Déíse's Munster progression set to go to the wire after Semple defeat
Waterford's Michael Kiely tries to get past the intentions of Tipperary's Conor Stakelum. Photo: INPHO/Bryan Keane
A late Oisin O'Donoghue goal saw Tipperary get the better of Waterford on a sizzling Sunday afternoon in Thurles and seal their place in the All Ireland series.
Chants of 'Tipp, Tipp, Tipp' rang around Thurles as Liam Cahill's charges secured a spot in the Munster top three. The Déise must beat Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh next Sunday to stand any chance of extending their summer.
The two speedsters in the yellow helmets Jake Morris (0-4) and Andrew Ormond (0-3) proved menacing all afternoon. Darragh McCarthy struck eleven points on his return from suspension and assisted O'Donoghue's green flag. Bryan O'Mara, Michael Breen and Ronan Maher excelled in defence.
Waterford raced into a five point lead inside four minutes but Peter Queally's men couldn't build on that bright start. Centre forward Jamie Barron continued his brilliant form with four points from play. 24 points for the Fourmilewater man this season. Stephen Bennett scored 1-9 on the day he became the Déise's record championship scorer.
Throw in was pushed back by ten minutes on a red hot Munster championship Sunday. Both teams decided to go back to the dressing rooms as they had been out on the pitch since 1.35.
When Sean Stack threw in the sliotar, Jamie Barron delivered it into Stephen Bennett on the edge of the square. The Ballysaggart man buried it with just eleven seconds on the watch. He is now Waterford's leading championship scorer of all-time.. His 12th championship goal saw him overtake Paul Flynn at the top of the scoring charts.
Points from Michael Kiely, Barron and Kevin Mahony made it 1-3 to 0-1 in favour of the visitors after four minutes.
Waterford should have been further in front. Bennett sent two frees off target and miscued another one. The home side responded with four points in a row via Darragh McCarthy (free), Andrew Ormond, Jason Forde (sideline) and Sam O'Farrell.
Barron was buzzing in that opening quarter. The elusive centre forward slotted his second point from 65 metres out. Bennett then finished a move involving Conor Prunty, Jack Prendergast and Kevin Mahony (1-5 to 0-5).
Like Jamie Barron, Jake Morris also proved difficult to pin down. He sent Tipp ahead for the first time in the 20th minute. He finished the half with four points from play while another speedy operator in a yellow helmet Andrew Ormond shot two.
The Premier got to grips with Waterford's direct approach into the attack.
The Déise's wide tally rose to nine at the break but Michael Kiely and Bennett did add to their point tally. Four minutes before the break, Andrew Ormond went down under a combination of Ian Kenny and Billy Nolan. Stack signalled advantage as John McGrath batted the ball over the bar. The white flag was raised and Stack chose not to award a penalty. Forde's second sideline saw Tipp lead by three at the break (0-16 to 1-10).
Tipp corner back Robert Doyle received a yellow card on the restart for an off the ball incident. Tadhg De Burca then saw yellow for a foul on Ormond. McCarthy made no mistake from the free. Ormond extended the lead to five with his third from play.
Bennett knocked over a free but Waterford struggled with the work rate, pace and intensity that Tipp brought. Eoghan Connolly nailed a long range free after another foul on Ormond. Another McCarthy free put the Premier six clear (0-20 to 1-11).
The Déise recovered and pressurised the Tipp puckout. Six unanswered points, four from the stick of Bennett and one each by Paddy Leavey and Barron, levelled it up. Chants of 'Waterford, Waterford' went up around the ground.
Noel McGrath's arrival lifted the Tipp faithful. A McCarthy restored their lead. McCarthy then was hauled to the ground by Ian Kenny as he advanced on goal. The number two was lucky to see yellow not black. McCarthy tapped over three more frees with Noel McGrath and Forde also on target to make it 0-26 to 1-17.
Darragh Lyons delivered a much needed sideline for the away team. Dessie Hutchinson was blocked down as he bore down on goal. The captain was then substituted. The brilliant Barron and substitute Sean Walsh narrowed the arrears to three.
With two minutes left, McCarthy supplied Oisin O'Donoghue who found the net with his first puck of the ball. Bennett saw two late goal attempts saved by Rhys Shelly. McCarthy, Seanie Kenneally and O'Donoghue wrapped up an emphatic Tipp triumph.
