Tipperary caused a minor upset at Portlaoise yesterday evening when they swept aside the challenge of a disappointing Offaly team in the All-Ireland junior football final.
Much had been expected of Offaly after very impressive performances in the Leinster championship, but Tipperary were seeking their third title and maintained their 100 per cent record in finals with this victory. The opening quarter was very evenly contested - Offaly leading 0-3 to 0-2. The second quarter saw Tipperary show a vast improvement. The moving of centre forward Mark O'Shea to full forward and Anthony Crosse to centre forward paid huge dividends and points from Paul Cahill, Kevin Coonan and Thomas Sheehan put them clear leaders. Then on the stroke of half-time, a great three-man movement concluded with a Sheehan score for Tipperary to lead 1-5 to 0-3 at the interval.
Offaly made several additional switches on the changeover but could never come to terms with a dominant Tipperary midfield. With 15 minutes remaining Tipperary led 1-8 to 0-4. Tipperary then introduced minor star Damien O'Brien and 10 minutes from time he completed the great performance when he scored Tipperary's second goal. Game over.
TIPPERARY: S Delahunty; D Byrne, F Clifford, M O'Mahoney; P J Lanigan, D Peters, W Morrissey; P Ormond, M Leonard (0-1); P Cahill (0-3), M O'Shea, B Maguire; K Coonan (0-3) capt, A Crosse, T Sheehan (1-2). Subs: D O'Brien (0-1) for B Maguire, J McAuliffe for M Leonard.
OFFALY: K Furlong; J Hurst, A Murphy, B Wynne; M Kennedy, P Mulvihill, D Quinn (0-1); D Kelly, P Connolly; G Comerford, N Bryant, C Brazil; J Kennedy (0-1), M M Keeneghan, D Connolly (0-4). Subs: K Slattery for C Brazil, S Manley for G Comerford.
Referee: D Joyce (Galway).
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