Allianz Hurling League Quarter-Final

TIPPERARY 2-25 DUBLIN 0-20

By Cian O'Connell at Croke Park

This was another solid and satisfactory afternoon for Tipperary at GAA headquarters as Michael Ryan’s team located the necessary answers to the questions posed by Dublin.

Tipp trailed by eight points early on and played the second half with only 14 men following Ronan Maher’s sending off, but the Premier County still calmly closed the deal.

A loose, but exciting opening period was sprinkled with scores with Tipperary recovering following a shaky start in which Dublin excelled.

Following the experimentation in Division 1B, Dublin were primed for this encounter as Pat Gilroy’s charges accumulated a 0-9 to 0-1 advantage by the 10th minute.

Clever stickwork and a fierce determination to earn possession in attack ensured Tipperary were in bother initially. Danny Sutcliffe, Conal Keaney, Donal Burke, and Paul Winters all lofted tidy efforts for the underdogs, who snapped into the contest.

Dublin’s shooting was also precise converting nine of their first 10 shots, but Tipperary summoned a response with a brilliant burst of their own.

Cian Darcy, Seamus Kennedy, Ronan Maher, John McGrath were amongst the scorers as Tipperary were back on terms by the 23rd minute at 0-11 each.

It was that type of fluid match with both teams landing sweet points from distance and while Donal Burke edged Dublin ahead again, the Tipperary riposte was impressive.

John McGrath’s smooth opportunism was rewarded with a 26th minute goal and Tipperary eventually led by four on the stroke of half-time.

Ronan Maher, though, was dismissed with seconds remaining for a second bookable offence and the issue was delicately poised at the interval with the Premier County 1-15 to 0-14 in front.

Tipperary’s efficiency, such a feature of the first period with 1-15 from 19 attempts, dropped in the third quarter, but the match remained a keenly contested affair.

Unsurprisingly the scoring levels dropped, but McGrath and Jason Forde clipped fine points for Tipp, who led 1-19 to 0-15 by the 45th minute.

Donal Burke briefly interrupted Tipp’s supremacy before a signature Padraic Maher point was followed by a 54th minute Michael Breen goal.

Suddenly the cushion was 10 and sufficient damage had been inflicted as substitute John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer later added a couple of late points to decorate Tipp’s win.

Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 0-9 (7fs), John McGrath 1-4, Michael Breen 1-0, Ronan Maher, Sean Curran, and Cian Darcy 0-2 each, Alan Flynn, Barry Heffernan, Padraic Maher, John O’Dwyer, and Seamus Kennedy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 0-7 (6fs), Danny Sutcliffe, Conal Keaney, and Paul Winters 0-3 each, Fiontan McGibb 0-2, Shane Barrett and Fionn O'Riain Broin (f) 0-1 each.

TIPPERARY: Brian Hogan; Alan Flynn, James Barry, Michael Cahill; Barry Heffernan, Padraic Maher, Paudie Feehan; Seamus Kennedy, Ronan Maher; Sean Curran, Billy McCarthy, John McGrath; Michael Breen, Jason Forde, Cian Darcy.

Subs: John O’Dwyer for Darcy (45), Paul Maher for Kennedy (66), Paul Shanahan for Breen (67), Tomas Hamill for Feeehan (69), Willie Connors for McCarthy (70).

DUBLIN: Alan Nolan; Paddy Smyth, Bill O'Carroll, Eoghan O'Donnell; Shane Barrett, Chris Crummey, James Madden; Rian McBride, Fiontan McGibb; Donal Burke, Conal Keaney, Danny Sutcliffe; Paul Winters, Ryan O'Dwyer, Ronan Hayes.

Subs: Fergal Whitely for Hayes (HT), Robbie Mahon for O’Dwyer (43), Darren Kelly for Crummey (49), Cillian Costello for Winters (55), Fionn O’Riain Broin for McBride (62).

REFEREE: Sean Cleere (Kilkenny).