Tipperary 1-23
Dublin 0-12
MICHAEL RYAN’S TIPPERARY spanked Dublin by 14 points in tonight’s Allianz Hurling League Division 1A opener.
Ryan celebrated his first competitive game in charge with a big win as Jason Forde led the way in the scoring stakes with a 1-5 haul.
Tipp are notoriously slow league starters but signalled some early season intent ahead of next Sunday’s visit to Kilkenny.
For Dublin, and their manager Ger Cunningham, this was a setback following Walsh Cup glory as Tipp dictated the terms of engagement in front of 5,105 spectators.
Tipp had the breeze at their backs at a freezing Semple Stadium in the opening half and wasted no time getting down to business.
By half-time, the hosts were 1-9 to 0-3 clear and Forde hit the 13th minute goal, breaking on to loose ball before firing a low strike past Conor Dooley, who had done brilliantly within the first 25 seconds to keep out John McGrath.
A new, direct approach from Tipp was evident but they spoiled much of their good work by registering 10 first-half wides.
Still, Tipp had the scoreboard ticking over with regularity as Dublin struggled to create much.
Paul Ryan, whipped off at half-time, sent a couple of scoreable frees wide while other efforts from teammates dropped short.
Noel McGrath, starting a competitive game for Tipp for the first time since his successful battle with cancer last year, picked off a gorgeous first-half score on a night when his brother John also did well.
Ryan took the chance to run his bench in the second half and John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer picked off three points after coming on, while fellow sub Dylan Fitzelle also put over an eye-catching score.
All in all, a good night for Tipp and their first opening-round win since beating Waterford at the same venue two years ago.
Sweet revenge too for last year’s heavy defeat to Dublin on the opening weekend at Parnell Park and a good way to warm up for next week’s visit to Kilkenny.
Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 1-5, John McGrath 0-7 (5f), Conor Kenny & John O’Dwyer 0-3 each, Pádraic Maher & Noel McGrath 0-2 each, Dylan Fitzelle 0-1.
Scorers for Dublin: David Treacy 0-3f, Niall McMorrow 0-2, Daire Plunkett, Eamon Dillon, David O’Callaghan, Paul Ryan (f), Mark Schutte, Darragh O’Connell & Colm Cronin 0-1 each.
Tipperary
1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)
2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill)
3. Tomas Hamill (Moyne Templetuohy)
4. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields)
5. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh – captain)
6. James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane)
7. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. Michael Breen (Ballina)
9. Daire Quinn (Nenagh Éire Óg)
10. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)
11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha)
12. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
13. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
14. Conor Kenny (Borris-Ileigh)
15. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
Subs:
23. Dylan Fitzelle (Cashel King Cormacs) for Patrick Maher (47)
21. Joe Gallagher (Kildangan) for Breen (58)
26. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule) for McCormack (58)
20. John Meagher (Loughmore-Castleiney) for B Maher (66)
19. Liam Ryan (Drom & Inch) for Quinn (67)
Dublin
1. Conor Dooley (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
2. Joey Boland (Na Fianna)
5. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
4. Oisín Gough (Cuala)
3. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
6. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
7. Shane Barrett (Na Fianna)
8. Niall McMorrow (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
9. Johnny McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields)
10. Daire Plunkett (St Brigid’s)
11. Eamonn Dillon (Nh Fionnbarra)
12. David Treacy (Cuala)
13. Paul Ryan (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
14. David O’Callaghan (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
15. Mark Schutte (Cuala)
Subs:
21. Colm Cronin (Cuala) for Ryan (h.t.)
20. Darragh O’Connell (Cuala) for Plunkett (48)
23. Oisin O’Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes) for O’Callaghan (59)
22. Fiontán McGibb (Setanta) for McCaffrey (63)
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
I was thinking the same yesterday. Can you imagine a player like Aidan O’Shea was left on the bench for a whole game. There would be a mutiny the day after their championship campaign ended.
@Ned Flanders: cheap shot. O’Shea showed he is the ultimate team player by switching to a totally new position over the last 2 games to help the team get over the line. I guess haters are always gonna hate though
@Pepper Brooks: ultimate team player? That particular tactic nearly blew up in mayos face. In the replay he was soloing around his 21 half way through second half and trying 40 yard outside of boot passes that ran out over the line. If kerry hadnt panicked and had taken points earlier rather than going for goals when 7 down it could have been a very different
@Pepper Brooks: O’Shea wouldn’t make the Dublin bench.
Juniors maybe
@johnnyA the game is also about opinions,for you it’s bitter and twisted against Dublin,while us Dublin fan’s are enjoying every minute of this great Team,so happy days for us Ha Ha ha
@alan dodrill: *fans
It’s a great achievement to show humility when you’re strolling through the championship. Fair play to the Dublin/AIG players for being such good winners. If Gavin exerts such control he must endorse or at least turn a blind eye to the playacting. Cooper at it again yesterday. McCarthy and McCaffrey at it the last day – good footballers but while their fans have brought the worst aspects of UK terrace culture to Gaelic Games the players have brought Neymar type playacting into our national sport. Great lads all the same.
@Johnny A: Why not just enjoy the football instead of always having a bitch , life is too short
@Tony Talbot: the football championship used to mean something. Now it’s completely hollow. Very few meaningful contests – certainly none when Dublin/AIG are involved. Instead of mitigating their natural advantages – population, money, home advantage – the GAA have bolstered these and set them in stone. Teams like Tyrone and Monaghan now come up to Croker with ridiculous defensive systems just to keep the score down. The GAA have to look at the population and reconsider a split – for example Dublin North/AIG & Dublin South/HSBC. There should be an equalisation process with the corporate loot – they should be allowed keep 20-30% with the rest being redistributed. And they should be kept out of Croker a lot more – why not make them play an away semi final for example. I’ll enjoy it then.
@Johnny A: have to hand it to you mate you have bitterness to a new level. Short memories like most non dubs. This golden era has more to do wirh jim gavin than anything else.Maybe he should only be allowed manage smaller counties?
@Johnny A: explain 1995 – 2011??
If you split Dublin now you’d risk an all Dublin All Ireland final and that would be worse! Did you see the bench. Dublin A Vs Dublin B would be some game!
Other counties need to stop making excuses… Kerry has the same population as Wicklow as is the most successful football county by far
Also, let’s split Kilkenny into North & South and actually while we’re at what about the most successful football county, Kerry…well over due a split!!
@Brendan Farrell: if you think a 2 way split isn’t enough and they’d still be too strong then a 4 way split would be ideal. Could be 4 Dublin zones – AIG1, AIG2, AIG3, AIG4. Have their own provincial championship. The metropolitan cup or something like that.
@paddy: I wouldn’t call it bitterness – more like constructive hate.