Thurles Information

Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy has announced just one change in the panel to play Limerick in Sunday’s GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-final at Croke Park.

Brendan Maher enters the side at left half-back replacing Conor O’Brien. This in the only change in the team which beat Waterford in July to take the Munster title.

The reshuffled defence will place Padraic Maher at full-back, Paul Curran at left corner back and Brendan Maher at left half-back.

Team selection is as follows.

1 Brendan Cummins (Ballybacon-Grange)
2 Paddy Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh)
3 Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
4 Paul Curran (Mullinahone)
5 Declan Fanning (Killenaule)
6 Conor O’Mahony (Newport) (Captain)
7 Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)
8 James Woodlock (Drom & Inch)
9 Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch)
10 Pat Kerwick (Killenaule)
11 Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
12 John O’Brien (Toomevara)
13 Noel McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)
14 Eoin Kelly (Mullinahone)
15 Lar Corbett (Thurles Sarsfields)

For non ticket holders, the match can be followed live on RTÉ Two on Sunday next 16th August, throw-in 3.30pm.

Score: Tipperary 4-14 – Waterford 2-16

Tipperary have successfully defended their Munster hurling title at Semple Stadium, Thurles, today with their five point win over Waterford.

The first half saw five goals in total, one each for John Mullane and Eoin Kelly,Waterford, and countered by one goal each  from Tipperary’s Seamus Callanan, Lar Corbett and Eoin Kelly.

Tipp went to the dressing-room at halftime leading comfortably – 3-10 to 2-04.

Shortly after the break, Tipperary’s Lar Corbett scored the only other goal of the second half, seriously denting Waterfords resolve.

Waterford showed great character and fought hard to recover, highlighting a dangerous lack of inconsistency in the Tipperary team, not at all evident during the first half, however for Waterford, alas the target was too high and it was not to be.

Tipperary Manager Liam Sheedy was relieved, not only with this win but also with the apparent certain knowledge that a hamstring injury which forced Eoin Kelly to retire from the pitch, appears not to be as serious as was first believed.

Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald in an interview later with reporters in Semple Stadium stated:

“The 10 or 12 minutes before half time absolutely killed us, I think of the four goals they got, possibly three of them could have been prevented to be honest, but I’m not going to cast blame at this point..The easiest thing we could have done was fold up the tent and gone home, but I think we showed character, and we must now have a serious look at the way those goals were conceded”

Meanwhile festivities continue, celebrating not only this this result, but also the GAA’s 125th  Anniversary here in Thurles.