Premier County in Tipp top form

Tipperary 1-15;
Waterford 1-7.
League Division 3 side, Tipperary were convincing winners of this Quarter-final Munster senior football game in the Fraher Field last Sunday afternoon.
After a bright start, Waterford led by 0-3 to 0-0 but once Tipperary settled into the game, there was always going to be only one winner here. Tom McClinchey’s men employed two extra defenders at times but the lack of players up front close to goal denied the team any real opportunity of re-gularly working the scoreboard. Tipp’s workrate was also more decisive and they hunted in packs giving the Waterford player in possession precious little time on the ball.
Conditions for the game were much more suitable than the earlier Junior encounter between the two teams which was played in very warm conditions while the announced attendance of 1,753 looked conservative with the stand hosting what looked like a larger number of patrons. Waterford lined out as selected while Tipperary had Moyle Rovers Martin Dunne in for Robbie Kiely in defence and Portroe’s Kevin O’Halloran started instead of Conor Sweeney up front.
The winners’ extra defender was team captain Peter Acheson wearing number 11 and he proved to be a very capable ‘sweeper’ with his surging runs through the centre of the field proving very effective. He also scored a contender for score of the match in the 25th minute and added a further 0-2 in the second moiety when playing in his named position up front. The stand-out player, though, was George Hannigan from Shannon Rovers in the middle of the field from where he contributed 0-3 from play while full forward Michael Quinlivan also lived up to his reputation with four flags of a similar colour.
Paul Whyte and J. J. Hutchinson were ploughing a lone furrow up front though the hosts did make a whirlwind start with Whyte pointing two frees in the second and in the third minutes and one from play in the 6th minute, courtesy of a Tommy Prendergast pass.
Tipperary opened their account in the 7th minute courtesy of Michael Quinlivan’s first score and it settled the favourites who came more into the game. A good team move instigated by Bill Maher and Brian Fox put Shane Leahy through on goal but Stephen Enright was equal to the danger at the expense of a fruitless ’45’.
Credit the home team, they held their lead of 0-3 to 0-1 until George Hannigan and Michael Quinlivan pointed in the 13th and 14th minute respectively. Waterford continued to do well with Paul White bringing a good save out of Evan Comerford on two separate occasions in front of the Seamus O Braonain embankment, one after Gavin Crotty’s effort for a point came back off the upright. McClinchey’s men went into the lead for a second occasion when Whyte pointed a ‘45’ in the 20th minute before George Hannigan levelled for the second time two minutes later.
Enjoying their best period for the remainder of the game, the home side went back into the lead for a third time in the 24th minute thanks to a fine individual effort by Dungarvan’s Gavin Crotty. Peter Acheson levelled proceedings for the third and final time in the 25th minute before George Hannigan gave the winners the lead for the first time with 27 minute on the clock.
Philip Austin placed Martin Dunne for a 30th minute score but Waterford replied through their top scorer Whyte with a magnificent effort from a free right on the sideline at the John A Mulcahy named side of the field. Right on the stroke of the three minutes of added time, Tipp’s corner back Colm O’Shaughnessy also kicked a contender for score of the match which gave his team an 0-2 cushion going in at the break. Credit must be given to Waterford for their first half display, they were always going to be punching above their weight in this fixture and they were still in contention with half the game played.
Rathgormack’s Conor Murray replaced JJ Hutchinson for the restart and Tipperary upped their game a few gears resulting in scores by Kevin O’Halloran (f), Peter Acheson and O’Halloran again a fine left legged cannon shot type place ball kicker. So within seven minutes of the restart, the favourites had opened an 0-5 advantage and worse was to happen from a Waterford viewpoint three minutes later.
O’Halloran, again was central to the score that closed out the game when his effort touched on by full forward Quinlivan came back off the crossbar but went into the goal off the back off Maurice O’Gorman for an unfortunate o.g. This score knocked the stuffing out of the home team who trailed now by 1-11 to 0-6. Uncharacteristically in this encounter Paul Whyte was wide with some frees while Michael Quinlivan, Peter Acheston and Brian Fox continued to work the scoreboard for Liam Kearns charges to hold a commanding 1-14 to 0-6 lead by the 57th minute.
Waterford introduced Joey Veale, Michael O’Halloran and Brian Looby between the 51st and the 56th minutes and a good move by Patrick Hurney, and Veale who placed the ball in the path of Paul Whyte in front of the goal at the Pax O Faolain end of the grounds gave the home side a 58th minute welcome and well taken goal by the Kilrossanty player with little room to operate.
At 1-14 to 1-6, the scoreboard read a little kinder for Waterford and Tommy Prendergast improved it further with a 63rd minute white flag while the only other score came at the call of added time in the 72nd minute via Michael Quinlivan’s fourth point. While Tipperary were clear masters in a second half that they won by 1-7 to 1-1, this year’s final score is much easier to read than that of last year in Thurles when the match ended at 1-24 to 0-5.
Tipperary’s Top Three: George Harrington, Peter Acheston, Michael Quinlivan.
Waterford’s Top Three: Paul Whyte, Maurice O’Gorman, Stephen Enright.
Observer’s Man of the Match: George Harrington.
Number of Scorers: Tipperary 7. Waterford 3.
Scores from Play: Tipperary 1-13. Waterford 1-3.
Frees For: Tipperary 12. Waterford 9.
Wides: Tipperary 10. Waterford 13.
Score of the Match: Paul Whyte’s free from the sideline in the 36th minute.
Scorers for Tipperary – M. Quinlivan (0-4); G Hannigan, P. Acheson (0-3 each); M. O’Gorman (1-0 OG); K. O’Halloran (0-2, 0-2 frees); M. Dunne, C. O’Shaughnessy, B. Fox (0-1 each).
Scorers for Waterford: P. Whyte (1-5, 0-3 frees, 0-1 ’45); G. Crotty, T. Prendergast (0-1 each).
Tipperary: E. Comerford; C. O’Shaughnessy, A. Campbell, C. McDonald; B. Maher, P. Acheson, S. Leahy; M. Dunne, G. Hannigan; P.Austin, A. Moloney, B. Fox; J. Keane, M. Quinlivan, K. O’Halloran. Subs: J. Feehan for Leahy (45); I. Fahey for Austin (55); B. Hewitt for Moloney (62); M. Hanley for O’Shaughnessy (68); D. Leahy for Fox (72).
Waterford: S. Enright; R. Ó Ceallaigh, M. O’Gorman, T. O’Gorman; M. Curry, S. Prendergast, T. Ó hUallacháin; T. Prendergast, C. Curry; G. Crotty, P. Hurney, J. McGrath; J.J. Hutchinson, P. Whyte, L. Ó Corraoin.
Subs: C. Murray for Hutchinson (HT); J. Veale for Crotty (50); M. O’Halloran for McGrath (54); B. Looby for M. Curry (56).
Referee: D. Gough (Meath).