In a pulsating Munster SHC game, Waterford and Tipperary battled to a thrilling draw. With stoppage time ticking down, Waterford twice extended their lead to four points and appeared to have clinched the match. However, a last-minute goal from substitute Seanie Kenneally and an equalising free from Gearoid O’Connor snatched a draw for Tipperary, keeping their championship hopes alive.
The match was a hugely enthralling spectacle, with Waterford leading for most of the game due to their knack for goal scoring. Tipperary, however, refused to be defeated and displayed the kind of determination absent in their previous match at Gaelic Grounds.
With only three minutes of regular time left, Tipperary equalised thanks to a point from Kenneally. In response, Waterford secured four successive points, two of which were courtesy of Patrick Curran. However, with time almost up and Waterford leading 3-20 to 0-25, Tipperary rallied. They earned a goal when Jake Morris’ powerful shot was deflected by Shaun O’Brien and pounced on by Kenneally.
A final surge saw O’Connor fouled before the Waterford goalposts, 25 meters out. His successful free kick secured Tipperary a hard-fought draw. This result keeps all five teams’ championship hopes alive until the fixture between Cork and Limerick next weekend.
For Waterford, this was a pivotal match in their pursuit of a first group-stage qualification since the introduction of the current structure. Now, they likely need to earn points in their upcoming games in Ennis or Gaelic Grounds. A victory here could have relieved them of this pressure and uncertainty.
Following their lacklustre showing at the Gaelic Grounds, it was evident that the iron supplement therapy significantly improved Tipperary’s performance. They demonstrated the fervour and tough competitiveness typically associated with a team led by Liam Cahill and Mickey Bevans, qualities that were markedly absent the preceding week.
Tipperary’s tackle strategy was cutting-edge, leading to numerous turnovers. In addition, they were able to match Waterford in the central turf, in sharp contrast to Cork’s dominating presence two weeks earlier. Effortlessly feeding the ball to their attacking forwards, Tipperary managed to create considerable opportunities. Mark Kehoe stood out, scoring a total of four points, three of which were scored in the first half.
Yet, Tipperary needed to translate their positive play into goals. They presented a persuasive case for a penalty when Keho appeared to be pulled down near the goal. The referee, James Owens, seemed ambivalent, gesturing to his umpires as he headed towards the Waterford goal, hoping for some form of intervention or at least an indication. No such assistance came forward.
A clear shot at goal wasn’t created by Tipp until just three minutes before the half-time whistle when Darragh Stakelum’s bouncing shot was skillfully saved by O’Brien.
By this point, Waterford had already netted twice. Barely four minutes into the game, Stephen Bennett decisively sank a penalty resulting from a group tackle on Mikey Kiely within the Tipperary rectangle. Waterford held the lead during the majority of the first quarter, but Tipperary moved ahead for the first time 17-minutes in, scoring quickly with three points, including a stunning long-range score by Ronan Maher.
Six minutes later, Tipperary’s lead increased marginally to two points. However, Waterford soon regained control with another goal. Despite a Tipperary defender seemingly obstructed during the lead-up phase, Jack Prendergast found himself undisturbed and secured his opportunity with a powerfully driven shot. Waterford led 2-8 to 0-12 by the interval.
The second half began with Tipperary reclaiming the lead within six minutes, scoring four consecutive points.
Barry Hogan faced penalties for his actions with the ball in the Tipp goalmouth, and the lead he barely held was swiftly overturned. In response to the densely packed Tipp goal line, Dessie Hutchinson cleverly facilitated a ground pass to Stephen Bennett, who then blasted the ball into Tipp’s net.
Throughout the larger part of the second half, Waterford effectively kept Tipp at bay, and it took 24 minutes until the game was balanced again. Then, chaos erupted.
The Team Waterford included S O’Brien, M Fitzgerald, C Prunty, I Daly, C Lyons (0-3), T De Búrca, K Bennett (0-1), D Lyons (0-1), N Montgomery (0-1), J Prendergast (1-1), M Kiely (0-1), J Barron, Stephen Bennett (2-3, one pen), K Mahony, D Hutchinson (0-6, three frees). Subsequently, changes were made as J Fagan (0-1) replaced Prunty at the 7-minute mark; Shane Bennett (0-1) subbed for Mahony at 50 minutes; P Hogan filled in for Montgomery at 58 minutes; and P Curran (0-2) substituted for Stephen Bennett at 64 minutes.
On the other side, Tipperary’s team consisted of B Hogan, C Barrett, R Maher (0-2, one free), C Morgan, M Breen (0-1), B O’Mara, C Bowe, E Connolly (0-2), N McGrath (0-2), A Tynan (0-2), G O’Connor (0-4, three frees), D Stakelum (0-1), J Morris (0-3), M Kehoe (0-4), J Forde (0-3, two frees). In-game alterations saw P Maher (0-1) replacing Forde at 51 minutes; W Connors came in for Connolly at 54 minutes; J McGrath (0-1) swapped with N McGrath at 55 minutes; S Kenneally (1-1) filled in for Stakelum at 58 minutes; and D McCormack took O’Mara’s place at 68 minutes.
James Owens from Wexford officiated the match.
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