Steven O'Brien marked his return from injury with a first-half haul of 1-08 as Tipperary avenged last year’s defeat to Waterford with a three-point success.
The Premier captain has been dogged by hamstring and quad issues but showed class is permanent during a 50-minute run out in front of 1,017 spectators at Semple Stadium.
O’Brien bagged a fourth-minute goal, kicked three two-pointers (two from frees), a 45, and another from play to book a semi-final trip to Clare.
They led by 11 with nine minutes remaining but Alan Dunwoody’s goal and a couple of two-pointers made for a nervy finish.
Such is the churn in these counties, 19 of the 30 players who started in Waterford’s famous victory over Tipp last year were not involved here.
Only one scorer from either side remained.
Half of Tipp’s 26-man matchday panel had never featured in Championship before. They gave debuts to Shane Ryan, Jason Madigan, Ben Comerford, Michael Freaney, and Cian Smith, plus Jack O’Neill, Conor Fahey, Billy O’Connor, and Micheál Lowry off the bench.
Fresh out of U20, Smith and Freaney gave standout performances, returning 0-06 and 0-04 respectively.
Roanmore duo Brian Everard and Rory Furlong made their Championship bows for Waterford, with substitutes Colin Foley, Jamie Power, and Adam Crawford joining them.
The visitors started well with captain Conor Murray feeding James Power and Dunwoody for points.
But O’Brien showed the difference he would make with Tipp’s first three efforts. Mikey O’Shea took the turnover and found O’Brien, who cut inside to bury a low finish. He then slotted a two-point free off the turf and notched his first from play.
Some Murray opportunism forged a goal chance but Ryan diverted his shot around the post.
Jason Curry’s free-taking kept Waterford within range but Tipp pushed on with three in a row from Darragh Brennan, Freaney, and O’Brien’s 45. The latter score resulted from an O’Shea half-volley saved by Paudie Hunt.
Paudie Feehan made a goal line block to deny Dunwoody before the centre-back created back-to-back two-pointers. He was fouled for an O’Brien free before laying on a Freaney curler, padding out their half-time lead to eight; 1-13 to 0-08.
Like the first half, Waterford resumed with the first pair from Murray and Curry (free), which debutant Smith cancelled out with a brace.
Tipp threatened more goals but Darach Ó Cathasaigh blocked Kieran Costello, Hunt saved from Cathal Deely, and Conor Fahey blazed wide when through. They had to settle for three in a row from Freaney and Smith (0-02).
Even when Power launched a two-pointer, Tipp hit back with another trio from Darragh Brennan (0-02) and a Smith free.
Tipp’s lead was 11 but that inexperience began to show.
Dunwoody netted in the 63rd minute from Power’s floated delivery. Ryan was forced into action to deny Tholom Guiry. Liam Fennell tidied up for a point and when Murray and James Walsh landed consecutive two-pointers, it was a one-score game. Tipp turned it into keep ball for the remainder to see out the victory.
Key: tp - two-point score; tpf - two-point free; tpm - two-point mark
Tipperary: S Ryan; J Madigan, J Feehan, E Moloney; M Stokes, P Feehan (0-01), L Boland; M Russell, K Costello; B Comerford, M O’Shea, M Freaney (0-04, 1tp); C Smith (0-06, 2f), S O’Brien (1-08, 2tpf, 1tp, 1 45), D Brennan (0-03)
Subs: J Harney for Boland (14'), J O’Neill for Moloney (35+2, temp), C Deely for O’Brien (50'), C Fahey for O’Shea (54'), B O’Connor for Freaney (67'), M Lowry for P Feehan (70+1')
Waterford: P Hunt; Caoimhín Walsh, D Ó Cathasaigh, L Fennell (0-01); W Beresford, B Everard, D Ryan; T Guiry, R Furlong; C Murray (0-05, 1tp), James Power (0-03, 1tp), D Fitzgerald; M O’Brien, J Curry (0-06, 4f, 1 45), A Dunwoody (1-02).
Subs: C Foley for Caoimhín Walsh (HT), J Walsh (0-02, tp) for O’Brien (HT), D Guiry for Fitzgerald (41'), Jamie Power for Beresford (44'), A Crawford for Furlong (60')
Referee: F Kelly (Longford).
