Tipperary U-20s come out top in error-strewn contest against Waterford, with Oisín O’Donoghue hitting the net
Munster U-20HC round 3: Tipperary 1-21 Waterford 0-15
Patrick Fitzgerald was unable to play for Waterdord due to the 60-hour rule
Tipperary prevailed in a mistake-ridden encounter to move top of the Munster U-20 hurling round-robin table with a nine-point win over Waterford.
The hosts were without senior star Patrick Fitzgerald due to the 60-hour restriction but were still level with the Premier by half-time.
Thereafter, Tipp won the second half by 0-14 to 0-5, with Oisín O’Donoghue taking his tally to 1-3.
Waterford had the first two points from corner-back Cillian Ryan and a Charlie Treen free, but Tipperary took over with a devastating 1-3 burst in the space of 90 seconds.
O’Donoghue got the goal after some fine build-up play from Cathal English and Senan Butler before three quickfire points from Darragh McCarthy and midfield duo Sam O’Farrell and Adam Daly.
Michael Morrissey and O’Farrell missed goal chances at either end as Tipp led 1-6 to 0-4 by the 12th minute.
But after a lengthy stoppage, during which their corner-back Jack Quinlan was stretchered off with a leg injury, a McCarthy 65 would be their only score until half-time.
Waterford got a stranglehold on the Tipp attackers and Marc Ó Mathúna, taking over the placed balls after Treen picked up a knock, slotted the final quartet to be level by the break, 0-10 to 1-7.
But the Déise wouldn’t score in the third quarter as Tipp reeled off the next six, including two from the pacy Butler.
A Waterford revival never came and Tipp added some gloss with further three and five-point streaks. Conor Martin clipped three and McCarthy finished with 0-7 as Tipp’s entire front eight registered scores.
SCORERS – Tipperary: D McCarthy 0-7 (3f, 2 65); O O’Donoghue 1-3; C Martin, S Butler 0-3 each; C English 0-2; S O’Farrell, A Daly, E Craddock 0-1 each. Waterford: M Ó Mathúna 0-6 (4f, 1 65); C Treen (2f), M Morrissey 0-3 each; C Keane 0-2; C Ryan 0-1.
TIPPERARY: E Horgan; J Quinlan, A O’Halloran, P O’Dwyer; J Collins, B Currivan, R Connolly; S O’Farrell, A Daly; C English, C Martin, E Craddock; S Butler, O O’Donoghue, D McCarthy. Subs: C O’Donnell for Quinlan (15, inj), M Cawley for Connolly (38), J O’Callaghan for Cawley (44-48, blood), C Foley for O’Farrell (48), D Corbett for Martin (56), J O’Callaghan for O’Donoghue (60).
WATERFORD: S Ryan; C Keane, D Lalor, C Ryan; A O’Neill, B O’Connell, S Fleming; E Spellman, S Mackey; J O’Keeffe, C Treen, M Ó Mathúna; J Twomey, M Morrissey, B Callaghan. Subs: J Power for O’Keeffe (24-25, blood), Power for Treen (28-30, blood), Power for Treen (44), J O’Donnell for Callaghan (47), M Burke for Fleming (52), F Hallinan for C Ryan (56, inj), E O’Callaghan for Spellman (60).
Ref: É Stapleton (Limerick).
