary run riot

Report for the Irish Independent newspaper

Tipperary 0-31 Waterford 2-15

WATERFORD manager Michael Ryan didn’t mince his words following yesterday’s 10-point defeat against rampant Tipperary at Semple Stadium. A third successive defeat leaves the Deise on course for a relegation play-off and embattled Ryan insisted the performance of his side was simply “not good enough”. Ryan has enjoyed great success as a manager in Ladies Football and at club level with De La Salle, but the step up to inter-county hurling has been a real baptism of fire. Tipperary were in no mood to be charitable on their home turf yesterday and racked up an astonishing winning tally in front of 4,021 spectators.

The statistics from a Waterford perspective make for grim reading as 43 Tipp efforts on goal yielded 31 points, 11 wides and a save from Waterford goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe. In last year’s Munster final, Tipp slammed seven goals past Waterford en route to a 21-point victory and while the Deise net did not bulge yesterday, O’Keeffe watched point after point sail over his head. And, as Tipp manager Declan Ryan acknowledged afterwards, the Premier County have found their feet following that disappointing opening-round defeat to Kilkenny at Nowlan Park. A tally of 2-20 was scored against Galway eight days ago and a move towards better, lower delivery into the forward line is paying rich dividends.

Remarkably, 11 home players were on the scoresheet as man-of-the-match Noel McGrath and Pa Bourke helped themselves to seven points each. And a sparkling return to form has propelled the home side right back into contention for a semi-final place. Tipp led by 0-15 to 1-7 at half-time before they piled on the misery for Waterford in the second half. Stephen Molumphy’s 29th-minute goal brought the visitors back into contention, trailing by 1-6 to 0-14, but Maurice Shanahan’s penalty with 11 minutes remaining proved to be a mere consolation.

Satisfied Tipp boss Declan Ryan reflected: “Waterford wouldn’t be happy with their display but maybe they are at a different stage of pre-season training. But our guys looked sharper today and seem to be improving with every game.” His Waterford counterpart pulled no punches in his assessment of an abysmal display from the visitors. Michael Ryan said: “The biggest worry I have is that we are not playing well all over the field. We’re just not up to the pace of the game. We don’t look sharp, we don’t look fit and we don’t look mentally focused. And that’s something the management must sort out.”

All Star forward John Mullane will boost the Deise when he returns to training tomorrow night, but Ryan admitted: “You can’t expect John Mullane to sort out all our problems. We have problems in a lot of areas all over the field.” Waterford travel to Galway next Sunday in desperate need of points while Tipp will fancy their chances against deflated Dublin under lights at Croke Park on Saturday. And in talisman McGrath, Tipp have a player in superb form, while Brian O’Meara’s development at full-forward continued with a fine display.

Man of the Match: Noel McGrath

Scorers — Tipperary: N McGrath (1f), P Bourke (4f) 0-7 each, B O’Meara 0-3, P Maher, B Maher, J Woodlock, J O’Neill, S Bourke, S McGrath 0-2 each, J Ryan, T Stapleton 0-1 each. Waterford: M Shanahan 1-4 (1-0 pen, 1f), M O’Neill 0-4 (4f), S Molumphy 1-0, S O’Sullivan 0-2, K Moran, J Nagle, S Walsh, G O’Brien, E McGrath 0-1 each.

TIPPERARY — D Gleeson 7; D Maher 7, P Curran 7, M Cahill 7; J O’Keeffe 6, C O’Mahony 7, P Maher 8; B Maher 8, J Woodlock 8; J Ryan 7, N McGrath 9, P Bourke 8; J O’Neill 6, B O’Meara 8, S Bourke 7.

Subs: S Maher 6 for O’Keeffe (h-t), J O’Brien 6 for O’Neill (55), S Curran 6 for Ryan (60) T Stapleton for P Maher (64), S McGrath for Woodlock (67).

WATERFORD — S O’Keeffe 7; D Fives 6, L Lawlor 6, Philip Mahony 6; T Browne 6, K Moran 7, J Nagle 6; M Walsh 6, S Molumphy 7; S O’Sullivan 7, S Walsh 6, G O’Brien 6; M Shanahan 7, M O’Neill 6, P O’Brien 6. Subs: J Dillon 6 for O’Neill (h-t), E McGrath 6 for P O’Brien (55), T Ryan for S Walsh (68).

Ref — J McGrath (Westmeath)

Tipperary 0-31 Waterford 2-15

Sunday, 18 March 2012 18:53

Report from the RTE.ie web site

Tipperary collected their second successive victory in Division 1A of the Allianz National Hurling League this afternoon with a massive ten-point victory over Munster rivals Waterford. Eleven Premier County players were on the scoresheet as Waterford slumped to a third defeat from three outings in this year’s campaign. Man-of-the-match Noel McGrath and Pa Bourke scored seven points each for Tipp, who led by 0-15 to 1-7 at half-time in front of 4,021 spectators at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

Tipp’s huge tally of scores included 26 points from play on a glorious afternoon for hurling. Eleven Premier County players were on the scoresheet as Waterford slumped to a third defeat from three outings in this year’s campaign. Man of the match Noel McGrath and Pa Bourke scored seven points each for Tipp, who led by 0-15 to 1-7 at half time in front of 4021 spectators at Semple Stadium, Thurles. Tipp’s huge tally of scores included 26 points from play on a glorious afternoon for hurling.

McGrath was in devastating form in the centre forward position, clipping over six points from play and a first half free. At left half forward, Pa Bourke also helped himself to seven but his total included four converted frees. It was a day when all six of Tipperary’s starting forwards scored from play and for the second weekend in a row, midfield pair Brendan Maher and James Woodlock scored two points each. There was also a brace for substitute Shane McGrath, who replaced Woodlock with six minutes remaining, while Thomas Stapleton also helped himself to a point after coming on.

Afterwards, Waterford boss Michael Ryan admitted that Waterford’s display was simply not good enough and the Déise are firmly on course for a relegation playoff. Waterford travel to Galway for next weekend’s fourth round of fixtures while Tipp will take on Dublin next Saturday evening at Croke Park in what is a must-win fixture for both teams, for different reasons. League champions Dublin are also pointless after three games and need a result in an attempt to stave off the threat of relegation while a third victory for Tipperary would leave them in contention for a place in the semi-finals. Tipp led from start to finish in today’s fixture, which was a repeat of last year’s Munster final, a game that Tipperary won by 21 points.

TIPPERARY: D Gleeson; D Maher, P Curran, M Cahill; J O’Keeffe, C O’Mahony, P Maher (0-2); B Maher (0-2), J Woodlock (0-2); J Ryan (0-1), N McGrath (0-7, 1f), P Bourke (0-7, 4f); J O’Neill (0-2), B O’Meara (0-3), S Bourke (0-2).

Subs: S Maher for O’Keeffe (h.t.), J O’Brien for O’Neill (55), S Curran for Ryan (60) T Stapleton (0-1) for P Maher (64), S McGrath (0-2) for Woodlock (67).

WATERFORD: S O’Keeffe; D Fives, L Lawlor, Philip Mahony; T Browne, K Moran (0-1), J Nagle (0-1); M Walsh, S Molumphy (1-0); S O’Sullivan (0-2), S Walsh (0-1), G O’Brien (0-1); M Shanahan (1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-1f), M O’Neill (0-4f), P O’Brien.

Subs: J Dillon for O’Neill (49), E McGrath (0-1) for P O’Brien (55), T Ryan for S Walsh (68).

Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath)

Tipperary 0-31 Waterford 2-15

Report from the GAA.ie web site

Waterford slumped to their third successive Allianz Hurling League defeat of the campaign at Thurles on Sunday, losing by 10 points to a resurgent Tipperary side. It’s been a difficult start to Michael Ryan’s tenure and there was no change of fortunes here, as the scoreline hardly reflect Tipperary’s dominance of a one-sided encounter. “At half-time we felt the game was there, but in the second half we absolutely fell apart all over the field,” said Ryan after the game. “Reactions were very poor and I am very disappointed with that performance.”

It was a second straight win for the Premier County, who have bounced back impressively from their opening day defeat to Kilkenny with wins over Galway and now Waterford. Tipperary led by 0-6 to 0-1 after just 10 minutes, with Pa Bourke and Noel McGrath helping Declan Ryan’s side to establish their commanding position. With John O’Neill adding impressive points to their tally, the home side were seven clear and coasting when Waterford grabbed a lifeline through a Stephen Molumphy goal on 28 minutes.

For all their dominance, Tipperary had to be content with a 0-15 to 1-7 lead at half-time. A little after the restart, they moved further clear, however, as McGrath, Padraic Maher and Pa Bourke helped establish a 0-23 to 1-9 lead with further points.

Waterford had a second goal when Maurice Shanahan converted a penalty, but it failed to mask the gulf between the sides and Tipperary never had to extend themselves in cruising to a 10-point win. On this evidence, Waterford will be glad that their star man, John Mullane, is due back in training next week and former two-time GAA all Star Eoin Kelly is also due to resume training with the panel.