Tipperary 2-19
Galway 0-20

THE LAST LUNCHTIME hurling offering served up by this pair was a November championship thriller that swung Galway’s way with a defender making a timely goalscoring intervention.

This league meeting won’t provide such season-defining conclusions but the hosts Tipperary can derive satisfaction from bagging a pair of Division 1 points and raising a pair green flags. Galway hunted them down in the middle of the match and seemed poised to kick for home but their challenge unravelled with substitute Jarlath Mannion shown a red card and it was Tipperary who finished more powerfully.

Tipperary entered the match on the back of a mini goal drought. They had only fashioned one meaningful effort during the blanks in their two league outings to date against Limerick and Cork, but their first-half play here was much better on that front.

They attacked Galway directly, Jason Forde rifling home in the fifth minute and Noel McGrath bounding clear on the half-hour mark to smash a shot to the net. That tally of two goals could have been enhanced but the ball didn’t stick in the full-forward line when a few deliveries landed in near the Galway goalmouth. 

It was Galway who had brought Limerick’s winning streak to a halt last Sunday but building on that looked a stumbling block for much of this first half. The concession of that goal sparked them into life as they hit five points on the spin. Joe Canning finished the half with seven to his name, just the one from play, but he floated around midfield to telling effect and cut a lovely sideline into the palm of Conor Cooney who split the posts.

Niall O’Meara and Aidan Harte.

Source: Ken Sutton/INPHO

Tipperary were outscored 0-10 to 0-3 between the 30th and 50th minutes, Galway prospering in their most productive spell of the afternoon. Liam Sheedy didn’t waste time in making changes, whipping off two forwards at the interval and their starting midfield pairing in the 47th minute. Brendan Maher came on and made a swift impact as he popped over a point being fouled for a converted free that nudged Tipperary in front 2-11 to 0-16 at the second water break.

Michael Breen was another substitute to have a major influence on the game while Paul Flynn and Niall O’Meara also increased the scoring return from the replacements. Those all proved vital ingredients.

Even with a man less, Galway kept charging forward. Evan Niland jumped off the bench to notch three points, the last of which shaved the deficit to a single score, 2-15 to 0-20.

Tipperary’s response was good and a quality they will look to replicate. Breen (2), Ronan Maher and Flynn clipped over injury-time points. After a pair of draws this month, they are off the mark with a win in the 2021 season.

Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 1-5 (0-4 free), Noel McGrath 1-2, John O’Dwyer 0-3, Michael Breen, Ronan Maher 0-2 each, Barry Heffernan , Robert Byrne, Niall O’Meara, Brendan Maher, Paul Flynn 0-1 each.

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Scorers for Galway: Joe Canning 0-8 (0-6f, 0-1 ’65), Brian Concannon 0-3, Evan Nilan 0-3 (0-2f),  Conor Cooney 0-2, Kevin Cooney 0-1,  Jason Flynn (0-1f), Conor Whelan 0-1, Johnny Coen 0-1.

Tipperary

16. Barry Hogan (Kiladangan)

2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), 3. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), 4. Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg).

5. Robert Byrne (Portroe), 6. Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s Clonmel), 7. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields).

8. Alan Flynn (Kiladangan), 9. Paddy Cadell (JK Brackens). 

10. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh), 11. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), 12. Dillon Quirke (Clonoulty-Rossmore). 

13. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule), 14. Jason Forde (Silvermines), 15. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney).

Subs

20. Paul Flynn (Kiladangan) for John McGrath (half-time)

25. Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Quirke (half-time)

21. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh) for Cadell (47)

19. Willie Connors (Kiladangan) for Alan Flynn (47)

24. Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg) for McCormack (53)

17. Michael Breen (Ballina) for Noel McGrath (59)

23. Brian McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Kennedy (64)

Galway 

1. Eanna Murphy (Tommie Larkins)

2. Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields), 3. Daithi Burke (Turloughmore),  7. Aidan Harte (Gort).

4. TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge), 6. Padraic Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), 5. Adrian Tuohey (Beagh).

8. Joe Canning (Portumna), 9. Johnny Coen (Loughrea).

10. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields), 11. Jason Flynn (Tommie Larkins), 12. Conor Cooney (St Thomas).

15. Conor Whelan (Kinvara), 14. Kevin Cooney (Sarsfields), 13. Brian Concannon (Killimordaly).

Subs

20. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree) for Daithi Burke (49)

23. Niall Burke (Oranmore-Maree) for Flynn (49)

25. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh) for Canning (53)

24. Evan Niland (Clarinbridge) for Joseph Cooney (53)

17. Jack Fitzpatrick (Killimordaly) for Harte (53)

22. Jarlath Mannion (Cappataggle) for Kevin Cooney (56)

26. Jack Hastings (Liam Mellows) for Conor Cooney (69)

Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)

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