Round-up: Fulfil Munster U20 Hurling Championship

Fulfil Munster U20 Hurling Championship round 2

Waterford 0-15 Tipperary 0-16

Cork 4-18 Limerick 0-21

By Stephen Barry

Mark Hartley missed a last-gasp levelling free as Tipperary escaped with victory over Waterford for the eighth year in a row in front of 1,973 fans at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field.

The Déise were also left to regret Davy Comerford’s 42nd-minute penalty, which was saved by Paddy McCormack.

The hosts’ winless streak extends to 15 games at this grade, while the All-Ireland champions thoroughly rode their luck to escape with a second successive narrow triumph.

A worry appeared for senior boss Peter Queally as Seán Mackey didn’t re-emerge for the second half, a precautionary measure to nurse a hamstring injury.

Backed by the wind, the Déise got off to a fast start with the first three points, including two from Gearóid O’Shea. Tipp responded in kind to level, with two from top-scorer Cormac Fitzpatrick.

Late call-up Conor Tobin began to shine by evading Cathal O’Reilly for a brace.

A Fitzpatrick free sparked a four-point streak, which featured the score of the day. Jamie Ormond and Fitzpatrick were involved before Stefan Tobin finished for 0-9 to 0-7. Waterford would draw level through two Davy Comerford frees.

Joint-captain James Comerford kept them in touch at half-time with a superb save from Ormond. Fitzpatrick pointed the 65 for a 0-11 to 0-10 half-time lead.

Tipp turned to play with the wind, except they didn’t produce anything at all for the first 14 minutes of the half. Instead, Hartley and Davy Comerford’s free restored Waterford into the lead.

They soon could’ve moved four ahead. Ciarán O’Regan black-carded Euan Murray for careless use of the hurley on Jack Power and awarded a penalty. Davy Comerford stepped up, but his low shot was stopped by McCormack’s boot.

Tipp edged the sin-bin period 0-2 to 0-1, but Conor Tobin’s third point gave Waterford the lead in the 54th minute.

The Premier carved out the next three points through Shane Cleary and a Fitzpatrick brace, and held on through three anxious minutes of additional time.

Meanwhile, Cork recovered from an opening defeat in Tipp to take down Limerick by 4-18 to 0-21 at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The Treaty, who had a first-round bye, began well with Dara Ferland and Hugh Flanagan chipping in for a four-point lead.

Cork battled back to level, 0-8 apiece, before their first goal. Barry O’Flynn latched onto Michael Tadhg Brosnan’s long ball and bounced low to the net.

Once Limerick had taken back two points, Barry Walsh rifled a 21-metre free past five defenders to the roof of the net. They led 2-11 to 0-11 at half-time.

Walsh put the game beyond doubt with a 36th-minute penalty after Finn O’Brien was dragged down by John Murray, who was black-carded. The Cork senior would end with 2-9 to his name, with 2-7 from placed balls.

Within three minutes, it was 4-13 plays 0-12 when Denis Fitzgerald squared for Johnny Murphy to turn home.