Tipp Retain Munster Crown While Waterford Rue Defensive Errors

Munster Hurling Final
Tipperary 4-14 Waterford 2-16

By Denis O'Brien

The goal scoring machine that is Tipperary continued at Semple Stadium on Sunday when four goals by the Premier County proved too much to overturn for a dogged Waterford side, who despite a brave comeback ran out of time in an exciting 120th Munster Hurling final.

A robust Tipp performance in the first half returned three goals with the last one from Lar Corbet coming a minute before the break a killer blow as it meant a manageable six-point lead had now stretched to a very worrying nine-point deficit for Waterford.

After a promising restart with Waterford reducing the margin to eight, disaster struck once more when Corbet capitalized on a defensive error to goal and sound the death knell for the Deise.

Remarkably though, it was Waterford who would go on to outscore their opponents by 0-10 to 0-3 for the remainder but they couldn't get the vital goal they needed to push on for victory.

Earlier in the campaign, Tipp had allowed both Cork and Clare back into games and yet again it was the same story last Sunday as the Premier had only a slender four points in reserve at the end.

Despite the best efforts of Stephen Molumphy and sub Maurice Shanahan and to a lesser extent his big brother Dan, it was left to John Mullane to carry the torch for Waterford in attack.

Mullane is in the form of his life and was superb throughout collecting 1-5 from play but he needed more help upfront and even though Eoin Kelly was accurate from frees, he was largely anonymous.

Yet, it was the Deise's old failing of horrific defensive errors at crucial times that would again add to their downfall.

In the first half, just after receiving a boost from a Mullane goal, a mix-up in defense between Tony Browne and Michael Walsh (his only blemish in a tour de force) resulted in Seamus Callanan nipping in to steal possession. He passed to teammate Eoin Kelly (Tipp) and made no mistake from close range.

Then early in the second half, full back Prendergast fumbled on the edge of the square and poacher supreme Corbet was on hand to crash home. This major added greatly to Tipp's lead and would eventually prove important in helped them to victory.

In front of a large crowd of 40,330, Mullane and Pat Kerwick traded early points before an Eoin Kelly free put Waterford ahead in a hectic opening three minutes. Kelly should have done better shortly before when his goal effort went across the Tipp goalmouth.

Then in a thrilling sequence, an Eoin Murphy hook on Tipp's Noel McGrath saved a goal while at the other end, Kelly again was left alone by full back Paul Curran and keeper Brendan Cummins did brilliantly to deny the Deise ace.

Two minutes later Waterford struck for the first goal of the game when Kelly decided to go for a goal from a 20 meter free and the ball went in under goalkeeper Brendan Cummins for an excellent start by the Deise.

Tipp fought back to tie the game when hitting the next four points with the pick of those coming from influential midfielder Shane McGrath who caught, soloed and sent over off his hurl for a great score.

Two points then from 18-year old Noel McGrath pushed his side into the lead but Waterford restored their advantage once more when the brilliant Mullane caught a ball that bounced from Curran's hand and then raced ahead to beat Cummins in the far corner of the net.

Then it was Tipp's turn and it was crushing. They struck for two goals in as many minutes when McGrath found Callanan on the edge of the square and he rattled the Waterford net. A minute later a Tipp attack saw the ball broke between Walsh and Browne but neither cleared leaving Callinan to set up Kelly for Tipp's second goal.

Corbet's two goals left Waterford with a mountain to climb in the second half however they stuck to their task gamely.

Tipp's half forward line would soon disappear for the third game in a row while their midfield also crumbled.

Michael Walsh at center back put in a wonderful display of defending and put Waterford on the attack time after time in that second period.

In the last quarter Waterford hit six unanswered points to reduce the margin to four. In that period, sub Maurice Shanahan had the best Deise goal chance but excellent wingback Padraig Maher blocked his shot. Later brother Dan Shanahan, who is a shadow of his former self, had a chance for a goal but his effort was weakly hit and was easily saved by Cummins.

Tipperary need to solve the puzzle of why they are fading in games when holding a big lead. Also, over the 70 minutes they withdrew their full back, a midfielder, and two wing forwards and having to perform such surgery should be a cause for great concern for manger Liam Sheedy if he is harboring All Ireland ambitions. C

Teams & Scorers:
Tipperary: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Curran, C O'Brien; D Fanning, C O'Mahony (0-1f) (capt), P Maher; J Woodlock, S McGrath (0-1); P Kerwick (0-1), S Callanan (1-1), J O'Brien (0-1); N McGrath (0-3), E Kelly (1-3, 0-2f), L Corbett (2-2). Subs: B Maher for Curran (35 mins), W Ryan for Kelly (HT injured), B Dunne (0-1) for Woodlock (46), H Maloney for Kerwick (55), M Webster for O'Brien (69).
Waterford: C Hennessy; E Murphy, D Prendergast, N Connors; T Browne, M Walsh, A Kearney; S O'Sullivan, K Moran; S Prendergast, S Molumphy (0-2) (capt), J Nagle; J Mullane (1-5), Kelly (1-7 f), J Kennedy. Subs: D Shanahan (0-1) for Kennedy (27 mins), E McGrath for Nagle and R Foley (0-1) for Moran (44), M Shanahan for S Prendergast (55).
Referee: John Sexton (Cork).