GAA Digest: Ordinary Tipperary better than Waterford

Tipperary are through to the All-Ireland semifinal

Tipperary are through to the All-Ireland semifinal, and a date with Kilkenny or Limerick, after comfortably seeing off the Waterford challenge in Sunday’s Munster hurling final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh by a score of 1-13 to 0-15.

Declan Ryan’s team never really produced the goods as they eventually pulled away from the Deise in the second half when a goal from substitute Shane Bourke played a big role in the win.

Defender Conor O’Mahony admitted Tipp were far from their best as Waterford held them to level scores at the interval.

He told the Irish Sun, “The performance was average enough really. Everybody worked hard, but things just didn’t roll as freely as we might have hoped.

“There’s games like that where you just have to work that bit harder to get the result. Fair play to everyone, including the boys who came in, because we dug in and got over the line. We’re delighted with the result.”

O’Mahony was quick to praise supersub Bourke.
He added, “Shane is a fantastic player and has come in there again like he did in the last two games and really opened it up.

“That just goes to show this game is no longer just about the 15 guys who start it. Shane Bourke, Eoin Kelly, Seamie Callanan and Donagh Maher all made a big impression when they came on.”
Tipperary boss Declan Ryan was content with his team’s performance but realistic enough to know there is room for improvement.

“We were delighted when the guys knuckled down in second half and they finished very strongly,” he said.

“It is great to have people like Shane Bourke, Eoin Kelly and Seamie Callinan to bring in. It was a fantastic introduction for Shane today. He stuck one in the back of the net and that is what all forwards like to do.

“The guys showed a lot of character there today even though we were not at our best. They battled away to the end and we finished out the game.”
Waterford now face Cork on Sunday, July 29 in the All-Ireland quarterfinals, with manager Michael Ryan ready to get back to work after a disappointing day on Leeside.

Ryan said, “We’re very disappointed, but Tipperary had that bit of experience, took their chances and fully deserved to win it.

“I’m very proud of our own lads too though. We played some really, really good hurling but maybe didn’t have the run of the ball at times out there.”
 
Kerry Wins

GOAL scorer Darran O’Sullivan shrugged off injury problems when he appeared as a second half substitute and emerged as Kerry’s hero in a 2-10 to 1-12 away win to Westmeath in the All-Ireland qualifiers.

O’Sullivan proved the difference after Westmeath had led by six points with half an hour to go in Mullingar.

Kerry boss Jack O’Connor admitted, “You wouldn’t give much for our chances there 10 minutes into the second half, we went six or seven down, facing a strong wind. We had a mountain to climb.

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Nster.com