A strong second half display saw Brendan Cummins' Tipperary overcome Ken McGrath's Waterford at a sunny Fraher Field on Friday evening (1-21 to 0-15).
A slick and speedy Premier side outscored the Déise by fourteen points to five after the break. All six forwards and both midfielders worked the umpires. Oisin O'Donoghue spearheaded the attack with 1-3 from play including a fourth minute green flag. Darragh McCarthy (0-7), Conor Martin (0-3) and Senan Butler (0-3) also shone for the visitors.
Waterford couldn't call on senior panellist Patrick Fitzgerald, two days out from the Munster opener against Cork. Players are allowed to play at both levels if the games are 60 hours apart. McGrath's charges finished the contest with ten wides. Cillian Ryan and Michael Morrissey were best for the hosts who suffered their second defeat of the provincial campaign.
It started so well for the Déise as corner back Ryan landed a long range point and Charlie Treen slotted a freeIn the fourth minute, Senan Butler crossed for Oisin O'Donoghue and he fired to the Waterford net. Tipp hit their opponents for 1-3 in a two minute blitz as Adam Daly, Darragh McCarthy and Sam O'Farrell tacked on points.
In an end to end first quarter, white flags from Treen and Michael Morrissey reduced the deficit to three. Two Waterford errors were punished by McCarthy and Oisin O'Donoghue to make it 1-6 to 0-4 before O'Farrell fired a shot across the face of goal. Tipp corner back Jack Quinlan was stretchered off after a three minute delay.
Waterford clawed back that five point deficit in the second quarter. They bossed the middle third, drove at the Premier defence and drew frees. Marc O Mathuna took over the dead ball duties, after Treen went off with a blood injury, and the man from Junior B outfit An Sean Phobal nailed five points (three frees, one 65 and one from play) as Ken McGrath's charges went in on level terms (1-7 to 0-10). The hosts should have been in front as they hit six wides.
Tipp launched the first attack of the second half and it nearly yielded a goal as Scott Ryan saved from Senan Butler. Darragh McCarthy dispatched the subsequent 65. Conor Martin got his first point of the evening before a misplaced pass by Déise defender Conor Keane allowed Cathal English split the posts (1-10 to 0-10). The leaders squandered three point chances in a row before Senan Butler stretched the gap to four. A McCarthy sideline set up Oisin O'Donoghue as Tipp ended the third quarter six clear.
Waterford's short game broke down throughout the second period and it took sixteen minutes to move the scoreboard via another O Mathuna free. McGrath's charges completed the hour with ten wides. At the other end, Scott Ryan saved from Butler but Martin was close by to send over his third single (1-16 to 0-11).
Despite the best efforts of corner back Cillian Ryan and full forward Michael Morrissey, the Premier pulled away in the last quarter. Butler, McCarthy, Cathal English, Eoin Craddock and O'Donoghue moved them eleven points up. Morrissey and Conor Keane got consolation points.
