Waterford 3-21 (30)
Tipperary 1-27 (30)
The Big Match coverage comes with thanks to George Corbett Skoda.
A late late goal from Sean Kenneally proved decisive as Waterford and Tipperary couldn't be separated in a titanic Munster Championship tussle.
The Deise had the impetus throughout thanks to a brace of goals from Stephen Bennett either side of Jack Prendergast's green flag - but Kenneally's late strike, which brought the sides level for the seventh time, means it's a point apiece for the near neighbours.
You could feel the intensity in the air at Walsh Park, as it became all the more evident that both of these counties' campaigns could be broken or made by the sound of the full-time whistle.
Liam Cahill warned there would be consequences for his side's big loss in Limerick - and so it proved as Cathal Barrett, Noel McGrath and Darragh Stakelum came in for the start, while there was a few positional switches for the home side.
The Deise got off to the perfect start - Mark Fitzgerald picking out Stephen Bennett in space and the Ballysaggart man made no mistake as he got the scoreboard working.
It got even better for Waterford just moments later, as Michael Kiely was hauled down and referee James Owens pointed to the penalty spot. Bennett did the same as last time out versus Cork, cracking the sliotar into the net to give the Deise an early four point advantage.
Mark Kehoe had an excellent opening period for the Premier, and he got them off the mark with a superb effort from distance - as alarm bells rang for Davy Fitzgerald and his backroom team with the sight of Conor Prunty lying injured on the Walsh Park turf.
Jack Fagan immediately replaced the Abbeyside man and a contentious moment ensued moments afterward, as Kehoe was hauled down in a similar vein to Kiely - but the referee waved play on. To add insult to injury, the ball was worked to Dessie Hutchinson who split the posts at the opposite end.
Kehoe then raced away from Fagan to point his second, and two in quick succession from the lively Eoghan Connolly moved Liam Cahill's men back within a point. A great strike from Neil Montgomery eased any nerves emerging from Waterford, but it was soon cancelled out by Gearoid O'Connor who rode a number of challenges to add his name to the scoresheet.
Kieran Bennett moved upfield and blazed the ball between the posts but Michael Breen soon repeated the trick - and when Mark Fitzgerald was caught sleeping by Jake Morris on 15 minutes - we had a level game for the first time.
A phenomenal shot from way out the field by talisman Ronan Maher gave Tipperary the lead but it didn't last long as a superb point from a difficult angle made it 1-2 for Stephen Bennett's personal tally.
Mark Kehoe then fired over his third and Jason Forde got in on the act to move the visitors two in front, but two stunning scores brought Waterford back on terms before the turning point of the first period.
Bennett rose highest to turn and find the radar before Darragh Lyons opened out his shoulders and did the necessary. Then on 27 minutes, Dessie Hutchinson picked out a wandering Jack Prendergast in acres - and he drove under Barry Hogan to put the Deise three in front again.
4 May 2024; Jack Prendergast of Waterford celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 3 match between Waterford and Tipperary at Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Shaun O'Brien kept that advantage in tact as he made a wonderful stop to his right to deny Darragh Stakelum. Two frees from Forde brought it back to one - but it was Calum Lyons who had the final say before the break - Waterford 2-08 Tipperary 0-12 at the interval.
Liam Cahill lambasted the officials as he made his way to the dressing room, but he would have been a happy man with how his side responded to any lambasting that would've went on behind closed doors.
A free from Ronan Maher and a Noel McGrath effort brought the sides level for the fourth occasion - but Cahill's men sooned move two to the good when Darragh Stakelum and Kehoe were also on target.
Barry Hogan then made an excellent diving stop to deny Stephen Bennett - but it mattered very little within a matter of seconds. A close-range free seemed to be a simple tap-over for Hutchinson, but he chose to square to Bennett - and he chose to rattle the sliotar into the side netting to make it 3-08 to 0-16 on 42 minutes.
A free from the Ballygunner man moved Waterford two up, but a great effort from Alan Tynan halved arrears. It was nip-and-tuck at this point, as Michael Kiely made his presence felt, befroe Noel McGrath's second score of the evening.
Calum Lyons fired over from a superb pass by Jamie Barron - and when Willie Connors was penalised for steps, the Deise crowd were jubilant as Hutchinson stepped up to push the boat back out to three.
Gearoid O'Connor's free was cancelled out by another trademark Hutchinson effort, before Tynan added a second - and Shane Bennett's first touch on his introduction also yielded a score.
Patrick 'Bonner' Maher and O'Connor brought the difference back to the minimum - before a huge effort from Jack Fagan once again buoyed the white and blue cause.
We were soon level for the sixth time with just ten minutes left on the clock - as Morris and substitute Kenneally made their presence felt.
Patrick Curran has become a superb impact substitute for Waterford and moved his side back ahead, before a superb take from Kiely allowed Hutchinson to step up and knock over his sixth score. Calum Lyons then marauded forward and added his third, and when Curran was on the end of a Deise move again - they were suddenly four ahead with four minutes of added time to play.
Credit to Tipperary, they were willing to die in their boots - and they drew just reward for those efforts.
John McGrath and Bonner Maher reduced the gap before Jack Prendergast seemingly got the insurance score - but a rasping effort that was saved by O'Brien fell kindly to Kenneally and suddenly there was just one point between the sides.
With seconds at a premium, man-of-the-match Darragh Lyons saw his effort drift agonisingly wide - and from the puckout, Alan Tynan was dragged down and Gearoid O'Connor didn't pass up the opportunity to take home a point from Suirside.
A pulsating battle ends all square, Waterford are next in action when they take on Clare in Ennis on Sunday, May 19th.
The Munster Championship has been blown wide open, its' entertainment value knows no bounds.
Waterford: Shaun O'Brien; Kieran Bennett, Conor Prunty, Iarlaith Daly; Mark Fitzgerald, Tadhg de Burca, Calum Lyons; Jamie Barron, Darragh Lyons; Neil Montgomery, Stephen Bennett, Jack Prendergast; Dessie Hutchinson, Michael Kiely, Kevin Mahony.
Scorers: Stephen Bennett (2-3, 1-0f); Dessie Hutchinson (0-6, 0-3f); Jack Prendergast (1-1); Calum Lyons (0-3); Patrick Curran (0-2); Darragh Lyons, Neil Montgomery, Jack Fagan, Kieran Bennett, Shane Bennett and Michael Kiely (0-1 each)
Subs: Jack Fagan for Conor Prunty (6); Shane Bennett for Kevin Mahony (50); Peter Hogan for Neil Montgomery (57); Patrick Curran for Stephen Bennett (64)
Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Cathal Barrett, Ronan Maher, Craig Morgan; Michael Breen, Bryan O'Mara, Conor Bowe; Noel McGrath, Eoghan Connolly; Alan Tynan, Gearoid O'Connor, Jason Forde; Jake Morris, Mark Kehoe, Darragh Stakelum.
Scorers: Gearoid O'Connor (0-4, 0-3f); Mark Kehoe (0-4); Sean Kenneally (1-1); Jason Forde (0-3, 0-2f); Jake Morris (0-3); Ronan Maher (0-2, 0-1f); Noel McGrath, Eoghan Connolly and Alan Tynan (0-2 each); Michael Breen, Darragh Stakelum, Patrick Maher and John McGrath (0-1 each)
Subs: Patrick Maher for Jason Forde (51); Willie Connors for Eoghan Connolly (54); John McGrath for Noel McGrath (56); Sean Kenneally for Darragh Stakelum (65); Dan McCormack for Bryan O'Mara (67)
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)
The Big Match coverage comes with thanks to George Corbett Skoda.
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