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 The reigning Provincial and All-Ireland Hurling Champions Tipperary were dethroned by Cork this afternoon, with the latter gaining their first championship win in Thurles since 2006.
Cork began well, taking 3 points in the first 4 minutes, courtesy of Conor Lehane, Luke Meade and Seamus Harnedy, but Tipperary by the 7th minute were even, with points from Noel McGrath, Brendan Maher and and Sean Curran.
A point by Cork’s Alan Cadogan is answered by Tipperary’s Michael Breen and so for the first 35 minutes spectators witnessed a superb exhibition of point-taking, with both teams levelling the match for an incredible 12 times. Half-time score Tipperary 0-15pts – Cork 0-15pts.
At the beginning of the second-half Conor Lehane put Cork back in front with his fifth point of the match, quickly answered by Tipperary’s Dan McCormack. Cork’s Pat Horgan gets a point, followed in the 43 minute by the first goal of the game from Cork’s Shane Kingston. Tipperary’s John O’Dwyer (Bubbles) grabed a point back following a foul. Score now stands Tipperary 0-17pts – Cork 1-17 (20pts)
Points continue to be traded, coming from Cork’s Mark Ellis, Conor Lehane, Pat Horgan and Shane Kingston; all being answered by Tipperary’s Noel McGrath, Michael Breen and Seamus Callanan.
Then in the 56 minute Tipperary take the lead, as Callanan switches play to target John McGrath, positioned on the edge of the square. The Loughmore / Casteliney man did not fail; rifling the sliotar into the top corner of Cork’s net. Score going into the 57th minute Tipperary 1-22 (25pts) – Cork 1-21 (24pts).
Cork’s Conor Lehane now equalises and with just over 10 minutes to go fellow team mate Shane Kingston puts the Rebels once more in the lead.
Points follow from Tipperary’s Niall O’Meara and Brendan Maher, answered by Cork’s Conor Lehane leaving the score at the 67th minute, Tipperary 1-24 (27pts) – Cork 1-24 (27pts).
A further point from Cork and then disaster; the sliotar bounces to a waiting Cork substitute, Michael Cahalane, and he buries it easily past the Tipperary goal keeper Darren Gleeson. Despite four minutes of additional playing time and an intrepid and audacious Tipperary team, the full-time final scoreboard read Tipperary 1-26 (29pts) – Cork 2-27 (33pts).
Despite Corks 4 point win; surely today’s game must go down on record as one of the closest Munster championship ever contested in recent memory.
Tipperary Team: Darren Gleeson; Cathal Barrett; James Barry; John O’Keeffe; Seamus Kennedy; Ronan Maher; Padraic Maher (Capt); Brendan Maher; Michael Breen; Dan McCormack; Sean Curran; Noel McGrath; John O’Dwyer; Seamus Callanan, and John McGrath.
Tipperary Substitions: Niall O’Meara for Sean Curran; Joe O’Dwyer for Seamus Kennedy and Alan Flynn for injured Cathal Barrett.
  
 Final Score: Tipperary 5-20 (35 Pts) – Waterford 0-13.
Tipperary’s John McGrath and Seamus Callanan were the leading scorers, as the Premier County easily dismantled Waterford’s Déise side, in yesterday afternoon’s Munster SHC final at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Both men generated a collective total of 4-13 (25 pts); with McGrath chalking up 3-02 (11 pts), and Callanan 1-11 (14 pts); both combining their immense hurling talents.
Tipp will now advance to an All-Ireland Semi-Final on August 14th next, leaving a dejected Waterford to face Wexford in the quarter-finals on July 24th.
Today’s meeting of Derek McGrath’s Waterford charges against Michael Ryan’s Tipperary demolition crew, mean that the former have lost their last five Munster final appearances against the latter, since 2009 and most recently just last year.
Perhaps it was the inclement weather conditions prevailing or perhaps it was a disastrous game plan, but overall it was a poor hurling first-half. While Waterford came out of the blocks sharply and reacted very well to Tipp’s first-half nine minute goal; 15 minutes later their game plan had collapsed, never to return.
Despite this, at half time the scoreboard showed Tipperary a mere two points clear; Tipperary 1-07 (10 pts), to Waterford’s 0-08; the points on both sides coming from Tipp’s S. Callanan, J. McGrath’s goal, and Padraic Maher, with the Déise’s contribution arriving via P. Curran, A. Glesson, P. Mahony, and J. Barron.
Just six seconds into the second half and Waterford’s Patrick Curran narrows the Tipp gap to just one point. However from that point onwards Waterford appeared to be reduced to producing a poor quality, almost schoolboy, style of hurling, which would lead to Tipperary unleashing a merciless intensity and to Waterford’s eventual annihilation.
Only 5 further points were to be added to Waterford’s tally over the next 39 minutes; coming courtesy of P. Mahony and P. Curran. Reading the game, Tipp now upped their intensity with scores arriving from S. Kennedy, S. Callinan, N. McGrath, J. McGrath, B. Maher, S. Callanan, and later Sub’s Jason Forde and Aidan McCormack.
Some 74 minutes of overall game time saw the Tipperary score at 5-20 (35 pts) to Waterford’s 0-13, with Tipperary easily taking their 42nd Munster title.
Kilkenny’s successful manager Brian Cody, as always, was lurking in the crowd today, continuing to view Tipperary form. Based on their more recent hurling presentations, he will have learned that perhaps Kilkenny may still have preparations to make, if they are to remain All-Ireland Hurling Title holders.
Tipperary Team: D. Gleeson; C. Barrett; J Barry; M. Cahill; S. Kennedy; R. Maher; P. Maher (0-01); B. Maher; M. Breen (1-01); D. McCormack; Patrick Maher ; N. McGrath (0-01); J. McGrath (3-02); S. Callanan (1-11), and N. O’Meara.
Subs: J. Forde (0-01) for N. O’Meara; S. Curran for D. McCormack; K. Bergin for B. Maher; A. McCormack (0-01) for N. McGrath and D. Maher for R. Maher.
Referee: B. Gavin (Offaly).
Michael Ryan’s Tipperary squad were simply ‘red hot’ in their meet this afternoon with Limerick on a rain soaked Semple Stadium pitch, here in Thurles. Limerick truly failed to realise any pressure on a 14-man only Tipperary team, during this the 2016 Munster Senior Hurling Championship match.
Scoring began with a point from Limerick’s Shane Dowling, but this would be the first time and the only time that Limerick would take the lead. By the 9th minute Tipperary’s Michael Breen had rifled two goals past Limerick’s Nickie Quaid, aided and abetted by Tipperary’s unselfish Seamus Callinan.
Limerick responded with 2 points from Barry Nash and Shane Dowling, while Tipperary’s Seamus Callinan pointed from a 65.
Then disaster in the 14th minute; With a red card being waved by referee James McGrath, Tipperary’s John O’Dwyer is sent off after an undisciplined lashing out on Limerick’s Richie English. This together with another free from Limerick’s Shane Dowling, saw a score in the 16th minute reading; Tipperary 2-01 (7pts) to Limerick 0-04.
Points from Limerick’s Declan Hannon, Shane Dowling & Cian Lynch together with Tipperary’s Seamus Callanan & Michael Breen, leaves the scoreboard reading – Tipperary 2-03 (9pts) – Limerick 0-07.
Tipperary now appear to be playing with 16 men instead of 14 and in the 26 minute greatly aided by the McGrath brothers, a truly lethal Seamus Callanan rifles low past Limerick’s Nickie Quaid, leaving the score Tipperary 3-03 (12pts) to Limerick 0-07.
James Ryan and Shane Dowling bring the Limerick score back to within a mere 1pt lead, but Callanan with three further points, keeps the Premier County ahead at the half time mark, with Tipperary leading by 3-05 (14pts) to Limerick’s 0-11.
Despite only 14 men it became clear from the start of the second half that Tipperary were taking no prisoners, with a point from Noel McGrath in the first 30 seconds. This score however is quickly cancelled out by Shane Dowling.
Hawk Eye is called upon to adjudicate twice during this match, confirming 1pt which had previously been denied to a Seamus Callanan ’65. John McGrath adds to this, leaving a score in the 43 minute registering; Tipperary 3-08 (17pts) to Limerick 0-12, or a five point lead.
By the 69 minute, points had been further added by Limerick’s Declan Hannon, Shane Dowling and substitute John Fitzgibbon, but same had been adequately already answered by the unstoppable Seamus Callanan, Paudie Maher and Noel McGrath, with the scoreboard reading comfortably Tipperary 3-12 (21pts) – Limerick 0-16.
However ‘the fat lady had not yet sung’ and with three minutes, which included extra time, Limerick’s Dan Morrissey got on the end of a Darren Gleeson save, to rebound it back into the back of the Tipperary net.
But with 73 min on the clock and with the full time whistle blown, the scoreboard read; Tipperary 3-12 (21pts) Limerick 1-16 (19pts).
A superb afternoon’s work from Tipperary, who played an absolute blinder and gave a most exciting and a truly unsurpassed and skilled performance, despite just 14 men.
Tipperary Team: Darren Gleeson, Cathal Barrett, James Bar, Seamus Callinan, Michael Cahill, Seamus Kennedy, Ronan Maher, Padraic Maher, Brendan Maher, Michael Breen, Dan McCormack, Patrick Maher, Noel McGrath, John O’Dwyer, Seamus Callanan & John McGrath.
Limerick Team: Nickie Quaid, Tom Condon, Dan Morrissey, Richie English, Diarmaid Byrnes, Gavin O’Mahony, Seamus Hickey, James Ryan, Paul Browne, Gearoid Hegarty, Shane Dowling, Barry Nash, Graeme Mulcahy, Declan Hannon and Cian Lynch.
Full-time Score Tipperary 0-22 – Cork 0-13 at Semple Stadium to-day
Tipperary go forward, comfortably, to a Munster semi-final game, with a nine-point win over Cork at Semple Stadium, Thurles, this afternoon, in front of a 30,000 crowd.
Despite Tipperary playing with real intensity, particularly as Cork attempted to show real enthusiasm in the second half, the Tipp manager Michael Ryan will no doubt feel that he still has a little work ahead of his meeting with Limerick on June 19th. Overall Tipperary’s half-backs appeared more dominant than of previous years, despite today’s appalling weather conditions, which displayed a mixture of sunny spells, torrential rain, hail and sudden wind gusts.
Today’s game began with four-time All-Ireland referee Mr Barry Kelly throwing in the ball and Paudie Maher putting Tipperary in front, by a point from the start. With rain lashing down, it took until the fifth minute for Cork to register their first point on the scoreboard from Alan Cadogan, following a pass from Bill Cooper.
Today also ‘HawkEye’ had its first ever outing in Semple’s field; used late in the first half, while declaring a ‘Níl’ and confirming a Cork’s Dan McCormack effort, slightly wide of the uprights.
By half-time Tipperary had registered points for the Premier County courtesy of John McGrath, Seamus Callanan, Brendan Maher and Noel McGrath. Cork continued to remain out of range for some 11 minutes, following their first and only point, eventually scoring just 4 further points courtesy of Patrick Horgan, Brian Lawton & Conor Lehane.
The half-time score, with three minutes of stoppage time included, showed Tipperary 0-14 – Cork 0-05.
With the wind gusting now behind them, Cork appeared to show a mini revival, entering the second half. In the 37th minute of play Tipperary’s Seamus Callanan opened the scoring again with a point, followed by a point in the 46th minute of play from Cork’s Patrick Horgan.
Points from Cork’s Cormac Murphy, Seamus Harnedy, Conor Lehane and Alan Cadogan, however did little to stifle Tipperary’s hunger, with points answered from Tipperary’s John O’Dwyer, Seamus Callanan, John O’Dwyer & Kieran Bergin.
Full-time Final Score – Tipperary 0-22 Cork 0-13
Tipperary Team: Darren Gleeson (Portroe), Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane), Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields), Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s), Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Brendan Maher (Capt, Borris-Ileigh), Michael Breen (Ballina), Sean Curran (Mullinahone), Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh), Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), John O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch) and John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney).
Subs: B. Maher for S. Curran; K. Bergin for M. Breen and N. O’Meara for J. O’Dwyer.
Full-time score: Tipperary 3-16 (25pts) – Galway 0-26
No doubt whatsoever, it was the hurling game of the summer of 2015; an epic game that will be talked about for many years into the future; it was of course Tipperary v Galway at Croke Park today August 16th 2015.
The game was spellbinding to watch; demonstrating courage and much resilience from Galway, with ‘Man of the Match’ deservedly going to Seamus Callanan on the losing Tipperary team, having personally scored 3-09 (18pts).
The lead between the rivals changed hands many times, drawing level on some 10 different occasions and one could argue that a replay would have been perhaps the fairest outcome on the day. However following the final result; the question now remains can Galway end a 27-year drought and take the Liam MacCarthy Cup west of the Shannon River, when they meet on Sunday September 6th next, in the final of the 2015 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship?
First Half (38 min)
It took just 40 seconds, in the opening half, for Seamus Callanan to rifle the ball past Galway goalkeeper Colm Callanan for a goal (3pts) and six minutes for Galway to reply with a free taken by Joe Canning. In the 16th minute Galway win a penalty, but to no avail, due to the brilliance of a save made by Tipperary goalkeeper Darren Gleeson and which would not be his last on the day.
From then on it was a first half game of points from Galway’s Jason Flynn, Joe Canning, Cathal Mannion, Andy Smyth, C. Whelan and David Burke answered by Tipperary’s Seamus Callanan, Jason Forde, John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer, Seamus Callanan and Brendan Maher; all leading to a half-time scoreboard which read Tipperary 1-09 (12pts) – Galway 0-13.
Second Half
In the fortieth minute Seamus Callanan gets his second goal; and add a third just 13 minutes later, but same gets slowly whittled away by points from determined hungry Galway’s players namely; Canning, Whelan and Jason Flynn with an almost tit-for-tat thrilling tie thus ensuing.
As the sides went deep into injury-time without either taking the lead for long, it looked like parity might be the outright winner today. However right at the death, Galway’s Joe Canning found sub S. Maloney with a diagonal pass, leaving him to slip away and past Tipperary’s Cathal Barrett, to fire over the eventual winning single point.
Best of luck to Galway who now go forward against Kilkenny in the final.
Tipperary Team: D. Gleeson, C. Barrett, J. Barry, C. O’Brien, R. Maher, Padraic Maher, K. Bergin, J. Woodlock, S. McGrath, J. Forde (0-01), B. Maher (0-01), Patrick Maher (0-01), N. O’Meara, S. Callanan (3-09 [18pts]), J. O’Dwyer (0-02).
Subs: Shane Bourke for J.Forde; Lar Corbett for S. McGrath;, N. McGrath for S.Bourke, C. O’Mahony for J. Woodlock and M. Breen for R. Maher.
Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).
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