Tipperary Defeat The Déise To Claim 40th Munster Title

Tipperary claimed their 40th Munster title with a 2-17 to 0-16 defeat of Waterford in a superb game at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.

Having put seven goals past Waterford in last year's final, Tipperary were given a thorough examination this time around. The Déise put it up to the champions for three-quarters of the game until Shane Bourke finally killed them off with Tipperary's second goal in the 55th minute.

Even then, Michael Walsh's side had plenty of chances in the final quarter, but after a full-blooded game that was played at break-neck pace, Waterford struggled in the closing stages and hit a series of wides that spoiled any hopes they had of causing an upset.

Tipperary scored their first goal in the 10th minute when John O'Brien stole in to finish after a superb pass from Patrick Maher, but Waterford fought back and were level at the break, 0-11 to 1-8, thanks to Maurice Shanhan's fifth point of the game in first half added time.

However, Tipperary showed their class in the final quarter, defensing stoutly and showing greater edge in attack, and were full value for the victory after a brilliantly entertaining Munster final.

Waterford made the perfect start with early scores from Shane Walsh and John Mullane, while Tipperary got off the mark in the sixth minute through Brian O'Meara.

Tipperary delivered the first real blow of the game on ten minutes, when Patrick Maher, so often the architect for Declan Ryan's side, laid on a perfect pass for John O'Brian, who finished neatly to the back of the Déise net.

Waterford responded well to that early setback, with Walsh and Mullane both hitting their second scores of the game. But the champions took control with a period of dominance that yielded four points without reply.

Pádraic Maher, imperious once again at wing-back, started off that sequence, before Noel McGrath, John O'Brien and Pa Bourke all pitched in.

Credit to Waterford, though, they refused to panic, and Mullane was a steadying influence with his third from play, before Shanahan landed two good score from placed balls, a free and a 65.

Shanahan could well have had a goal too after dancing through the Tipp defence, but Brendan Cummins was on hand to block his shot.

Pa Bourke then landed his second free before he was replaced by Eoin Kelly, but Waterford finished the half strongly and Shanahan had them level at the break, when he landed yet another free and then his fifth of the day, this time from play, in added time.

Waterford edged ahead on the restart thanks to a point from Stephen Molumphy, before Tipp made their first real break for the line with a series of scores.

Noel McGrath, John O'Brien and Michael Cahill all hit the target to give them a 1-12 to 0-13 lead by the 48th minute.

Shanahan reduced the gap to the minimum and then Tipperary goalkeeper Cummins was forced to make a very smart save to stop Paul O'Brien's ground stroke.

Within three minutes Tipperary had their second goal. Eoin Kelly dropped a free short into the danger area and when four Waterford defenders, including goalkeeper Stephen O'Keeffe, failed to clear their it, Shane Bourke pounced to slam a shot to the back of the net.

Waterford had several chances to check Tipp's momentum, but Shanahan, Tony Browne and Kevin Moran all hit bad wides, while Cummins was once again on hand to deny Eoin Kelly, who shot from a tight angle after a move involving Mullane and Shanahan.

Noel McGrath made it look so easy when he floated over his third score of the game, putting his side five clear and completely on top going into the final 10 minutes.

Waterford huffed and puffed in the closing stages but never really looked like breaching a very solid-looking Tipperary defence, although Eoin Kelly did test Cummins once more from a 21-yard free.

In the end, Eoin Kelly and Shane Bourke added late scores to put a coat of gloss on the scoreline, as Tipperary sealed their place in the All-Ireland semi-finals with ease.