Tipperary rediscover winning formula

ALL-IRELAND SH QUALIFIERS: The advantage to Tipperary of this fixture was that it wasn't going to be a high-risk venture in the wake of the team's bruising experience in the Munster final. The disadvantage was that it mightn't be that useful a diagnostic as to how fully the side was recovering from the Waterford trauma.

So it turned out. Apart from a brief period in the first half Offaly never threatened the outcome of this third-round qualifier in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.

"Delighted to get over it," was the reaction of manager Nicky English. "The match had a lot of local connotations in Tipperary. We know how awkward Offaly can be. We were happy to hear the draw on the night of the match too. It gave us the opportunity to get back on track.

"We didn't have much to do today to motivate the team. You had proud players coming off very poor displays in the Munster final.

"That was the starting point for them. They were built up into a super team on the basis of beating Limerick, which in hindsight wasn't such a big challenge, with due respect to Limerick. We're not as bad as we played against Waterford. Tonight we went some way to redressing that."

The big win will certainly settle the team but otherwise the findings balanced each other out. Paul Ormonde came back at corner back and had a stormer, showcasing his immense value to the defence.

But David Kennedy had another unconvincing afternoon, as Offaly's conversion job on Kevin Martin looked a decent enough fit. A bustling, energetic display by Offaly's centre forward won't have helped Kennedy's confidence.

Selector Ken Hogan was, however, pleased with the overall display. "Our backs were on the receiving end of a lot of criticism after the Munster final and I think our backs were tremendous tonight, every one of them.

"Paul Ormonde returned and led the line because he is a leader. We were more relieved than anything else. It was a tough match, coming on the back of a bad result. Offaly have a lot of young, up-and-coming players and they will have a big part to play in a couple of years' time."

Eddie Enright was busy at centrefield and looked more himself than he had in the pressurised circumstances of his introduction to the Munster final as a replacement. Tommy Dunne's subdued season continued, however, and he ended up at full forward where he clipped a couple of points but Tipp need him to be doing more than that.

And finally in attack, Mark O'Leary had a barnstorming afternoon, letting fly from all over the place - "having a cut" as Hogan said the team were encouraged to do going into the match - but seeing his wides outnumber his four points. He also nearly goaled in the first minute but drew a smart save from Stephen Byrne.

But Eoin Kelly's radar was scrambled. This is slightly worrying because the same thing happened to him in the under-21 match against Waterford last week. He didn't get optimum service and the Portlaoise pitch is a bit cramped but Tipperary will want him back in the sort of dazzling form he showed earlier in the season.

Tipperary v Offaly: Match statistics

Tipp established a six-point lead inside the first quarter of an hour with John Carroll surging through the Offaly cover to put the ball on a plate for Brian O'Meara - a neat reciprocation of the Munster semi-final goal against Limerick - in the ninth minute.

Briefly Offaly's challenge flickered with 1-2 scored inside a couple of minutes. Stephen Brown hit 1-1, his goal coming when a sideline cut was floated in and the Birr youngster caught it, turned and Brendan Cummins was left helpless.

But Benny Dunne and O'Leary replied almost immediately to take the edge of the comeback.

It was blunted beyond repair when good work by Tommy Dunne set up Carroll for Tipp's second goal on the half hour. At half-time the margin was five, 2-8 to 1-6. Just after the restart Brendan Murphy had a goal chance but didn't take it. That was about it for Offaly who managed to add only three points during the whole of the second half.

Offaly manager Tom Fogarty was philosophical about the defeat by his own county. His one-year tenure is now up but he hopes to be reappointed.

"They were clearly the more experienced team," he said. "We had a great chance at the start of the second half to get a goal but missed that. You can't buy the things Tipperary have, good hurlers and the composure that comes from winning.

"We've a lot of young players that haven't that and won't have it for a while.

"We missed opportunities and panicked a bit at the end and tried to walk the ball into the net. We did our best but in the last 20 minutes we weren't strong enough and couldn't stay with them.

"At 4.30 on June 30th people said they were the best team in the country and I still think they'll be the team to beat."

HOW THEY LINED OUT

TIPPERARY: 1 B Cummins; 2 T Costelloe, 3 P Maher, 26 P Ormonde; 5 E Corcoran, 6 D Kennedy, 7 P Kelly; 9 N Morris, 21 E Enright; 24 M O'Leary, 8 T Dunne, 10 B Dunne; 13 E Kelly, 14 J Carroll, 12 B O'Meara. Subs: 17 L Cahill for O'Meara (49 mins), 25 E O'Neill for E Kelly (63 mins), B Horgan for Morris (70 mins), P Curran for Kennedy (70 mins).

Booked: P Ormonde (37 mins)

OFFALY: 1 S Byrne; 2 M O'Hara, 3 J Errity, 4 JP O'Meara; 5 Brian Whelahan, 6 J Brady, 7 N Claffey; 8 R Hanniffy, 9 Barry Whelahan; 10 G Hanniffy, 11 K Martin, 12 B Murphy; 13 B Carroll, 14 S Browne, 15 S Whelahan. Subs: 17 G Oakley for Barry Whelahan (44 mins), 20 D Murray for G Hanniffy (55 mins), 22 J Dooley for Brown (57 mins), 25 M Cordial for Carroll (62 mins), 18 H Rigney for O'Hara (70 mins).