Tipperary 1-16
Offaly 0-13
SEAMUS CALLANAN FIRED 1-6 to help secure Tipperary’s Allianz hurling league semi-final spot.
But the All Star attacker departed the scene long before full-time after a 40th minute red card that rules him out of the 19 April tie. In fact, Tipp finished with just 13 men as corner-back Cathal Barrett also picked up a second booking five minutes from time.
Eamonn O’Shea’s side ultimately relied on a strong first-half performance that yielded 1-14 to book their place alongside Waterford or Galway.
Offaly fought back strongly with the wind in the second-half but had simply left themselves too much to do.
Tipperary had the wind behind them in the first-half and used it to open up a sizeable advantage.
Callanan was inspired early on, hitting Tipp’s opening two points before drilling a spectacular 18th minute goal. He seemed to have little chance from an acute angle on the left of goals but fired a precise shot across James Dempsey to the top right corner.
The stunning score moved Tipp 1-6 to 0-1 clear and the margin was out to nine points before Offaly registered their second score.
In all, Offaly managed just two points from play in the opening half as Tipp took a deserved 1-14 to 0-4 half-time lead. Callanan helped himself to 1-6 of that tally before receiving his marching orders five minutes after the restart.
He was involved in an off the ball incident that left full-back Dermot Short writhing in apparent agony on the ground. Barrett followed him to the side line in the 65th minute for a second yellow card offence.
Tipp were still comfortably ahead at that stage though largely played second fiddle in the second-half. Offaly outscored Tipp by 0-9 to 0-2 in the half with Shane Dooley contributing four of those points.
Scorers for Tipperary: Seamus Callanan 1-6 (0-4f), Kieran Bergin and Brendan Maher 0-3 each, Jason Forde, Noel McGrath, Niall O’Meara and Ronan Maher 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: Shane Dooley 0-7 (0-3f, 0-1 65), Joe Bergin, Brian Carroll and
Stephen Quirke 0-2 each.
TIPPERARY
1. Darragh Egan (Kildangan)
4. Cathal Barrett (Holycross Ballycahill)
3. Conor O’Mahony (Newport)
2. Paddy Stapleton (Borris Ileigh)
9. Michael Breen (Ballina)
6. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. James Woodlock (Drom & Inch)
5. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule)
12. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
11. Brendan Maher (Borris Illeigh)
21. Patrick Maher (Lorrha/Dorrha)
13. Noel McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)
14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
15. Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
Subs:
23. Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch) for Bergin (45)
18. Shane Bourke (JK Brackens) for O’Meara (57)
20. Conor Kenny (Borris Ileigh) for Forde (61)
24. Sean Maher (Clonoulty Rossmore) for Patrick Maher (70)
OFFALY
1. James Dempsey (Kinnity)
4. David King (Coolderry)
3. Dermot Short (St Rynagh’s)
2. Niall Wynne (St Rynagh’s)
5. Cathal Parlon (Coolderry)
6. Colin Egan (Belmont)
9. Pat Camon (St Rynagh’s)
10. Brian Carroll (Coolderry)
8. Sean Ryan (Birr)
19. Cillian Kiely (Kilcormac/Killoughey)
11. Joe Bergin (Seir Kieran)
12. Emmet Nolan (Birr)
13. Stephen Quirke (St Rynagh’s)
14. Dan Currams (Kilcormac/Killoughey)
15. Shane Dooley (Tullamore)
Subs:
21. Tom Carroll (Seir Kieran) for Ryan (31)
18. Colm Mulrooney (Birr) for Currams (44)
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)
