Tipperary 7-29
Mary Immaculate College 0-6
Jackie Cahill reports from Boherlahan
TIPPERARY BOSS MICHAEL Ryan won’t have learned a huge amount from this afternoon’s senior hurling challenge outing against Mary Immaculate College in Boherlahan, as the Premier County scored a massive 44-point victory.
In a local fundraiser for the Little Flower National School, Tipp blitzed their third level opponents with less than three weeks to go before the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A opener against Dublin on 13 February.
For Mary I, this is a setback ahead of Thursday’s Fitzgibbon Cup opener away to NUI Galway but the visitors were without a host of big names including Limerick duo Declan Hannon and Cian Lynch, along with Clare star Colm Galvin and Tipp’s Niall O’Meara.
This was routine stuff for Tipp on a poor afternoon for hurling and with a stiff breeze at their backs, Ryan’s charges cruised into a big lead at half-time, 3-21 to 0-1.
Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher struck Tipp’s opening goal before Conor Kenny, impressive at full-forward in pre-season, bagged a brace approaching the break.
The second half was more of the same although Eoin Quirke’s free to open the second half scoring was the first time that Mary I had registered a point since the fourth minute, when Cork’s Conor Twomey landed a free.
Twomey was one of just two Mary I players to score from play as Tipp, in contrast, had 13 players on the scoresheet.
Maher and substitute Noel McGrath raised green flags within a minute of each other as Tipp continued to hammer home their superiority against the elements, before John McGrath and Kieran Morris added late goals.
Scorers for Tipperary: John McGrath 1-7 (0-4f), Conor Kenny 2-2, Patrick Maher 2-1, Kieran Morris 1-3, Noel McGrath 1-1, Dylan Fitzell, Liam McGrath & Andrew Coffey 0-3 each, Jason Forde 0-2, Brendan Maher, Michael Breen, Dan McCormack, Daire Quinn 0-1 each.
Scorers for Mary I: Conor Twomey 0-4 (2f), Eoin Quirke (f) & Alan Flynn 0-1 each.
Tipperary
1. Brian Hogan (Lorrha-Dorrha)
2. Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
3. Thomas Hamill (Moyne-Templetuohy)
2. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields)
21. Daire Quinn (Éire Óg Nenagh)
6. Barry Heffernan (Éire Óg Nenagh)
7. Brendan Maher (Borrisoleigh – captain)
8. Michael Breen (Ballina)
9. Dylan Fitzell (Cashel King Cormacs)
25. Andrew Coffey (Éire Óg Nenagh)
11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha)
12. Kieran Morris (Moycarkey-Borris)
15. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
14. Conor Kenny (Borrisoleigh)
13. Liam McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
Subs:
19. Conor O’Brien (Éire Óg Annacarty) for O’Dwyer
20. Dan McCormack (Borrisoleigh) for L McGrath
23. Jason Forde (Silvermines) for Coffey
22. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Kenny (all half-time)
24. Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) for B Maher (56)
26. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill) for Quinn (56)
Mary Immaculate College
1. Madhc O’Conghaile (Michael Breathnach, Galway)
2. Andrew Ryan (Toomevara, Tipperary)
19. Jody Hannon (Adare, Limerick)
4. Jack Peters (Kilruane MacDonagh’s, Tipperary)
7. Conor Twomey (Newtownshandrum, Cork)
17. John Meagher (Loughmore-Castleiney, Tipperary)
6. Thomas Stapleton (Templederry Kenyons, Tipperary)
5. Eoin Quirke (Whitegate, Clare)
9. Alan Flynn (Kildangan, Tipperary)
13. Micheál O’Loughlin (Clonlara, Clare)
11. Stephen Farrell (Dicksboro, Kilkenny)
29. Sean Kilduff (Clarinbridge, Galway)
15. Thomas Monaghan (Craughwell, Galway)
30. Pa Ryan (Newport, Tipperary)
14. Adrian McGuire (Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Tipperary)
Subs:
3. Colm Bally (Castlelyons, Cork) for O’Loughlin (3)
23. Joey Hennessy (Loughmore-Castleiney, Tipperary) for Bally (h.t.)
16. Mike Browne (Ballyhea, Cork) for O’Conghaile (h.t.)
26. Brian Finn (Bruff, Limerick) for A Ryan (38)
24. Pádraic Crone (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary) for P Ryan (38)
25. Brian Roughan (Ruan, Clare) for Kilduff (42)
27. Paul O’Connell (Broadford, Clare) for Farrell (51)
20. Seamus Foudy (Inagh-Kilnamona, Clare) for Stapleton (51)
Referee: Philip Kelly (Ballinahinch, Tipperary).
Considering that racing lost the game it might be harder to negotiate such “agreements” in the future.
The omission of Casey looks like a real oversight if best isn’t available. Consistent ball from set pieces will be crucial if we are to stand a chance against SA. Casey hasn’t been tested at international level, which of course Cronin ans Strauss have been, but he’s been the form 2 in the country since the start of the season. His interaction with 2 of Ireland’s nailed on starters (poc and pj) would go a long way to getting fast ball from the lineout. Obviously a hookers job isn’t just darts, but a return rate of less than 90% here will crucify us against SA.
Best isn’t a great darts man, but he’s worth a penalty or 2 and scrums are always solid. I think Casey’s lineout consistency is a good substitute for this, with Cronin or strauss making an abrasive carrying impact from the bench in the end game.
I’d like to have seen Casey get a run-out, but against Georgia…
South Africa are one of the top two teams in the world, possibly the best. They almost certainly have the best pack in the world.
If at all avoidable, it’s not a match where I’d be giving a forward player a debut.
True, but they don’t come much more grizzly than Georgia, none of us have forgotten 2007. If you’re going to ease someone in, it may as well be against Australia!
Racing pay his bills, so I’d say they have first dibs on his services, and rightly so.
No one is saying they shouldn’t are they though