By Tomás McCarthy and MaryAnn Vaughan
Waterford have got their Munster Hurling Championship campaign off to a winning start in Walsh Park this afternoon.
They've defeated Tipperary with four points to spare after a game of two very different halves.
The first 35' saw the Premier men dominate - leading at half-time 1-12 to 11 points - Mark Kehoe having scored the goal after 7 minutes.
However, Waterford came flying out of the traps after the break and put away a goal and three without response - Mikey Kiely getting himself on the end of a skillful run of play to volley the ball into the Tipp net.
Ballygunner star, Dessie Hutchinson then followed suit 7 minutes later, scoring the Déise's second goal.
The introduction of All Stars Austin Gleeson and Jamie Barron for the second half, lifted the home crowd as both super subs struck two points each. Gleeson got a glorious sideline cut when the game was in the balance with three minutes left.
However, the wind wasn't quite knocked out of Tipperary's sails yet and they rallied with another goal from Mark Kehoe.
With Waterford leading by just a point heading into the final 10 minutes, the sides at one stage matched each other point for point before three wides in a row proved costly for Colm Bonnar's side.
Shane McNulty, Patrick Curran, and Dessie Hutchinson all knocked it over the bar for Waterford in the dying seconds of the game to leave the final score, Waterford 2-24, Tipperary 2-20.
