February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Tipperary 3-13
Offaly 3-12
Offaly gave Tipperary all they could handle before that coach turned back into a pumpkin, but in the end the defending champions took advantage of a poor clearance by the Offaly defense to get back into the final.
The decisive sequence of the match began in a bizarre manner when the sliothar became stuck in Offaly defender Mike Dolan?s jersey. Somehow the ball rolled up into ?Hammer?s? Azzuri No. 5 and he couldn?t dislodge it. Referee Jo Jo Sullivan elected to throw the ball in, starting the play that ended with John Carroll?s pressure point.
Tipperary were solid favorites coming in but they could never impose their will on this match against a stubborn Offaly team. A good-sized crowd occupied the sun-dappled bleachers at Gaelic Park for this opening match between these neighboring counties.
Offaly were first on the board with a Paul Carroll point after just 90 seconds of play, but Tipperary were quick to reply. Trevor Fletcher pointed a free for the Premier County and John Carroll notched a second point for Tipp, interrupted by a second Paul Carroll point for Offaly.
Offaly got a great goal with 5 minutes gone from yet another Carroll, Brian. The Offaly wing forward got on the end of a long clearance from Seamus Spain before turning and racing at the Tipperary goal, firing a rasper to the back of the net.
The first-half hurling was top notch with little to choose from between the sides. Tipperary looked to bury their less fancied opponents with back-to-back goals from as John Carroll. Carroll followed Robbie Ryan?s blast after Offaly keeper Alan Gleason robbed Ryan. Gleason could do nothing about Carroll?s rebounded blast and Tipperary led 1-6 to 1-4.
Just moments later the Offaly defense was inexplicably caught napping when a quick Tipperary free left Carroll all alone to rocket his second goal.
Offaly could have folded its tent, but that was not to be. When Damien Culleton pounced on a rebounded Paul Carroll shot and with 23 minutes gone, the challengers were right back in it.
Culleton added a second Faithful goal and Paul Carroll?s free closed out the half with Offaly surprisingly ahead by 3-6 to 2-8. Play tightened in the second half with neither side able to separate from the other.
The umpire?s calls were coming into question with Tipperary enraged about one particular wide call. Offaly had a point overruled in the first half at the same end when the referee waved off the umpire?s white flag.
Tipperary got the only goal of the second half when Robbie Ryan calmly put away a breakaway chance. Tipperary built their lead to 3-12 to 3-9 with 7 minutes to play.
With time ticking down, Tipperary appeared to have snuffed out Offaly?s challenge. But Ollie Murphy?s men refused to yield. Sean Nolan was carried off injured, but Offaly held their nerve as Paul Carroll pointed twice.
Spain placed Brian Carroll perfectly and Carroll?s point equalized with 4 minutes to play. Overtime looked likely, but then the ball got lost in Hammer?s jersey and John Carroll sent Tipperary back into the final.
Man of the Match: John Carroll
Tipperary: Jim Lyons, Liam England, Eamon Corcoran, Alan Slattery (0-1), Owen Cummins, Sean Quirke, John Treacy, John Madden (0-1), Trevor Fletcher (0-6, 5 frees), John Byrne (0-3), Gary Quinlan, John Carroll (2-2), Robbie Ryan (1-0). Subs: Kevin Kennedy, Philip Bennett, Rory O?Connell.
Offaly: Alan Gleason, Michael Dolan, Seamus Spain, Brian Delaney, Enda Condren, John Hanlon, Sean Nolan, Niall Marshall, Kieran Brennan, Adrian Guinan, Brian Carroll (1-2), Damien Culleton (2-0), Paul Carroll (0-10, 5 frees). Subs: Adrian Hayes, Eddie Flynn.