By Mark Jones
DUBLIN — Tipperary moved clear at the top of Div. 1B as the National Hurling League resumed last Sunday. Tipp’s 5-15 to 2-15 victory over Waterford at Nenagh was flattering in the end as there was hardly a three-goal difference between the teams, but Waterford never looked like spoiling the home county’s 100 percent record to date.
Inspired by Paul Flynn, who contributed 1-9, including five from frees, Waterford were in contention, but the ease with which Tipp plundered goals by Brian O’Meara, who hit two, Eugene O’Neill, Liam Cahill and Lar Corbett meant there was only going to be one result.
"A couple of their goals were down to basic errors on our part," said the losing manager, Gerald McCarthy. "But at other stages we played well and there were a lot more positives than negatives overall."
McCarthy’s opposite number, Nicky English, must have been pleased by the sparkling form of Eamonn Corcoran, whose contribution included four glorious long-range frees, and with the championship fast approaching, there was John Leahy’s appearance as a substitute after 65 minutes.
Wexford 2-14, Cork 1-9
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Cork were also looking for a third success of the campaign in Enniscorthy, but Wexford upset the form guide with a thoroughly convincing display. Of perhaps more worry to Cork were the departures of Brian Corcoran with a broken wrist, and of Mike Morrissey with a broken ankle.
Anyone who had witnessed Wexford’s humiliation in February at the hands and hurls of Waterford could have hardly believed they were watching the same team. The winners had goals from Paul Codd and Paul Finn on the way to building up a six-point halftime lead and after the break, the attacking pressure was maintained by Darren Stamp, who gave Sean Og O hAilpin a hard time, Barry Goff, Colm Byrne and Codd.
"We had worked very hard to put up a good performance," said Wexford’s manager Tony Dempsey. "We’d an awful lot to prove going into the game and the players responded really well."
Derry 1-16, Laois 1-12
There weren’t too many positives down at the bottom of the division where Derry accounted for Laois at Dungiven. The Ulster county’s first victory of the campaign was entirely predicable following John O’Dwyer’s goal just before the changeover. O’Dwyer with 1-4, and Oliver Collins with seven points did most of the scoring, while Emmett McKeever was outstanding in defense. Laois only really threatened in the final minutes when Colm Clear scrambled a goal.
Galway 2-19, Limerick 2-12
In Division 1A, Galway stayed in contention for the knockout stages when they were comfortable winners over Limerick in Ballinasloe. Limerick’s preparations were hardly helped when center-back Brian Geary failed to travel after he had suffered serious facial cuts in an incident the night before the game. Geary was attacked by a gang of youths and later had 28 stitches.
Perhaps Geary’s absence had an effect on his teammates because following two early goals by James Butler and Barry Foley, Limerick never took the game to Galway during the second half. With Cathal Moore and David Tierney hitting form, the home team forged ahead. Tierney and Ollie Fahy scored goals, which left losing manager, Eamonn Cregan, with little to cheer about. "We were poor," he admitted. "We were kind of on a roll prior to the foot and mouth but the layoff has affected everybody. We’ve a lot of hurling still to do."
Clare 4-20, Dublin 2-13
Clare matched Galway’s six points at the top of the division when they hammered Dublin bat Parnell Park. Even if Dublin finished strongly, hitting 2-4 in the final 15 minutes, they were so far behind that it hardly mattered. After battling for the opening half hour, the home team collapsed and conceded three goals, to P.J. O’Connell, Barry Murphy and Tony Carmody, in a short spell before the interval. After that, there could be no revival.
"We had worked hard in attack and defense, and things were going grand," said manager Kevin Fennelly, "then it all went wrong and it was back to the old usual way of Dublin hurling."
Behind 3-6 to 0-5 at halftime, Dublin were unable to hold Clare, who piled on the pressure with Jamesie O’Connor, Alan Markham and Carmody in full flow. Once the advantage had ballooned to 19 points, the winners were able to ease off.
Offaly 1-17, Meath 1-12
Offaly kept in the playoff hunt with a solid success against Meath in Navan, but they had to battle hard to come through against stubborn opponents. Johnny Dooley’s nine-point haul was vital while Johnny Pilkington managed a goal in first-half injury time. A riposte by Kevin Dowd gave Meath some hope, but then scores by Dooley and Gary Hanniffy created a five-point margin again.
Kerry 3-23, Roscommon 0-7
The solitary game scheduled in Division Two enabled Kerry to steal a march on their rivals at the top of the table. The Kingdom’s crushing victory against Roscommon in Killarney gives them a three-point advantage over Wicklow and Kildare, who both have a game in hand.
Other games
There is still everything to play for in Div. 3, where Longford, Donegal, Fermanagh and Sligo are all bunched together on six points. Longford did their scoring average no harm with a facile 8-16 to 0-10 victory over Cavan, Donegal got the better of Monaghan by 2-16 to 0-8, Fermanagh were 3-20 to 0-6 winners against Mayo, and Sligo edged out Tyrone by 2-14 to 2-11.