Tipperary find response to take point at the death in Waterford
Tipperary's Michael Breen and Waterford's Dessie Hutchinson Pic ©INPHO/Ken Sutton
A late additional time rally by Tipperary secured a point in a thrilling Munster SHC Round 3 game in Walsh Park.
Waterford led by four points going into the final minute but Tipperary persisted. Substitute John McGrath sent over a point only for Jack Prendergast to cancel it out as the home support in the 11,966 sensed victory.
However, the visitors mined a goal in additional time. Mark Kehoe had given the attack impetus and while a Jake Morris goal attempt was kept out replacement Seán Kenneally was on hand to convert.
As Tipperary hunted for an equaliser, Conor Bowe sent a puck wide but Alan Tynan was able to draw a free, which Gearóid O’Connor arrowed over to give Liam Cahill’s side a much-needed point following the 15-point loss to Limerick last Sunday.
Their bright beginning to the second half, four points without reply to go two points up, was extinguished in the 43rd minute when Dessie Hutchinson took a quick free to Stephen Bennett and his low strike foiled the Tipperary defenders on the line.
No more than a score separated them until the 70th minute when Patrick Curran sent over the last of four consecutive scores but Tipperary weren’t dead.
The strength of Mikey Kiely demonstrated itself when he won back possession in claiming a fourth penalty dispatched to the net by Stephen Bennett. Dessie Hutchinson sent over a point seconds later and it seemed like Waterford were going to make another positive opening.
While Waterford led up until the 16th minute, the erratic shooting spoiled their start. By the end of the half, Hutchinson had collected four wides although he did find Jack Prendergast for Waterford’s second goal in the 28th minute.
Losing former captain Conor Prunty to an injury after just seven minutes forced Waterford to rejig their defence and Mark Fitzgerald, who had been detailing Gearóid O’Connor, switched to the edge of the square.
Tipperary, cheered on by a vocal crowd, were picking off scores particularly from puck-outs and were within a point of the hosts by the 14th minute when O’Connor soloed and finished a well-earned score.
After Kieran Bennett retaliated seconds later, Tipperary struck the next three points to go ahead before Shaun O’Brien had to be sharp to keep out Prendergast. Tipperary were two points up when Waterford hit them for 1-2, Stephen Bennett and Darragh Lyons splitting the posts and then Prendergast grabbing his goal.
The Tipperary following was incensed that the score was allowed to stand after Caymon Flynn alerted James Owens to a third man tackle by Kevin Mahony on Bryan O’Mara in the build-up for which he was subsequently booked.
Between a couple of Jason Forde frees, Darragh Stakelum had a green flag in his sights only for Shaun O’Brien to be level to his effort and from distance Calum Lyons ended the scoring for the half.
Stephen Bennett (2-3, 1-0 pen); D. Hutchinson (0-6, 3 frees); J. Prendergast (1-1); C. Lyons (0-3); P. Curran (0-2); N. Montgomery, K. Bennett, D. Lyons, M. Kiely, Shane Bennett, J. Fagan (0-1 each).
G. O’Connor (0-5, 3 frees); M. Kehoe (0-4); S. Kenneally (1-1); J. Forde (1 free). J. Morris (0-3 each); R. Maher (0-1 free), N. McGrath, A. Tynan (0-2 each); E. Connolly, M. Breen, D. Stakelum, P. Maher, J. McGrath (0-1 each).
S. O’Brien; I. Daly, C. Prunty, K. Bennett; C. Lyons, T. de Búrca, M. Fitzgerald; N. Montgomery, D. Lyons; D. Hutchinson, J. Prendergast, J. Barron (v-c); Stephen Bennett (v-c), M. Kiely, K. Mahony.
J. Fagan for C. Prunty (inj 7); Shane Bennett for K. Mahony (51); P. Hogan for N. Montgomery (58); P. Curran for Stephen Bennett (64).
B. Hogan; C. Barrett, M. Breen, C. Morgan; C. Bowe, R. Maher (c), B. O’Mara; A. Tynan, E. Connolly; G. O’Connor, N. McGrath, J. Forde; D. Stakelum, M. Kehoe, J. Morris.
P. Maher for J. Forde (51); W. Connors for E. Connolly (54); J. McGrath for N. McGrath (56); S. Kenneally for D. Stakelum (64); D. McCormack for B. O’Mara (68).
J. Owens (Wexford)
