Tipperary open league in style with 16-point Croke Park win over Dublin

Tipperary 1-24
Dublin 1-8

Fintan O’Toole reports from Croke Park

REIGNING ALL-IRELAND champions Tipperary began their 2017 campaign in style as they flattened Dublin by 16 points in tonight’s Allianz Division 1A hurling league tie at Croke Park.

Tipperary returned to headquarters for the first time since last September’s glorious triumph against Kilkenny and manager Michael Ryan saw his team hit the ground running.

Seamus Callanan bagged 0-8 for the winners – all from placed balls – while Aidan McCormack and Jason Forde caught the eye with returns of 0-5 and 1-3 respectively.

A youthful Dublin side had started brightly as they went in front 0-4 to 0-1 but struggled thereafter as Tipperary exerted their superiority on proceedings and the Premier were ahead 0-11 to 0-6 at the interval.

After reached the 20-point mark, Tipperary hit the net in the 55th minute. Centre-forward Forde perfectly read the break of the ball and galloped through unopposed before smashing a low shot past Dublin’s Gary Maguire.

Dublin responded with a goal of their own in the 60th minute. Donal Burke hooked in a cross and substitute Eamon Dillon ran in to bat to the net in front of Hill 16.

But Tipperary still ran out comfortable winners and Dublin’s woes were compounded by the late dismissal of defender Shane Barrett after he was shown a second yellow card.

More to follow…

Scorers for Tipperary: Seamus Callanan 0-8 (0-8f), Jason Forde 1-3, Aidan McCormack 0-5, Padraic Maher 0-2, Tomas Hamill, Kieran Bergin, Noel McGrath, Sean Curran, Niall O’Meara 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: Eamon Dillon 1-0, Donal Burke 0-3 (0-3f), Niall McMorrow 0-2, Oisin O’Rorke, Fiontán McGibb 0-1 each.

Tipperary

1. Daragh Mooney (Éire Óg Annacarty-Donohill)

2. Donagh Maher (Burgess)
3. James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane)
4. John O’Keeffe (Clonoulty-Rossmore)

5. Tomás Hamill (Moyne-Templetuohy)
6. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)

8. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)
9. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule)

10. Steven O’Brien (Ballina)
11. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
12. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)

13. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
15. Aidan McCormack (Thurles Sarsfields)

Subs:
S Kennedy for R Maher (blood)
M Cahill for O’Keeffe
S Curran for O’Brien
N O’Meara for Callanan
B Heffernan for R Maher
D Quinn for P Maher

Dublin

1. Gary Maguire (Ballyboden St-Enda’s)

2. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
4. Shane Barrett (Na Fianna)

5. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
6. Liam Rushe (St Pat’s)
7. Sean McGrath (Kilmacud Crokes)

8. Ben Quinn (Crumlin)
9. Domhnall Fox (St Judes)

10. Cian O’Sullivan (St Brigid’s)
11. Niall McMorrow (Ballyboden St-Enda’s)
12. Ryan O’Dwyer (Kilmacud Crokes)

13. Oisin O’Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes)
14. Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
15. Fiontán McGibb (Setanta)

Subs

J Madden for McGrath
E Dillon for O’Sullivan
R McBride for Fox
C Conway for O’Rorke
A Quinn for MacGib.

Referee: P O’Dwyer (Carlow).

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