Austin Gleeson strikes the winner
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION IA: TIPPERARY 1-17 WATERFORD 1-18
By Jackie Cahill at Semple Stadium, Thurles
Derek McGrath’s Waterford claimed a tenth successive Allianz Hurling League victory this afternoon as Austin Gleeson banged over a brilliant winner to deny Tipperary in the fourth minute of stoppage time at Semple Stadium.
Waterford’s run stretches back to last year’s campaign and they made it three from three in Division IA this year with a come from behind win.
Trailing by five points early in the second half, Waterford hit 1-4 without reply, including Tom Devine’s 59th minute goal, to turn the game on its head.
But Tipp looked to have won it when John McGrath netted two minutes from time – before Waterford staged a late revival.
McGrath’s goal handed Tipp a 1-17 to 1-16 advantage in front of 6540 spectators in Thurles but after Patrick Curran converted his ninth point of the game, and seventh free, to level matters, Gleeson bombed over the winner from 100 metres.
Tipp, like they did against Kilkenny at Nowlan Park, lost a game down the home straight from a winning position and they missed goal chances again here.
Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher was denied by Waterford goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe in the first half and with 12 minutes left, a minute before Devine’s goal, Niall O’Meara went desperately close.
This was a tough one for Tipp to take as they led by 0-12 to 0-8 at half-time, and by 0-14 to 0-9 early in the second half. But League champions Waterford gained a stranglehold around the middle third and turned the screw.
John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer finished as Tipp’s leading scorer on the day with 0-11, including nine frees, but he was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card in the 20th minute after a wild pull across Jake Dillon’s shins.
Scorers for Tipperary: J O’Dwyer 0-11 (9f), J McGrath 1-2, M Breen 0-2, B Maher 0-1, N McGrath 0-1
Scorers for Waterford: P Curran 0-9 (7f), T Devine 1-0, S Bennett 0-3, A Gleeson 0-2 (1f), K Moran 0-2, J Barron 0-1 M Kearney 0-1
**TIPPERARY: **D Gleeson; C Barrett, T Hamill, M Cahill; B Heffernan, R Maher, Pádraic Maher; B Maher, M Breen; N McGrath, D McCormack, Patrick Maher; J O’Dwyer, L McGrath, J McGrath. Subs: N O’Meara for L McGrath (51), K Bergin for McCormack (58).
WATERFORD: S O’Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors; P Mahony, D Fives, K Moran; J Barron, M Kearney; J Dillon, S Bennett, M Walsh; P Curran, A Gleeson, C Dunford. **Subs: **T Devine for Kearney (47), T Ryan for Walsh (54), S O’Sullivan for Dunford (65).
Referee: C Lyons (Cork).
