Tipperary 1-12
Waterford 1-9
GEARÓID SLATTERY WAS Tipperary’s hero in this afternoon’s Munster junior football championship quarter-final with penalty saves in both halves.
The Cashel King Cormacs netminder denied Jason Curry on the stroke of half-time and kept out Gary Hurney’s effort ten minutes into the second half.
Those saves proved crucial as Tipp recorded a three-point victory to set up a semi-final clash with Kerry on 14 June.
Up front for Tipperary, Dean Lonergan and Kevin Fox provided the attacking punch.
Lonergan palmed home a 46th minute goal after Fox did brilliantly to create the chance.
That goal handed Tipp the whip hand and while Waterford hit back with a goal from sub Dylan Guiry in the closing minutes, Tommy Toomey’s hosts held out.
Tipperary led by 0-7 to 0-5 at the end of a first half that saw Waterford play with a strong breeze blowing into the Town End.
The Déise registered seven wides in that first half and Curry also missed that penalty.
But it was Waterford who got off to the better start, leading by 0-4 to 0-1 before Aldo Matassa clipped over a couple of fine scores from play to kickstart the Tipperary revival.
The hosts lost U21 star Luke Boland to a black card in the 24th minute but still managed to establish a two-point half-time lead.
Scorers for Tipperary: Dean Lonergan 1-3 (0-1f), Kevin Fox 0-4 (1f), Aldo Matassa 0-2, Tommy Sweeney, Martin Dunne & Dean McEnroe (f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Waterford: David Power 0-5 (3f), Dylan Guiry 1-0, Jason Curry 0-3 (1f), Gary Hurney 0-1f.
Tipperary
1. Gearóid Slattery (Cashel King Cormacs)
2. Ger Hally (Cahir)
3. Daragh Kearney (Clonmel Óg)
4. Donal Lynch (capt, Commercials)
20. Tommy Sweeney (Ballyporeen)
6. Luke Boland (Moyle Rovers)
7. Donagh Leahy (Arravale Rovers)
8. Aldo Matassa (Commercials)
9. Martin Dunne (Moyle Rovers)
10. Dean McEnroe (JK Brackens)
11. Niall McKenna (Cahir)
12. Shane Leahy (Arravale Rovers)
13. Alan O’Riordan (JK Brackens)
14. Dean Lonergan (Cahir)
15. Kevin Fox (Éire Óg Annacarty Donohill)
Subs:
17. Niall Gleeson (Portroe) for Boland (b/c 35)
19. Gerry Cronin (Ardfinnan) for O’Riordan (57)
18. Mark Russell (Aherlow Gaels) for Sweeney (60)
Waterford
1. David Whitty (Gaultier)
2. Peter Crowley (St Saviours)
20. Kieran Murphy (St Saviours)
18. Mark Cummins (Brickey Rangers)
5. Conor Hennessy (Kill)
6. Wayne Hennessy (Ardmore)
7. James McGrath (Nire)
8. Craig Guiry (Nire)
9. John Hurney (Ballinacourty)
10. Darren Guiry (Nire)
12. Conor McGrath (Brickey Rangers)
12. David Power (Kilrossanty)
13. Jason Curry (Rathgormack)
14. Gary Hurney (capt, Ballinacourty)
15. Seán Fleming (Clashmore-Kinsalebeg)
Subs:
23. Dylan Guiry (Nire) for Curry (38)
19. David Gartland (Ardmore) for Fleming (54)
17. Jamie Kirwan (Rathgormack) for C Hennessy (58)
24. Brad Carroll (Gaultier) for D Guiry (59)
Referee: Richard Moloney (Limerick).
