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).
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