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Deise delight as Waterford win Tipperary thriller

Deise delight as Waterford win Tipperary thriller

Waterford 4-28

Tipperary 2-27

Waterford are through to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals for the second season running after prevailing in a thriller against Tipperary at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Abbeyside man Neil Montgomery was the hero, pitching in with a late 1-2 from the bench, with Stephen Bennett, Dessie Hutchinson and Austin Gleeson contributing 1-3 apiece.

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The Deise had 13 different scorers and can now look forward to a meeting with either Limerick or Kilkenny next weekend.

Patrick Curran opened the scoring with a fine point, with Jack Fagan and Dessie Hutchinson also on target as Waterford built an early three-point lead. Jason Forde put the Premier on the mark, before two lovely scores from the electric Jamie Barron made it 5-1 to the Deise.

Tipp hit back with the perfect response, two Seamus Callanan goals. He was found in space in the 6th minute to plunder to the bottom left corner, before Austin Gleeson cracked an effort just wide at the other end.

Conor Prunty was then caught underneath the high ball and Forde squared to Callanan to bury another on 7 minutes.

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Jamie Barron hit his third point in 8 minutes from the left flank, before a '65 from Forde and a John 'Bubbles' O'Dwyer effort levelled proceedings.

Waterford moved up the field and thanks to excellent work by Dessie Hutchinson, Austin Gleeson had time and space to turn and crack the sliotar past Barry Hogan.

John O'Dwyer sent over his second point before Gleeson pointed with a simply stunning sideline cut. Michael Breen's first of the afternoon then gave Tipperary a slender advantage, before a superb dead ball from Stephen Bennett brought the sides level for a third time.

Jason Forde had a free cancelled out by Shane McNulty and it was Waterford 1-9 Tipperary 2-6 at the water break.

Jack Fagan pointed on the resumption following a superb puckout by Shaun O'Brien. A lovely transition from back-to-front then saw Waterford motor ahead by four points as Dessie Hutchinson swept in from close range to raise a green flag.

Jason Forde and Ronan Maher responded either side of a Calum Lyons effort, before a wonderful point from Kieran Bennett. Tipp hit back thanks to Forde and a trademark Bubbles Dwyer point, before Hutchinson left Cathal Barrett for dead and slipped it between the uprights.

Dwyer cracked over his fourth, before the brilliant Peter Hogan pointed on the run. Jason Forde and Ronan Maher however brought it back to a point game at the break - 2-14 to 2-13.

Austin Gleeson picked up where he left off with the first score of the second period, before Calum Lyons stole possession and Peter Hogan punished the Premier. Shane Bennett slipped in his brother Stephen, and the Deise were again four to the good.

Jason Forde hit another free for his tally, before Kieran Bennett found the radar. A contentious penalty was then awarded with Gleeson adjudged to have been fouled, and Stephen Bennett stepped up to bury it to the bottom left corner to make it 3-18 to 2-14 on 45 minutes, leaving Tipp with work to do.

In fairness to Tipperary, they did that work in spades - their bench having a real impact. Noel McGrath and a fantastic Michael Breen point kept the pressure on Liam Cahill's men.

Stephen Bennett then hit a superb point from midfield, and substitute Kiely laid off to Hutchinson, and Waterford were 8 in front when Gleeson mesmerically pointed a second sideline cut of the afternoon. 3-21 to 2-16 heading into the final quarter.

Forde made it a seven point affair before he saw a goalbound effort brilliantly blocked by Shaun O'Brien, with Callanan firing the rebound left and wide. Peter Hogan got an inspirational third score of his own, before Ronan Maher added his third.

Jamie Barron grabbed his fourth before a fine point from the stick of Mark Kehoe. It was kitchen sink stuff as the teams traded scores late on, John McGrath, Michael Kiely, a Forde Free and Michael Breen pinning matters on a knife-edge.

Kiely's second point moved Waterford six ahead with five minutes normal time remaining, before Forde's 11th point and another good save from O'Brien to deny John McGrath.

A Forde 65 and dead ball either side of Willie Connors free brought Tipp back within 2 points heading into 3 minutes added on and momentum was presumably on their side.

Substitute Darragh Lyons then made a fine pass to Neil Montgomery who split the posts, before a game-winning save saw O'Brien again deny John O'Brien whose rasping effort deflected over for a point.

Waterford swept up field and Montgomery strode down the left flank before bearing down on goal and cannoning the sliotar into the far corner - good night Tipperary with the Waterford support in delirium.

The super-sub had time to clip over another score, before Colin Dunford added the icing to the cake, Colm Lyons blowing the full-time whistle at Waterfiord 4-28 Tipperary 2-27.

A first championship win over Tipperary for 13 years on a fantastic day for the Deise.

Waterford: Shaun O'Brien; Ian Kenny, Conor Prunty, Shane McNulty; Calum Lyons; Shane Bennett, Kieran Bennett; Jamie Barron, Peter Hogan; Jack Fagan, Jack Prendergast, Stephen Bennett; Dessie Hutchinson, Austin Gleeson, Patrick Curran

Subs: Michael Kiely for Patrick Curran (44); Darragh Lyons for Jack Fagan (63); Billy Power for Peter Hogan (65); Colin Dunford for Austin Gleeson (70)

Scorers: Stephen Bennett (1-03, 1-00 pen, 0-1 free); Dessie Hutchinson (1-03); Austin Gleeson (1-03; 0-2 sdl.); Neil Montgomery (1-02); Jamie Barron (0-04); Peter Hogan (0-03); Kieran Bennett, Michael Kiely and Jack Fagan (0-02 each); Shane McNulty, Calum Lyons, Patrick Curran and Colin Dunford (0-01 each)

Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Cathal Barrett, Padraic Maher, Barry Heffernan; Paddy Cadell, Brendan Maher, Ronan Maher; Alan Flynn, Michael Breen; Jason Forde, Noel McGrath, Dan McCormack; Jake Morris, John O'Dwyer, Seamus Callanan

Subs: Seamus Kennedy for Barry Heffernan (HT); Mark Kehoe for Jake Morris (43); Willie Connors for Dan McCormack (48); Niall O'Meara for John O'Dwyer (53); John McGrath for Seamus Callanan (56)

Scorers: Jason Forde (0-12, 0-6f, 0-3 '65); Seamus Callanan (2-00); John O'Dwyer (0-04); Ronan Maher and Michael Breen (0-03 each); Noel McGrath, Willie Connors, Mark Kehoe and John McGrath (0-01 each)

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)

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