In a match that had all the hallmarks of a one-sided affair before the first sliotar was even pucked, Tipperary thundered past Laois with the predictability of a summer shower in the west of Ireland. The Premier County lads put on a hurling masterclass at a soaked O’Moore Park yesterday, clinching their spot in the All-Ireland quarter-finals with a comprehensive 3-32 to 0-18 victory that was never in doubt.
Sure as eggs is eggs, the bookies had Tipp at 1/100 before throw-in, and they weren’t wrong, were they? The Premier men racked up a staggering 23-point win, making a mockery of the handicap in a display that had spectators reaching for their umbrellas not just because of the lashing rain, but to shield their eyes from the brilliance on show.
“We came here with a job to do, and we did it,” said Tipp manager Liam Cahill, who’s keener than mustard to see his charges progress. “The lads hit the ground runnin’ and never looked back. You can’t ask for more than that, can ya?”
Punters Take a Battering as Tipp Run Riot
The bookies down in Paddy Power and Leonbet were laughin’ all the way to the bank with this one. Any brave soul who laid down their hard-earned euro on Laois with the +20 point handicap would’ve been sobbin’ into their pint glass come the final whistle. The shrewd money was on Forde for first goalscorer at 4/1, but few would’ve predicted his brace.
“I had a cheeky tenner on Tipp to win by 25 or more at 3/1,” chuckled one delighted punter outside the ground, clutching his docket like it was made of gold. “The wife thinks I’m mad, but who’ll be laughin’ when I come home with an extra thirty quid, eh?”
The odds on Tipperary for All-Ireland glory have shortened from 8/1 to 6/1 after this display, though the Dublin lads still remain firm favourites at 5/4 with most turf accountants across the country.
Early Dominance Sets the Tone
From the get-go, Tipp meant business. They bolted out of the traps like greyhounds after a hare, posting 1-05 without reply in the first four minutes. Jason Forde, who ended the day with a magnificent 2-03 to his name, was in flying form, while Willie Connors gave a midfield masterclass that’d make you sit up and take notice, notching five points with the ease of a man buttering his morning toast.
Laois, still nursing the wounds of their Joe McDonagh Cup final defeat to Kildare only six days previous, employed a sweeper system with Fiachra C-Fennell, Donnchadh Hartnett and Ryan Mullaney all taking turns. It helped stem the blue and gold tide somewhat, but sure it was like trying to stop a flood with a kitchen sponge.
Brave Laois Battle Against the Odds
“We knew what was comin’,” admitted Laois manager Willie Maher. “Tipp are a savage outfit. Our lads didn’t lie down, though, and that’s all I can asked of them after a tough few weeks.”
The O’Moore men found their footing briefly midway through the first half, with Paddy Purcell getting them off the mark with two well-taken points. Tomas Keyes emerged as their standout performer, contributing 0-09 over the course of the game, with seven of those coming from placed balls. But for all their occasional moments of quality, Laois couldn’t land a significant blow.
Cathal Dunne in the Laois goal deserves a medal for bravery. He made a string of fine saves, denying Tipperary what could have been an even more embarrassing scoreline. But even he couldn’t prevent the second-half onslaught when it came.
Second-Half Blitz Seals the Deal
After Purcell briefly gave Laois hope with the first score after the interval, Tipp responded with hammer and tongs. Sam O’Farrell found the net with a clinical finish, and before you could say “holy smokes”, Jason Forde had added another, effectively ending the contest as a spectacle with over half an hour still to play.
The heavens opened even more ferociously in the second half, matching the intensity of Tipperary’s play. They did hit the woodwork twice through John McGrath and Peter McGarry, or else the damage could of been even worse for the home side.
“The conditions were desperate, but we didn’t let it effect us,” said Jason Forde afterwards, water dripping from his helmet. “We’ve trained in worse in Thurles many’s the day. It’s grand preparation for what’s to come.”
Galway Showdown Looms Large
And what’s to come is a mouth-watering quarter-final clash against Galway, who’ll provide a significantly sterner test than what Laois managed here. The Tribesmen will have watched this match with interest, noting Tipp’s ruthless efficiency while also recognising that they won’t get things all their own way when the teams meet.
The history between these two counties adds spice to the upcoming encounter. They’ve met frequently in recent years with honours fairly even. Who could forget their epic 2023 semi-final when Galway pipped Tipp by a single point after extra time in what many hurling aficionados described as “the greatest game since the invention of sliotars”?
Premier Form Finding Perfect Timing
Tipperary’s form this season has been patchier than a quilting convention. They’ve mixed sublime performances with head-scratching displays of inconsistency. Their Jekyll and Hyde nature has supporters reaching for the poitín one match and the champagne the next. But on yesterday’s evidence, they’ve found their rhythm at precisely the right time.
Darragh McCarthy contributed 0-09, showcasing deadly accuracy from placed balls, while John McGrath chipped in with 0-03 in a performance that suggested he’s returning to his best form after an injury-plagued start to the season.
Laois Look to the Future
For Laois, it’s back to the drawing board. Their campaign ends here, but they’ll take some positives from a battling display against one of hurling’s aristocrats. Tomas Keyes showed he can mix it with the best, while Paddy Purcell’s four points from play demonstrated his class in difficult circumstances.
“We’ll dust ourselves down and go again next year,” said Laois captain Lee Cleere, sporting a shiner under his left eye that’d make a boxer wince. “That’s hurling, isn’t it? Some days you’re the hammer, some days you’re the nail. Today we were definitely the nail, but we didn’t break.”
Championship Heats Up
As the fans filed out of O’Moore Park, drenched to the skin but having witnessed a hurling masterclass, the talk was already of the Galway clash to come. Can Tipp maintain this level? Will Galway’s extra rest period prove decisive? These questions and more will be answered when these hurling heavyweights collide.
One thing’s for certain – if Tipperary bring this form to the quarter-final, they’ll give Galway plenty to think about. And in this most unpredictable of championships, where form can appear and disappear quicker than a pint of Guinness on a Friday evening, absolutely nothing is certain.
Liam Cahill’s men have thrown down the gauntlet. The hurling championship just got a lot more interesting. As they say in Tipp, “Tiobraid Árann abú!” The Premier County marches on, and they’ll fear no one after this display.
Match Details
Teams:
Laois: Cathal Dunne; Cody Comerford, Lee Cleere, Donnchadh Hartnett (0-01); Ryan Mullaney, Podge Delaney (0-01), Jordan Walshe (0-01); Fiachra C-Fennell, David Dooley; Aidan Corby, Tomas Keyes (0-09, 7f), Paddy Purcell (0-04); Mark Dowling, Ben Conroy, James Keyes (0-01).
Subs: Tom Cuddy for Delaney (35, inj), John Lennon for Corby (49), Aaron Dunphy (0-01) for Dowling (51), Padraic Dunne for Mullaney (57), Martin Phelan for Walshe (64)
Tipperary: Rhys Shelly; Robert Doyle (0-01), Bryan O’Mara, Michael Breen; Craig Morgan, Ronan Maher, Joe Caeser (0-01); Willie Connors (0-05), Séamus Kennedy; Alan Tynan (0-01), Andrew Ormond (0-03), Sam O’Farrell (1-01); Darragh McCarthy (0-09, 6f, 1 ’65), John McGrath (0-03), Jason Forde (2-04, 2f).
Subs: Johnny Ryan for Doyle (ht), Oisin O’Donoghue (0-01) for Ormond and Peter McGarry (0-01) for Maher (both 47), Brian McGrath for Morgan (55), Joe Fogarty (0-01) for McCarthy
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