Tipperary 4-23 Galway 1-14
All Ireland Champions Tipperary served a warning to all as Shane Bourke scored 3-4 to allow Tipperary give Division 1 rivals Galway a hammering at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.
John O'Brien (1-01) and Lar Corbett (0-04) ably assisted JK Brackens clubman Bourke in the Tipp forward line, where the movement and teamwork of the Premier County was a joy to behold.
Galway, who were chasing a win to qualify for the Division 1 final, were only 1-10 to 1-08 behind at half-time, with free-taker Ger Farragher helping to close the gap, but the red light was flashing as Tipperary had played into the wind in that opening period. Eoin Forde and O'Brien swapped first half goals, but Tipp took over in the second half with Bourke's hat-trick the obvious highlight. Declan Ryan's side were always in control in Salthill, demolishing Galway with a display of total hurling that left the near 5,200 crowd spellbound. Though Eoin Forde flicked home an opportunistic tenth-minute goal for Galway, Tipperary ruled the opening quarter and led by 0-07 to 1-02 after 18 minutes. Pa Bourke was sharp from frees, while the bustling Patrick Maher was causing Galway plenty of bother. Tipp netted their first goal in the 22nd minute when John O'Brien gathered a Pa Bourke sideline cut before rifling a blistering shot past Colm Callanan. Lar Corbett, who proved influential again in a roving commission, and Pa Bourke pointed to nudge Tipp 1-10 to 1-04 ahead, but Galway rallied in the last seven minutes of the first half.
Four points on the spin from Ger Farragher (0-02), Forde, and Adrian Cullinane narrowed the deficit to two at the break which flattered Galway. In the third quarter, Tipp destroyed the hosts by hitting 1-05 without reply in ten glorious minutes that demonstrated their abundant class, where their style of hurling oozed confidence and class. Shane Bourke and Corbett shot points, and a 39th-minute goal of the highest quality followed. Moving the sliotar ever so quickly, Shane Bourke finished a flowing move and Tipp were in full control. From there on, it was only a matter of how much Ryan's charges would win by as Galway were in deep distress. Shane Bourke added goals in the 57th and 64th minutes to decorate the success for a Tipperary outfit that still has an outside chance of reaching the Division 1 decider. Galway battled in the closing stages, but the damage had been done as Tipperary, who scored 4-20 from play, gave an exhibition hurling.
Galway now need to defeat Waterford in Walsh Park – an onerous task – if they are to qualify for their second National League Final in a row.
Scorers - G Farragher 0-05 (0-04f), E Forde 1-02, A Smith 0-02, A Cullinane, I Tannian, A Harte, J Coen, D Burke (0-01f) 0-01 each
Tipperary: S Bourke 3-04, J O'Brien 1-01, L Corbett, P Maher, P Bourke (0-01f, 0-01 '65') 0-04 each, S Carey 0-02 (0-01f), B Dunne, S McGrath, G Ryan, B O'Meara 0-01 each.
GALWAY: C Callanan; D Joyce, C O'Donovan, G O'Halloran; D Barry, T Og Regan, A Cullinane (0-1); D Burke (0-1fr), G Farragher (0-5, 4 frs); J Cooney, A Smith (0-2), C Donnellan; E Ryan, I Tannian (0-1), E Forde (1-2). Subs used: N Donoghue for O'Halloran (30 mins), A Harte (0-1) for Cooney (38), J Lee for Joyce (44), J Coen (0-1) for Farragher (46), David Hayes for Regan (60).
TIPPERARY: D Gleeson; J Coughlin, P Curran, M Cahill; D Young, Padraic Maher, J O'Keefe; G Ryan (0-1), S McGrath (0-1); B Dunne (0-1), Patrick Maher (0-4), P Bourke (0-4, 2 frs); S Bourke (3-4), J O'Brien (1-1), L Corbett (0-4). Subs used: B O'Meara (0-1) for O'Brien (46 mins), S Carey (0-2, 1 fr) for Dunne (53), J Woodlock for O'Keefe, M Gleeson for Ryan (both 62), J O'Neill for Corbett (66).
Referee: James Owens (Wexford).
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