WE WERE LIVE from Nowlan Park for the second of this afternoon’s hurling semis. Would it be Tipp or Waterford who book their place in the league final on 3 May?
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Good afternoon and welcome back to Nowlan Park where we’re just about set for the second of today’s Allianz National Hurling League semi-finals.
We’ll have the team news for you shortly.
TEAM NEWS: Shanahan and Bennett start for Waterford; Curran in at corner-back for Tipp.
Tipperary
1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)
2. Paddy Stapleton (Borris Ileigh)
3. Conor O’Mahony (Newport)
20. Paul Curran (Mullinahone)
5. Michael Breen (Ballina)
6. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. James Woodlock (Drom & Inch)
9. Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch)
10. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
11. Brendan Maher (Borris Ileigh)
12. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
19. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
14. Patrick Maher (Lorrha Dorrha)
15. Niall O’Meara (Kilruane McDonaghs)
Waterford
1. Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner)
2. Shane Fives (Tourin)
3. Barry Coughlan (Ballygunner)
4. Noel Connors (Passage)
5. Tadhg De Burca (Clashmore Kinsalebeg)
6. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion)
7. Philip Mahony (Ballygunner)
8. Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater)
22. Stephen Bennett (Ballysaggart)
10. Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
11. Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner)
12. Jake Dillon (De La Salle)
21. Maurice Shanahan (Lismore)
14. Michael Walsh (Stradbally)
15. Colin Dunford (Colligan)
GOAL FOR TIPP! Tipp 1-0 Waterford 0-2 Pauric Mahoney points the free but Tipp respond immediately and Bonner Maher fires past Stephen O’Keeffe for the game’s opening goal.
Tipperary 1-0 Waterford 0-3: Mahony points his third placed ball of the day. All square after seven minutes.
GOAL FOR TIPP! Tipperary 2-2 Waterford 0-3 Pure class by Tipp and they might have this one wrapped up soon enough. Jason Forde does brilliantly to control the ball, and he plays it to Brendan Maher, who delivers it to Bubbles O’Dwyer for the finish.
Tipperary 2-4 Waterford 0-3: Callanan points from play, and then from a free. Tipp lead by seven early on.
Tipperary 2-4 Waterford 0-4: Colin Dunford races away from James Woodlock but his handpass is a bit loose. Barry Kelly gives Waterford a free in following a bit of a scramble and Mahony points.
Tipperary 2-4 Waterford 0-5: Well-taken score by Maurice Shanahan, his first of the day and Waterford’s first from play, but he follows it up with a disappointing wide.
Marvellous solo run by Austin Gleeson as he weaves his way through the Tipp defence. He tries to catch Darren Gleeson off guard by going for goal but the Tipp keeper gathers at the second attempt.
Tipperary 2-6 Waterford 0-5: Bubbles does brilliantly to secure possession and he lays it off to James Woodlock in midfield for a simple finish.
Tipperary 2-6 Waterford 0-6: This hasn’t quite had the intensity of the first semi and, to be honest, I’m not sure if I could have kept it up at that pace. Mahony points a free.
Tipperary 2-6 Waterford 0-7: And now Colin Dunford gets in on the act, cutting Tipp’s lead to five.
Tipperary 2-6 Waterford 0-8: Another Mahony free. That’s three unanswered now for Waterford and their best spell yet.
Both of Tipp’s corner-backs are in Barry Kelly’s book now — Paddy Stapleton was shown a yellow card a few moments ago and now Paul Curran picks one up.
Tipperary 2-6 Waterford 0-9: Pauric Mahony points another free. Three-point game, despite the fact that Waterford weren’t really in it for most of this first half.
Tipperary 2-8 Waterford 0-10: Two scores in quick succession for Tipp before Pauric Mahony hits his first from play.
Colin Dunford is flat on his back after clattering into Conor O’Mahony. O’Mahony is booked — that’s a full house for the Tipp full-back line.
Tipperary 2-8 Waterford 0-11
Mahony converts the free and there’s three between them at the break.
Tipperary 2-8 Waterford 0-12: Mahony points a free for the opening score of the half.
Tipperary 2-9 Waterford 0-13: Callanan knocks over an easy free but Jake Dillon responds for Waterford with his first of the afternoon.
Tipperary 2-10 Waterford 0-13: Woodlock comes away with the ball after a Waterford attack breaks down, and he lays it off to Callanan to point.
Tipperary 2-10 Waterford 0-15: Jamie Barron and Maurice Shanahan make this a one-pointer. HUGE roar from the Waterford crowd.
Tipperary 2-11 Waterford 0-16: Maurice Shanahan fires over another big, BIG point!
GOAL FOR WATERFORD! Waterford 1-16 Tipp 2-11: Colin Dunford has Waterford in front. Remarkable.
Waterford 1-17 Tipperary 2-11: Waterford lead by three as Pauric Mahony points another free. What have Tipp got?
Waterford 1-18 Tipperary 2-11: Maurice Shanahan is fouled and Mahony points the free.
Just before that, Stephen O’Keeffe made a great save to deny Niall O’Meara.
Callanan has a sight on goal but he drops it short into O’Keeffe’s hands. Waterford are scrapping for everything and Tipp are being forced into potshots.
Tipperary 2-12 Waterford 1-18: Conor Kenny points to bring Tipp back within three. They needed that — but they’re hitting far too many wides to really trouble Waterford.
Austin Gleeson tries a monster but it drops into the side netting. It’s very tense here in Nowlan Park.
Waterford 1-18 Tipperary 2-14: Callanan has a free from the half-way line… and he makes no mistake! One in it.
Again, a reminder: if this finishes in a draw, we will have extra-time.
Michael Breen is responsible for the latest Tipp wide — that’s seven in this second half alone!
Tipperary 2-15 Waterford 1-18: ALL SQUARE! Padraic Maher
Gearoid Ryan fouls Kevin Moran. We’re into the last minute and Mahony has a free…
Waterford 1-19 Tipperary 2-15
Was a bit sloppy, but might be just the kick up the behind we need to focus.
Thought the atmosphere at the Aviva was very quiet, but I would expect that to be louder for the NZ game.
Who was the ejit shouting at Sexton before he was about to kick, it was an Irish accent, Dublin I think. Seemed to be coming from the East stand! I couldn’t make out what he was shouting though. Happened at least twice.
@SPQH: It’s the same every year for the November internationals. Much larger allocation of tickets is given to ticketmaster which gives people access to tickets who are not members of their local club.
These are split into two categories
1. Genuine supporters & Newbies who are there to see the game, shout the team on and enjoy the atmosphere.
2. People that are there for the occasion and are only there to have a good time drinking themselves to a blunder. Nothing wrong with a pint during the game but getting up 4 times a half and not paying any attention to the game.
I’m afraid the latter are much more prominent of the two unfortunately. It’s why i stopped going to games. There’s a parent and a child who would love to see ireland play but cant get tickets meanwhile theres a fella with a €110 ticket talking to his mate about bullshit on his 3rd pint of the half.
@Californialov3: 8 pints in an hour and a half you wouldn’t even know you were in Dublin by the end of it
@Aaron Buckley: Probably a heavy estimation but between pints and pissing they never sit down !
@Californialov3: spot on. At the munster Leinster game I had the misfortune to be at the end of a row seat. There was a group of four inside me and between toilet trips and pint runs I must have had to get up 20 times in the first hour alone. 2 of them eventually left and didn’t return at that stage. I’d say none of them watched any of the match.
@Jim Demps: The Darby games in thomond especially Munster v Leinster bring out these clowns every year. Lads and Ladies that are only there only to get pissed and chat very loudly throughout the entire game. Guaranteed these people wouldn’t be caught dead in the cold depths of winter in the terraces/stands watching Munster take on the likes of Treviso. It’s good money for the club from ticket sales but Christ it’s very annoying.
@Californialov3: I’m in the first category I suppose. It’s really hard to get tickets for the Six Nations in Ireland. As I live in Amsterdam, it’s easier to trave to Rome, Edinburgh or Paris during that time of year. So I’m glad that there’s a decent chance to get a good seat during the November Internationals. And while in Dublin, you should enjoy a pint of Guinness (or two) during a half :-) I agree that the atmosphere wasn’t electric last Saturday, but was glad I made it. Perfect weekend with U2 on Friday altogether
@Stephan Antuma: Jesus by all means have a pint or two. Rugby and pints are like ham and cheese but there’s a limit and these people are far beyond it. The try to avoid this by putting majority of the Six Nations games through the clubs however that leaves people like you by the way side, which is both frustrating and sad. Have you tried to become a part of the Irish Rugby Supporters club? That seems to be the best way to get tickets without being a part of a local club!
@Jim Demps: A waste of four tickets. I may sound slightly naive when i say this but i feel that theirs a responsibility on the match goer’s to support the team as much as possible. A personal bugbear of mine is people not bothering to sing any anthem or barely moving their lips. The irish rugby team is a incredible team built on huge adversity and history and you can’t build up the courage to belt it out? Whatever about not singing one or the other but at least belt it out!
@borgig: Yeah, the ‘where’s the goalie?’ mob always seem to snaffle tickets and clack up and down the steps for toilet trips and more booze.
@Californialov3: the WRU tried out a policy in one of the grand stands where alcohol was banned during the recent scotland v wales match which was exactly for your latter point. They’re only trying it out at the moment though
@Californialov3: the one to drink at will be the USA game. Presumably there will be tons of American student there who don’t know the game anyway.
The NZ game however is a very different story
@Californialov3: That’s exactly why I stopped going to Ireland games.
I used to love the old Lansdowne Road even though it was a bit of a kip. I went to all the games for years.
Can’t stand the aviva. People constantly walking up and down the aisles going to the bar. Can’t they sit and watch the game for 40 minutes?
There is plenty of time to have a few pints after.
one way to stop that is to only permit drinking indoor at bar but don’t think they will do that because they depend on sales