Source: Irish Examiner

Allianz Hurling League Division 1B: Waterford 1-28 Tipperary 0-21

Waterford enjoyed a double-digit winning margin over Tipperary in front of 5,865 in Walsh Park.

Tipperary enjoyed the opening exchanges, using the wind to hit five in a row and open up a 0-5 to 0-1 lead after ten minutes. When Stephen Bennett (free) hit Waterford’s second, Tipp responded with four more points and were well in control.

Waterford turned the game around on 20 minutes when Mikey Kiely and Patrick Curran placed Bennett for a goal. Waterford then took over totally, adding five points in a row to lead 1-9 to 0-9 on 25 minutes.

The visitors rallied with four points on the spin to nudge ahead by one; as the clock wound down to half-time centre backs Tadhg de Burca and Ronan Maher swapped points before Mikey Kiely put Waterford one ahead at the break, 1-13 to 0-14.

Jason Forde and Mark Kehoe levelled the game soon after the restart but Bennett (frees) and Jack Prendergast pushed Waterford three ahead by the 44rd minute, 1-17 to 0-17, as Tipp’s shooting frayed a little.

Forde and Conor Bowe trimmed the lead to one eventually going into the final quarter but Bennett then took over. His frees pushed Waterford four ahead by the 56th minute, and seven ahead by the 62nd, as the home side’s physical strength began to tell. Tipperary had no response and Waterford pulled away to win with ease.

Scorers for Waterford: Stephen Bennett (1-16, 1 65, 12 frees); J. Prendergast, P. Curran (0-3 each); I. Daly (0-2); M. Mahony, M. Kiely, K. Bennett, T. de Burca (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tipperary: J. Forde (0-6, 4 frees); M. Kehoe (0-4); M. Breen (0-4); R. Maher (1 free), C. Bowe (0-2 each); J. Morris, B. Heffernan, B. McGrath (0-1 each).

WATERFORD: S. O’Brien; C. Gleeson, C. Prunty, S. McNulty; J. Fagan, T. de Burca, I. Daly; C. Wadding, D. Lyons; N.Montgomery, P. Curran, K. Bennett; S. Bennett, M. Kiely, J. Prendergast.

Subs: Shane Bennett for Kiely (blood, 13-14); D. Maher for J. McGrath (52); M. Mahony for Kiely and Shane Bennett for Kieran Bennett (both 54); P. Mahony for Prunty (inj, 63); C. Dalton for Fagan and B. Power for Prendergast (69).

TIPPERARY: B. Hogan; C. Barrett, J. Quigley, B. McGrath; D. Quirke, R. Maher (c), R. Byrne; P. Cadell, B. Heffernan; C. Bowe, J. Forde, M. Breen; M. Kehoe, J. McGrath, J. Morris.

Subs: P. Flynn for Morris (blood, 14-16); A. Flynn for Cadell (HT); N. McGrath for Bowe (63); C. Stakelum for Morris (blood, 64-5); C. Stakelum for Forde (67); C. Darcy for Quirke (69)..

Referee: C. Lyons (Cork).