Two late points from Cormac Spain saw the Waterford minor hurlers edge a see-saw contest against Tipperary 1-16 to 0-17 under the Friday night lights in Thurles before a crowd of 2,520. The Déise’s first minor win away to Tipp since 2009.
James O’Connor’s men trailed by five near the end of the third quarter and failed to score for 18 minutes but Spain led the fightback. Six second half points from the diminutive Ballygunner corner forward and 1-9 in total secured victory. James Comerford’s close range save from Tommy O’Meara also proved crucial.
“I knew it was in them,” O’Connor told WLR Sport afterwards. “We had done exceptionally well in a lot of challenge games but there’s nothing like championship to bring out the real lion in a player.”
Defending All Ireland champions Tipperary led 0-15 to 1-7 on 41 minutes after shooting nine unanswered points. Jack Cahill (0-7), Euan Murray (0-4) and Kieran Rossiter (0-2) all caught the eye for James Woodlock’s side but they couldn’t close it out.
In the fourth minute, tall Waterford wing forward Tommy Kennedy cut through the Tipp defence and found Cormac Spain who stung the roof of the net. A couple of Spain frees and a solo point from wing back Conor Power made it 1-3 to 0-2 in favour of the visitors.
2024 Minor Player of the Year Euan Murray brought the Premier back into the game with three points from play. Jack Cahill, son of Tipp senior manager Liam, nailed four frees. Two Jamie Shanahan efforts and one from Gearoid O’Shea left the Déise a goal up at the break (1-7 to 0-7). Tipp were guilty of seven first half wides.
Croke Cup winner with Thurles CBS Kieran Rossiter threatened a goal off the restart with a defence splitting solo run. He was stopped illegally and Cahill tapped over the free. Cahill added two more, one from play and one from a 65, before defender Dylan Hennessy sent the home side ahead in the 37th minute. Rossiter punched the air when he split the posts. Goalkeeper Patrick McCormack got in on the act with a free from his own 45. Everything Tipp touched resulted in a white flag as Paul Cummins and Conall Morrisson made it 0-15 to 1-7.
A Spain free on 44 minutes stopped the rot for the Déise before captain and goalkeeper James Comerford thwarted Tommy O’Meara. Further points from the slippery Spain, Gearoid O’Shea and substitute Caoillin Reville dragged the Déise back level with six minutes remaining. Two more Spain points followed before Waterford celebrated and ‘Glory Days’ by Bruce Springsteen blared over the speakers.
