Updated at 11.15
Waterford Crystal Cup SH preliminary round:
Tipperary 4-16
Mary Immaculate College 1-16
Jackie Cahill reports from Dr. Morris Park, Thurles….
THREE GOALS IN as many minutes from Seamus Callanan sealed Tipperary’s safe passage to the quarter-finals of the Waterford Crystal Cup this evening.
In blusterly, squally conditions at Dr. Morris Park in Thurles, Callanan unleashed a deadly treble in the 61st, 62nd and 63rd minutes to help see off the dogged challenge of Mary Immaculate College in this preliminary round clash.
The sides were level at 1-14 apiece before Callanan’s hat-trick eased Tipp’s nerves and ensured a winning start to 2015 for last year’s All-Ireland finalists.
Tipp will now face Clare next Sunday in a repeat of the last three Waterford Crystal finals, with the Premier County hoping for a repeat of last year’s victory over Davy Fitzgerald’s men in the Gaelic Grounds decider.
But for long periods, this was a real struggle for an experimental Tipperary side, who handed starts to newcomers Joe O’Dwyer, Stephen Maher, Liam Treacy, Sean Maher and David Butler.
It was an experienced head who got them over the line after Maher and Tipp panellist Niall O’Meara, on duty for Mary I, traded goals early in the second half.
At the break, Mary I were 0-11 to 0-10 clear, with Limerick’s David Reidy bagging six of those first-half points for Eamonn Cregan’s visitors.
By full-time, however, Tipp had achieved the expected result, with 2014 Hurler of the Year nominee Callanan collecting a total of 3-7.
Butler helped himself to four points from play with Maher collecting 1-1.
Reidy was Limerick’s leading scorer with a tally of ten points, including eight frees.
Scorers for Tipperary: Seamus Callanan 3-7 (0-4f, 0-1 65), David Butler 0-4, Sean Maher 1-1, Pádraic Maher, Kieran Bergin (f), Denis Maher & Conor Kenny 0-1 each.
Scorers for Mary Immaculate College: David Reidy 0-10 (8f), Niall O’Meara 1-1, Darragh O’Donovan & Tadhg Gallagher (1 sl), 0-2 each, Conor Sheahan 0-1.
TIPPERARY:
1. Darragh Egan (Kildangan)
2. Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
3. Paul Curran (Mullinahone)
17. Stephen Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
5. Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch)
6. Conor O’Mahony (Newport)
7. Pádraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule)
9. Gearoid Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)
10. Denis Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
11. Liam Treacy (Loughmore-Castleiney)
12. Patrick Maher (Lorrha)
13. Sean Maher (Clonoulty-Rossmore)
14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
15. David Butler (Drom & Inch)
Subs:
18. James Woodlock (Drom & Inch) for Stephen Maher (41).
20. Conor Kenny (Borris-Ileigh) for Butler (51)
21. Colm Ryan (Upperchurch-Drombane) for Denis Maher (63)
15. David Butler for Sean Maher (68)
22. Daniel Guinan (Killenaule) for Callanan (68).
MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE:
1. Mike Browne (Cork)
2. Richie English (Limerick)
3. Andrew Ryan (Tipperary)
4. Cillian Fennessy (Clare)
5. Liam Corry (Clare)
20. Seamus Kennedy (Tipperary)
7. Colm Barry (Cork)
8. Darragh O’Donovan (Limerick)
9. David Reidy (Limerick)
10. Niall O’Meara (Tipperary)
11. Declan Hannon (Limerick)
12. Jody Hannon (Limerick)
13. Tadhg Gallagher (Tipperary)
14. Darragh Corry (Clare)
15. Conor Sheahan (Waterford).
Subs:
25. Shane Taylor (Clare) for Sheahan (43)
22. Pa Herlihy (Cork) for J Hannon (43)
19. Eoin Quirke (Clare) for Fennessy (50)
28. Tadhg Lynch (Clare) for Gallagher (53)
23. Kieran Cleary (Limerick) for O’Donovan (68)
Referee: Nathan Wall (Cork)
