With star forward John O'Dwyer ruled out of action with a broken jaw, and a number of other players recovering from injuries after a rigorous Munster campaign, Tipperary Manager Mark O'Leary stated in a pre-match interview that a "massive effort" would be required of Tipp in order to secure a semi-final spot against Kilkenny on August 9th.

Prophetic words indeed, from the Kilruane MacDonagh's man as the Slaneysiders, determined to silence those who predicted a comfortable win for the Munster finalists, gave a most impressive performance that belied their eleven point defeat at the hands of Kilkenny in the provincial decider.

Indeed, they will rue for many a long day their failure to avail of a couple of goal chances that might well have propelled them to a majestic victory over their fancied rivals, and they can well argue that their performance was, at least, worthy of a draw. After Tipp's top scorer Eanna Murray stroked over what turned out to the winning point from a free with four minutes to go in the last ten minute period of extra time, both sides missed chances.

Amid almost unbearable excitement and tension, the last big opportunity of the equaliser fell to half-back James Gordon two minutes into injury time, after he received a pass from substitute Aaron Kenny, but to his utter dismay the Shelmaliers youngster, who had played a fine game, saw his shot from about forty metres steer wide of the target.

The final whistle seconds after Paul Ryan's puckout was greeted with a curious mixture of joy and relief by the winners, and the losers were absolutely numb with disappointment. Such is the vicissitudes of sport, however, and, due credit to Tipp for sticking to their guns in a tight game that could well have gone against them after they had been reduced to fourteen men in 36th minute, following the dismissal of corner-forward Michael O'Brien on a second yellow card. None of the incidents that earned the classy Clonmel Og player yellow cards were of a serious nature, but, he was unfortunate to fall foul of the current GAA rules as they stand.


A man down, Tipp had it all to do against a very strong Wexford defence, but, they never flinched and came from behind in normal time to secure a draw, centre-back Brian Stapleton who gave a star performance firing over a dramatic long-range equaliser a minute into 'stoppage time.' He had picked up a pass from Alan Hogan who also had an excellent game in a midfield cum half-back role.
Tipp may have been fancied to clear this hurdle, but, it was never going to be an easy game for them. Having lost the Munster final to a better Waterford side, they had a lot to prove.

And while they are still struggling to recover the impressive form that saw them overcome Cork after two games (the first ended level after extra time) and a repeat of Saturday's form would scarcely be good enough to beat Kilkenny, the fact remains that they won and achieved victory the hard way, and, the game is now out of their system. In fairness to the players it has been a pretty arduous championship campaign for them so far, having played extra time in two matches, and with players busy in a number of grades with their clubs, as well as the county team, they will welcome the two week break to the Kilkenny game.


A few injuries require healing time. With the Leinster champions installed as favourites, the burden of expectation will not weigh as heavily on Tipp's shoulders going into Croke Park against Kilkenny, and that should help them in their approach to the game.


On a dry sunny afternoon in O'Moore Park, Saturday's game took on a ding-dong pattern from an early stage, and it became obvious that it was going to be very difficult to separate two pretty evenly-matched sides. The hurling was always intense, and it is in no small way a tribute to the alertness of both goalies, Paul Ryan (Tipp) and Mark Fanning (Wexford), and their respective lines of defence, that the game did not produce a goal. However, thirty nine scores in the game is nothing to be sneezed at, and scores from play were hard-earned on both sides.

The strong wind did not have a huge bearing on a game that saw the sides level on no fewer than twelve times. Wexford had the wind at their backs in the first half, but were not flattered to lead by a point at the interval (0-7 to 0-6). Eanna Murray had converted two frees inside six minutes, before Brian Doyle got Wexford out of the blocks.


The sides were level three times in the opening seventeen minutes, before Wexford hit the front again, and managed to hold the slight edge all the way to the interval. Both sets of defences were defiant in their approach.

For the Leinster side Matthew O'Hanlon excelled at full-back, particularly under the high ball, and Willie Devereux also impressed on the right flank. Willie Ryan came to Tipp's rescue twice with crucial interceptions as the Wexford forwards thundered through for goal, and Brian Stapleton and Denis Maher were highly impressive. The inside line of Stephen Maher, Liam Butler, and John Meagher provided considerable resistance to a busy Wexford forward line in which Liam Og McGovern, Diarmuid O'Keeffe, and Gary Moore, were dangerous. Tipp would have taken a two point lead had Mark Fanning not come to Wexford's rescue in 23rd minute to deprive Ruairi Gleeson on a goal attempt, after the Kildangan player had linked up in a lovely movement with Thomas Butler. Wexford had their chances too. In fact, they came close to scoring a goal on 30th minute, Paraic Farrell failed to properly connect with a breaking ball, and impressive Alan Hogan cleared the ball downfield for Mullinahone's Sean Curran to score a point.

Expectations that Tipp would take over with the assistance of the wind on the turnover did not materialise. The contest continued in a tit for tat fashion. Diarmuid O'Keeffe set the trend with a lovely score from a line ball, and excellent Denis Maher hit a magnificent point for Tipp, after midfielder Adrian Cleere who worked hard in the first half, smartly cut a line ball back to him.

Despite the loss through injury of Willie Devereux in 34th minute Wexford remained well on course, while at the same time Tipp stuck to their guns after the dismissal of O'Brien two minutes later. Ruairi Gleeson had them back on level terms by 39th minute, and Alan Hogan shot them a point in front a minute later (0-11 to 0-10). Paul Ryan came to their rescue in 42nd minute when he made a brilliant save from Paraic Farrell, and the sides were level three more times, hard-working substitue David Butler unable to get a proper drive behind his shot at goal in 52nd minute. Paul Ryan again denied Wexford a goal chance that would have sent them on their way to victory when he stopped a shot from Gary Moore in 30th minute. Tipp recovered in the nick of time, the industrious Eanna Murray with a point from a free, and the equaliser from Brian Stapleton to bring the game to extra time.


Tipp had their full complement of players for extra time, Ruairi Gleeson re-introduced in a changed attack. Eanna Murray singlehandedly brought the side back on level terms at the halfway stage with three points on the trot, one from play. John Meagher and substitute Andrew Ryan were prominent in defence as Tipp surged towards the finishing post in the last ten minute period, and substitutes Jason Forde and Padraig Heffernan featured prominently up front.


Adrian Cleere hit a crucially important point to level proceedings, and Tipp drew inspiration from the score, leading to Murray converting the all-important point in 78th minute. Tipp should have pulled out of the danger zone, but, they squandered chances (they registered thirteen wides in the opening sixty minutes play), and were lucky to hold on to their precious advantage. Eanna Murray's contribution to the victory was immense, he shot 0-9 (0-5 frees, 0-1 '65, 0-3 play), while Denis Maher, Sean Curran, and Thomas Butler hit 0-2 each from play. Full-back Liam Butler was a tower of strength making several clearances in the closing stages of extra time, and all the substitutes introduced played their part.


Poor consolation perhaps, but Wexford can hold their heads high after a performance that seemed good enough to take them to victory. Even the most partisan Tipp supporter would have to spare a thought for them in their moments of anguish at the final whistle. Diarmuid O'Keeffe hit four great points from play, while Gary Moore was deadly accurate from frees. Substitutes Aaron Kenny and Jack Hobbs took lovely scores.
Tipperary- P Ryan (Upperchurch-Drombane); S Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), L Butler (Moyne-Templetuohy), J Meagher (Loughmore-Castleiney); W Ryan (Clonakenny), B Stapleton (Templederry Kenyons) 0-1, A Hogan (Shannon Rovers) 0-1; D Maher (Thurles Sarsfields) 0-2, A Cleere (Ballingarry) 0-1; R Gleeson (Kildangan) 0-1, S Curran (Mullinahone) 0-2, E Murray (Templederry Kenyons) 0-9; D Collins (Drom-Inch), T Butler (Clonoulty-Rossmore) 0-2, M O'Brien (Clonmel Og) 0-1. Subs- D Butler (Clonoulty-Rossmore) for Collins (37th minute), J Forde (Silvermines) for Cleere (42nd minute), J Condon (Lattin-Cullen) for T Butler (53rd minute), P Heffernan (Clonoulty-Rossmore) for Gleeson (59th minute), Gleeson re-introduced (start of extra time), A Ryan (Toomevara) for S Maher (63rd minute), Cleere for Gleeson (HT of ET).

Wexford- M Fanning; W Devereux, M O'Hanlon, A Nolan; B Barron (0-1), C Goff (0-1), B O'Gorman; J Gordon, B Doyle (0-1); D O'Keeffe (0-5), M O'Regan, L Og McGovern (0-2); G Moore (0-6), P Farrell, E Whitmore. Subs- C Clinch for Devereux (injured, 33rd minute), C Doyle for Whitmore (50th minute), A Kenny (0-2) for Farrell (54th minute), J Hobbs (0-1) for O'Regan (61st minute), I Byrne for O'Keeffe (75th minute), Farrell for Moore (80th minute).
Referee-A Kelly (Galway).