Prolific Browne prolongs Waterford famine

Munster SFC Quarter-final: The Waterford football famine at Munster senior championship level continues. Starved of victory for 15 years, they went down again in yesterday's first round at Walsh Park against a county they last beat in the championship in 1988.

But in their quest to break the losing sequence through the back door, they will be encouraged by yesterday's performance against last year's provincial finalists.

Not for the first time, Declan Browne was the difference between winning and losing for Tipperary. Held early on when Waterford successfully deployed corner forward John Aherne as an extra defender principally to stifle him, Browne found his touch and range after 20 minutes and between that and the end lobbed over 11 points, seven of them from frees, several of which were awarded after he himself was fouled.

Waterford actually held Tipperary scoreless until Browne first struck in the 21st minute, by which stage Waterford had a goal and a point on the board. The goal came on two minutes when centre forward Connie Power blasted a penalty to the net after goalkeeper Philly Ryan toppled John Hennessy as he bore down on goal. So Ryan was yellow-carded before touching the ball.

Power added a point from a free after four minutes, but the scores dried up after that and it was only when the visitors' corner back, 35-year-old Liam Cronin, followed his opposite number Aherne out the field that Tipperary began to threaten.

Their midfield of Fergal O'Callaghan and big Eamon Hanrahan got a grip which they never relinquished and the forwards began to move with fluency. That was despite stylish veteran Peter Lambert having to be stretchered off with a leg injury after 11 minutes.

He was followed off the field four minutes later by Waterford's Edmond Rockett, who was injured in an accidental clash with team-mate Andy Hubbard.

Incidentally, Rockett's father, Eddie, better known as a hurler, played in Waterford's last championship win all those years ago.

Once Brown got Tipperary's first point from a free, he quickly followed with another from play, and it began to look ominous for Waterford, who had their own star in wing forward Garry Hurney. But while he showed some lovely touches and gained a lot of possession, he wasted too much of it with poor distribution.

Browne had his third point from a free on 27 minutes, to which Hurney replied, also from a free, a minute later.

Then Aiden Fitzgerald and Browne, with two frees, put the favourites ahead for the first time, 0-6 to 1-2. Hubbard and substitute Wayne Hennessy restored Waterford's lead, but Tipperary substitute Bernard Hahessy shot the final score of the half to leave it 1-4 to 0-7 at the interval.

In the first six minutes of the second half, Browne scored four lovely points, the first from the right wing, the second from the left, the third with his fist and the fourth from a free. Wing back Declan Fanning gave the winners a five-point lead before Hubbard and Karl O'Keeffe raised Waterford hopes with points after 11 and 12 minutes of the half.

Liam England restored a four-point advantage for Tipperary; but points by John Hennessy, John Coffey and Power, from a free, cut the gap to just a point with a quarter of an hour to go.

England pointed again but Hurney and free-taker Power levelled the match, which had now become an exciting spectacle for the 3,000 spectators.

But Waterford hopes were dented when O'Callaghan scored two spectacular points. Power cut the deficit once more, but Browne had the final say, converting frees at the end of normal time and early in injury time.

At the death, Waterford got a 30-metre free but, needing a goal to level, Hurney lobbed the ball into the square and it was collected by goalkeeper Ryan, who cleared as the final whistle blew.

TIPPERARY: P Ryan; N Kelly, D Byrne, L Cronin; D Fanning (0-1), S Collum, R Costigan; F O'Callaghan (0-2), E Hanrahan; L England (0-2), N Fitzgerald, A Fitzgerald (0-1); P Lambert, D Browne (0-11, 7f), D O'Brien. Subs: T Doyle for Lambert; B Hahessy (0-1) for Cronin; P Cahill for O'Brien; P Halley for N Fitzgerald; S Maher for Byrne.

WATERFORD: P Houlihan; M Crotty, G Hayes, J O'Reilly; E Rockett, T Dunphy, S Briggs; K O'Keeffe (0-1), A Hubbard (0-2); G Hurney (0-2, 1f), C Power (1-4, pen, 4f), J Coffey (0-1); J Ahearne, J Hennessy (0-1), M Power. Subs: W Hennessy (0-1) for Rockett; Eamon Walsh for Briggs; Eoghan Walsh for M Power.

Referee: Des Joyce (Galway)