Tipperary 3-24, Galway 3-20
Tipperary snatched victory from the jaws of defeat thanks to sub Senan Butler’s last-gasp goal at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick yesterday.
The Premier cubs had forged six points clear at one stage of the second half but fell behind in the second minute of added time to a fifth Rory Burke point, but they had plenty of resolve with Adam Daly levelling before Joe Egan slotted over the lead point, with Butler putting the seal on the win with his last-ditch goal.
It was a high-quality game, with the sides shooting four points each by the eighth minute, the last of those from Rory Burke following a save from Eoin Horgan. Tipp enjoyed the first purple patch with a four-point run with Conor Martin to the fore.
Galway responded and hit Tipp for a two-goal blast in the 20th minute, with Rory Burke provider in both goals for Aaron Niland and Conor Dolphin. Tipperary responded well and struck for a goal on 25 minutes with Adam Daly finishing from close range.
However, Galway enjoyed the better of the play coming up to half-time and Niland free gave them a slender 2-11 to 1-13 advantage at the break.
It was Tipperary who took control in the third quarter with Tom Delaney and Paddy McCormack shooting ten points from play between them, and when Joe Egan goaled in the 43rd minute, it put them in command.
However, they became a little tentative and Galway took full advantage with rising star Aaron Niland top-scoring with 2-11 for Galway, his second goal on 58 minutes setting up a grandstand finish as Tipp eventually progressed to a final showdown with Offaly.
Scorers – Tipperary: A Daly, J Egan 1-3 each; T Delaney 0-6; P McCormack 0-4; S Butler 1-0; D Corbett 0-3 (1f, 1 ’65); C Martin 0-2; T Sheehan, C Foley (1f), C English 0-1 each. Galway: A Niland 2-11 (7fs); C Dolphin 1-2; R Burke 0-5; C Trayers, O Burke 0-1 each.
Tipperary – E Horgan; C O’Donnell, A O’Halloran, J Quinlan; S O’Farrell, T Sheehan, J O’Callaghan; C Foley, A Daly; J Egan, C Martin, C English; D Corbett, T Delaney, P McCormack. Subs: P Phelan for English (44); D McCarthy for Martin (49); J Ormond for Foley (60); S Butler for Corbett (60+3).
Galway – D Fahy; L McInerney, S Murphy, D Counihan; G Carr, O O’Gorman, J Lonergan; C Trayers, P MacCarthaigh; O Burke, R Burke, C Lawless; C Killeen, A Niland, C Dolphin. Subs: R O’Donnell for Lawless (h-t); A Doyle for Killeen (47); V Morgan for Mac Carthaigh (51); B O’Donovan for O’Gorman (56); C Gilligan for Dolphin (60+2).
