Gaelic Games

Tipperary blow away Waterford with stellar second-half show

Derek McGrath’s side could only manage 1-1 against the breeze after the break

Tipperary’s Brendan Maher and Seán O’Brien tackle Kevin Moran of Waterford during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A game at Semple Stadium. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

Sat Feb 3 2018 - 22:00

Tipperary 1-20 Waterford 1-11

Tipperary secured their first win of this season’s Allianz League with an impressive second-half display where they outscored Waterford by 1-11 to 1-1 at Semple Stadium.

It was another disappointing display from Waterford as they fell to a second successive defeat, having lost their opening tie at home to Wexford.

Jason Forde led the way with 1-9 as Tipperary bounced back from their opening round loss to Clare.

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Tipp blew Waterford away in the second half with Derek McGrath’s men managing just 1-1 against the breeze.

Tipperary trailed by just a point at 0-10 to 0-9 at the break and then pulled away in the second half.

It took a superb save from Waterford goalkeeper Stephen O'Keeffe to deny Paudie Feehan just 17 seconds after the restart but Forde tied the sides for the fourth time from the resultant 65.

Waterford hit back with a quality goal when a good passing movement was finished to the net from a tight angle by Mark O’Brien.

That tied the game at 0-13 to 1-10 but Tipperary, aided by a dubious lineball in midfield, were awarded a penalty when Michael Breen was fouled by Ian Kenny.

Forde stepped forward to blast home the penalty and Waterford suffered another blow when Austin Gleeson limped off.

Tipperary pushed on to lead by 1-16 to 1-10 going into the final quarter when Seán Curran, Brendan Maher and Ronan Maher delivered good points.

They would have been out of sight had goalkeeper O’Keeffe not produced a wonderful save to deny Forde.

But Waterford lacked penetration at the other end to eat into the lead and Tipperary pushed for home and their first win of the campaign.

Ronan Maher landed a superb lineball from the right and Forde tapped over another free as they pulled away for a deserved win.

Tipperary continued to turn the screw and Ronan Maher split the posts with another fine effort from out the field.

Jamie Barron got Waterford's only point of the second half in stoppage time at the death as they added five wides after the restart.

But they now face a difficult task to regroup after two opening round defeats when they take on Kilkenny in two weeks.

TIPPERARY: P Maher; A Flynn, T Hamill, S O'Brien; J O'Dwyer, Pádraic Maher, P Feehan; R Maher (0-4, 0-1 lineball), B Maher (0-1); D McCormack, N McGrath (0-2, 0-1 lineball), S Curran (0-2); M Breen (0-1), J Forde (1-9, 1-0 pen, seven frees, one '65), J McGrath (0-1).

Subs: P Shanahan for McCormack (4 mins), J Barry for O'Dwyer (10), Patrick Maher for Shanahan (58), C Darcy for Curran (69).

WATERFORD: S O'Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, I Kenny (0-1); M O'Brien (1-0), A Gleeson (0-1), K Bennett; S Roche, M Kearney (0-3); K Moran, C Dunford, B O'Halloran (0-1); S Bennett, DJ Foran (0-1), P Curran (0-3, three frees).

Subs: P Hogan for Roche (19 mins), S McNulty for Gleeson (51), J Barron (0-1) for O'Brien (55), P Mahony for Dunford (58), M Walsh for S Bennett (60).

Referee: C Lyons (Cork).

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