Tipperary draw comfort after late Déise drama with Cork and Clare to come

So, a point apiece for Waterford and Tipperary after a pulsating encounter featuring 52 scores at Walsh Park. It wasn’t the result either side wanted, though it does keep their seasons alive.

Trailing by four points a minute into the allocated four minutes of injury-time, Tipperary produced a storming finish with substitute Seánie Kenneally scoring a goal, before Gearóid O’Connor popped over a free won by Alan Tynan with the last puck to earn a draw.

Waterford are now unbeaten against Tipperary in championship hurling since 2019 and are also unbeaten in the Munster series andare second in the table on three points. But their two remaining fixtures against All-Ireland champions Limerick and Clare are away from home.

Tipperary may still struggle to make the top three with their -15 scoring difference, but they banished some of the memories of last weekend’s collapse against Limerick and they will have home advantage against Cork and Clare.

So, Liam Cahill was probably more pleased with the outcome than Davy Fitzgerald.

As was entirely predictable under pressure Tipp boss Liam Cahill made significant changes in personnel. Experienced duo Noel McGrath and Cathal Barrett together with Darragh Stakelum – who was making his championship debut – were drafted into the side with Johnny Ryan, Willie Connor and Sean Hayes making way. Waterford lined out as selected.

It was an evening of mixed emotions for two former hurling greats. Waterford’s Tony Browne was plotting the downfall of his native county while ex-Tipperary Ireland winning captain Eoin Kelly is now a member of the Deise backroom team. The home side made the perfect start with Stephen Bennett dispatching a third-minute penalty past Barry Hogan after Craig Morgan was adjudged to be holding Michael Kiely’s hurley when he secured possession from a long free by Calum Lyons.

Waterford’s intensity was impressive in the early exchanges but they lost full-back Conor Prunty after only seven minutes. The visitors then took control as Waterford’s puck-out strategy became unstuck. During the remainder of the first quarter they outscored Waterford 0-8 to 0-3 with a monster 17th-minute point from captain Ronan Maher, who looked more effective at centre-back, giving them the lead for the first time.

Mark Kehoe was causing endless problems for the Waterford defence, notching three points, and midfielder Eoghan Connolly hit a brace.

Waterford stayed in touch thanks primarily to the efforts of Bennett who scored 0-3.

Seven minutes before the break they found the net again, though they were fortunate the goal was allowed as Kevin Mahony was guilty of a third-man tackle in the build-up which involved Dessie Hutchinson linking up with Jack Prendergast who blasted the sliotar to the net.

After the intervention of the linesman Mahony was booked by referee James Owens but the goal stood.

At the other end Shaun O’Brien had to be at this best to block a shot from Darragh Stakelum. Jason Forde notched a brace of frees for Tipp before Waterford’s Lyons ended the scoring for the half after Tipp failed to win the sliotar in a ruck, to give the home side a 2-8 to 0-12 advantage.

Three Tipp players approached the referee after the half time whistle presumably to protest at his handling of the first half in which a majority of the 50-50 decisions went Waterford’s way but Hutchinson and Bennett will be disappointed with their finishing as between them they hit six wides. Tipp made a storming start to the second half, hitting four points on the spin before being rocked by a third Waterford goal which ought to have been prevented by the Tipperary defence. Hogan brilliantly blocked a pile-driver from Bennett. Tipp were penalised in the subsequent play and Hutchinson slipped a short free to Bennett who drove an unstoppable shot to the net.

The remainder of the third quarter produced some of the best hurling of the contest with the teams exchanging points though Waterford kept their noses in front. The refereeing decisions continue to infuriate the Tipp fans in the attendance of 11,966. But it mattered little to Waterford who continued to hold a slender lead coming down the final straight as the game became a free for all scoring feast in the sunshine.

As both sides emptied their benches Waterford looked to have made a winning surge with three unanswered points in the closing 90 seconds, and although substitute John McGrath pulled one back for Tipp, a 71st-minute point from Prendergast, to give them a four-point advantage, looked set to seal the deal.

But Tipperary didn’t give up the ghost and after Waterford goalkeeper Shaun O’Brien brilliantly saved a Jake Morris shot, substitute Kenneally drove the rebound to the net before.

There was still time left for three more plays and in the final one a driving run from Alan Tynan won a close in free which O’Connor pointed to give Tipperary a deserved draw and a shot at redemption.

Scorers — Waterford: S Bennett 2-4 (1-0 pen); D Hutchinson 0-6 (3f); J Prendergast 1-0; C Lyons 0-3; K Mahony, D Lyons 0-2 each; N Montgomery, K Bennett, D Lyons, J Fagan 0-1 each. Tipperary: S Kenneally 1-1; M Kehoe, G O‘Connor (3f) 0-4 each; J Morris, J Forde (2f) 0-3 each; E Connolly, R Maher (1f), A Tynan, N McGrath 0-2 each; M Breen, D Stakelum, P Maher, J McGrath 0-1 each.

Waterford: S O’Brien; K Bennett, C Prunty, I Daly; M Fitzgerald, T de Búrca, C Lyons; J Barron, D Lyons; N Montgomery, Stephen Bennett, J Prendergast; D Hutchinson, M Kiely, K Mahony. Subs: J Fagan for Prunty (7), Shane Bennett for Mahony (51), P Hogan for Montgomery (58), P Curran for Stephen Bennett (64).

Tipperary: B Hogan; C Barrett, R Maher, C Morgan; M Breen, B O’Meara, C Bowe; N McGrath, E Connolly; A Tynan, G O’Connor, J Forde; J Morris, M Kehoe, D Stakelum. Subs: P Maher for Forde (52), W Connor for Connolly (55), J McGrath for N McGrath (56), S Kenneally for Stakelum (64); D McCormack for Maher (68)

Referee: James Owens (Wexford)

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