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Tipperary always in control

UNDER-21 HURLING ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINAL Tipperary 2-32 Antrim 1-7: TIPPERARY CLINCHED a place in the final with a facile 28-…

Mon Aug 23 2010 - 01:00

UNDER-21 HURLING ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINAL Tipperary 2-32 Antrim 1-7:TIPPERARY CLINCHED a place in the final with a facile 28-point victory at O'Connor Park, Tullamore, on Saturday.

The huge gulf in hurling standards was underlined in this easy victory for the Munster champions who were inspired by senior stars Michael Cahill, Pádraic Maher, Brendan Maher, Noel McGrath, Patrick Maher, and Brian O’Meara. From as early as fourth minute when Patrick Maher struck their opening point Tipp took complete control and had eight unanswered points in the scoreboard by the time John O’Dwyer struck for the first of his two goals after 20 minutes.

Tipperary had 1-11 on the board before struggling Antrim got their first score of the match, a point from Thomas McCann in 28th minute.

The game looked over as a contest at the halfway stage with Tipp coasting on a 1-18 to 0-1 lead – 1-13 of their tally had come from play and they were now able to afford the luxury of resting McGrath and Maher.

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Antrim were first to score on the turnover with Conor Carson shooting a point, but, at their ease Tipperary replied with a string of scores and the game was well and truly over as a contest before O’Dwyer netted his second goal in 50th minute.

A minute later Michael Armstrong got a flick to a high centre from PJ O’Connell and the ball ended up in the Tipperary net.

The goal made little difference to Antrim’s cause as Tipperary piled on the scores, their substitutes Kieran Morris, John O’Neill and Adrian Ryan getting in on the act with excellent points.

Tipperary backs were rarely troubled and all forwards scored at will with O’Dwyer finishing with 2-3 from play, and Michael Heffernan shooting 0-6. It will be poor consolation for Antrim that they got their 1-7 total from play.

TIPPERARY: J Logue; K O' Gorman, J Coughlan, M Cahill; J Barry, Padraic Maher (0-1), B Maher (0-1); S Hennessy (0-1 free), N McGrath (0-6, 0-2 frees, 0-2 65's); S Carey (0-4), P Murphy (0-1), Patrick Maher (0-1); J O'Dwyer (2-3), B O'Meara (0-3), M Heffernan (0-6). Subs: K Morris (0-3, 0-2 frees)for Patrick Maher (half-time), A Ryan (0-1)for McGrath (half-time), C Hough for B Maher (40 mins), J O'Neill (0-1)for Hennessy (43 mins), C Coughlan for O'Gorman (51 mins).

Antrim: E Gillan; K Molloy, C Donnelly, S Shannon; L McAuley, M Donnelly, J Campbell (0-1); PJ O'Connell, E Laverty; M Devlin, T McCann (0-2), C Rocks; M Armstrong (1-2), C Carson (0-1), D Hamill (0-1). Subs: M Burke for McAuley (40 mins), G Laverty for Rocks (50 mins), C Brogan for Devlin (50 mins), N Cunningham for C Donnelly (53 mins), M Lynch for O'Connell (59 mins).

Referee: T Carroll(Offaly).