Defending champions Waterford were dethroned as Tipperary muscled their way into the NHL Division 1 semi-finals this afternoon.
At a chilly Nowlan Park, the Deise failed to match their Munster rivals who had Eoin Kelly (0-10) in top-scoring form.
Dave Bennett hit most of Waterford's scores in Eoin Kelly's absence, but Tipp gained a 1-08 to 0-07 interval advantage courtesy of a Seamus Butler goal.
Bennett kept plugging away and Waterford introduced Stephen Molumphy, yet Tipp were too strong with Shane McGrath and Eamonn Corcoran particularly effective.
Unbeaten in their five group games, Tipperary had the momentum coming into this clash but the arctic conditions, which produced snow at the start, added a degree of unpredictability.
In what was a bruising encounter at times, Bennett opened the scoring with a first-minute free.
Tipp's response was a stylish long range free from Conor O'Mahony in the fifth-minute. The opening half was particularly tight with the sides going point for point for the most part.
Playing into the breeze, Waterford did break into a 0-03 to 0-02 lead but Tipp's Butler managed to level, pointing off his left after a purposeful 11th-minute run.
An excellent sideline ball from Corcoran sailed through the uprights from far out on the right, showing the range of skills at the disposal of the JK Brackens clubman.
Premier county star Kelly hit his side's next three points with Bennett offering himself as Waterford's only consistent scorer.
Dan Shanahan and John Mullane were subdued for long periods of this game but even still, considering the strength of the wind, Tipp's interval lead of four points did not seem enough.
They got their goal in the 32nd-minute when wing forward Butler picked up the ball inside the forty, his pace allowed him to slice open the Waterford defence and shortening his grip, the Drom and Inch clubman smashed a fine shot beyond Clinton Hennessy's reach.
Points from Eoin and Ken McGrath and Bennett cut the deficit for Justin McCarthy's men to 1-10 to 0-10.
McCarthy brought Molumphy in for Shane O'Sullivan in the 49th-minute and the Deise had a mini-revival as successive points from Bennett, who took his tally to eight, got it back to 1-11 to 0-13.
At this stage, Ken McGrath and Tony Browne were starring on the forty and around centre-field, letting little get past them.
But as the half wore on, the Tipp backs were dominant. Lar Corbett and Kelly increased the victors' tally and they almost nabbed a clinching goal - Micheal Webster flicked wide after connecting with a ball in from Ryan O'Dwyer.
Kelly flung an injury-time free through the uprights to complete an encouraging win for Tipp, who will take on All-Ireland champions Kilkenny next weekend.
Meanwhile, county champions Loughmore-Castleiney have decided to nominate Paul Ormond for the position of captaincy for the Tipperary senior hurling team for 2008.
In the event of Ormond not making the team, the most senior member of the Loughmore-Castleiney panel, based on length of service to the county, who secures a place in the Tipp team will take the armband.
In the event of no Loughmore-Castleiney player making the Tipperary team for the forthcoming championship, the Tipperary County Board, having consulted with the team management and Loughmore-Castleiney, have nominated Eoin Kelly, today's ten-point hero, as the county's vice-captain for this year.
