Patience the key as Tipperary see off dogged Déise in tactical Munster hurling decider

Waterford players, from left, Michael Walsh, Eddie Barrett and Colin Dunford in action against Tipperary's Kieran Bergin and James Woodlock, right

Jackie Cahill

A 41st Munster senior hurling title was chiselled from patience at Semple Stadium yesterday.

That was the verdict from Tipp boss Eamon O'Shea as the Premier County saw off a dogged Waterford by five points in front of 43,084 spectators in Thurles. In contrast to their flashy semi-final showing against Limerick, Tipp dug deep to put themselves in an All-Ireland semi-final on August 16.

Waterford will regroup for July 26 and a quarter-final clash with the Dubs, still very much in the shake-up for September glory despite a first defeat in League and championship this year.

It was a day when Seamus Callanan and John 'Bubbles' O'Dwyer notched 0-11 for Tipp but Callanan was scoreless from play in a tense, tactical battle.

Tipp led by 0-10 to 0-9 at half-time and had the second half wherewithal to get the job done, presenting manager O'Shea with his first piece of silverware at the helm, and in his final season in charge before handing over the reins to Michael Ryan.

O'Shea reflected: "Patience is a good way of putting it. Sometimes the expectation is you should go out and score a goal, but high-level sport doesn't work like that.

LESSON

"We've been trying to learn that lesson," added the Premier County manager

"We are still trying to learn those lessons. I'm happy; we won, but I wouldn't be anything else. I'd say, look, we'll see what happens now.

"There's a lot of water to go under the bridge over the next five weeks."

Waterford boss McGrath warned of the challenge facing his charges against Dublin in the last six.

He revealed: "Look, we played Dublin a challenge match in Nowlan Park last Thursday week and they ran through us like we weren't even there. They'll fancy playing us, coming on the back of a defeat."

matchfile

Scorers - Tipperary: S Callanan 0-6 (4f, 2 65s), J O'Dwyer 0-5 (2f), N O'Meara 0-3, J Forde, Patrick Maher 0-2 each, M Breen, L Corbett & S Bourke 0-1 each. Waterford: M Shanahan 0-8 (3f, 2 65s), S Fives, K Moran (1f), K Moran 0-2 each, C Dunford, P Curran 0-1 each.

TIPPERARY: D Gleeson; C Barrett, J Barry, M Breen; R Maher, Pádraic Maher, K Bergin; J Woodlock, S McGrath; J Forde, B Maher, Patrick Maher; J O'Dwyer, S Callanan, N O'Meara. Subs: L Corbett for Breen (ht), S Bourke for Forde (67), C O'Brien for McGrath (70).

WATERFORD: S O'Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors; T de Búrca, A Gleeson, P Mahony; J Barron, E Barrett; J Dillon, Stephen Bennett, K Moran; M Walsh, M Shanahan, C Dunford. Subs: Shane Bennett for E Barrett (44), T Devine for Stephen Bennett (44), P Curran for Dunford (62), D Fives for Dillon (67).

Ref: J Owens (Wexford).

man of match: John Dwyer (Tipperary).

munster shc final: tipperary 0-21 waterford 0-16

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