Tipperary took on Dublin in the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Semi-Final today at 2:00pm in Semple Stadium, Thurles.
Within the first two minutes Tipperary, playing with a strong breeze, opened their score with a goal from Shane Bourke, who fielded a high ball directly under the posts, slipping the ball past Dublin goalkeeper Alan Nolan. Tipp’s Pa Bourke, despite being fouled, quickly added another goal. Three further points delivered courtesy of Tipperary’s Jason Forde, Noel McGrath & Seamus Callanan, saw an ever increasing score line from Tipperary with 2-03, against an out classed Dublin with just 0-01 point, within the very first 10 minutes of the game.
Dublin from the offset were showing clear signs of being unable to cope with Tipp’s Lar Corbett, Bourke & Callanan.
By the twentieth minute the score line had further increased with Tipperary now 2-08, thanks to the same Pa Bourke, Callanan & Corbett & Dublin recovering just one point (0-02) via Danny Sutcliffe.
When Dublin’s Ryan O’Dwyer replaced Simon Lambert & Conor McCormack is replaced by Paul Ryan, Ryan appeared to make an immediate impression on the Dublin attack, pointing two frees followed by a point from Treacy, latter from play.
Half time however saw an increase in the score line with a ‘no great pressure Tipperary,’ now 3-11 to a struggling Dublin’s 0-08, with a further goal coming courtesy of Callanan and points from Jason Forde, Callanan again & Shane Bourke.
The second half saw no great change with the Dublin performance. A slick interlink between the duo, Lar Corbett & Jason Forde, saw Forde open the scoring with another point, which was quickly followed by a point from midfielder Noel McGrath.
Brendan Cummins was in usual top form saving several blasts into the goal area from Dublin’s Sutcliffe, but 15 minutes from full-time Dublin were finding it hard to get out of their own half and both teams began trading points coming from Paul Ryan, Shane Durkin, Noel McGrath, Shane McGrath, Seamus Callinan, Pa Bourke & Jason Forde, before the game began to fizzle away.
Lar Corbett, who earlier this week had suffered from flu, was replaced by Mikey Heffernan in the 56th minute, latter going on to score a goal in the final minute.
All in all Tipperary were the far more physical of the two teams and while not asked to demonstrate their full ability, far outclassed their opposition.
Full time score: Tipperary 4-20 – Dublin 0-17.
Tipperary’s Jason Forde deservedly took “Man of the Match.”
Tipperary Team: Brendan Cummins (Ballybacon Grange), Paddy Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh), Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields), Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh), Conor O’Mahony (Newport), Donagh Maher (Burgess), Noel McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney), Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch), Seamus Callanan (Drom and Inch) Lar Corbett (Thurles Sarsfields), Patrick Maher (Lorrha and Dorrha), Shane Bourke (JK Brackens), Pa Bourke (Thurles Sarsfields), Jason Forde (Silvermines).
With Kilkenny’s defeat over Galway, also played at Semple Stadium today, (Final Score, Kilkenny 1-24 — Galway 1-17) it will be another Tipperary / Kilkenny classic league final at Nowlan Park, in two weeks time, on Sunday, May 5th.
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