Darragh Stakelum's 64th-minute goal carried Tipperary to their 50th National League victory over Galway after a rain-soaked battle in front of 7,762 fans at FBD Semple Stadium.
Captain Jake Morris kept the hosts in the contest for long spells, finishing with 0-08 (five from play), before laying on the winning goal.
The sides were level 11 times before that Stakelum strike. Galway will regret their 14 wides in their fourth consecutive loss to the Premier. Liam Cahill went strong by naming 10 of last year’s All-Ireland-winning team.
Among the newcomers, there was a senior debut for corner-back Cathal O’Reilly, who captained the Tipp minors to national glory in 2024, and a first league involvement for corner-forward Jack Leamy. Micheál Donoghue backed his U20 stars to deliver with Aaron Niland and Jason Rabbitte making their league debuts together in the full-forward line.
Darragh Neary also got the nod in a youthful attack.Daithí Burke wore number 3, but lined out at centre-back, with Cillian Trayers heading back to the edge of the square. Both sides lost a defender to injury in the opening half.
New Galway captain Darren Morrissey limped off early before All-Star Robert Doyle departed approaching the break.After granting a guard of honour to the All-Ireland champions, Galway got off more shots in the first half but reached half-time level at 0-09 apiece.
Their total was mined entirely from play and spread out across six different scorers. Tipp had just three players on the scoresheet by then. Darragh McCarthy recovered from a couple of early missed frees to find his range for 0-05.
The sides weren’t separated by more than one point until the 25th minute. Half-forwards Rory Burke, who finished with 1-03, and John Fleming both clipped early braces for the visitors. Morris and Sam O’Farrell matched their contributions.
The impressive Pádraic Mannion had his hands full with Morris, but found time to march forward for two points of his own to open a 0-08 to 0-06 lead.Once Galway began to target their full-forward, Rabbitte caused trouble and forced a change of markers.
Having pointed with his first effort, he classily kicked the sliotar into his hand to send Niland through on goal. However, fellow debutant O’Reilly tracked him all the way and, as Niland wound up to shoot, showed incredible timing to flick the sliotar away. Two McCarthy frees left them deadlocked at half-time.
A gorgeous O’Farrell pick up released Andrew Ormond for the lead point. They followed up with a McCarthy free and Morris punishing an intercepted short puck-out. Galway leapt ahead by the 40th minute. Rabbitte pointed from an acute angle before exploiting an advantage to feed Rory Burke, who squeezed his low shot inside the far post for a 1-10 to 0-12 lead.
Fleming’s third point pushed them two ahead.Morris had been pushed into corner-forward and kept Tipp on their coattails with a point and a free won and converted by himself. They were still level when Ormond and Morris combined to release Stakelum to rattle the net for a 1-17 to 1-14 lead.
They saw it out from there with three points from Morris and one by Séamus Kennedy.Tipp head up the road to Offaly next Sunday, while Galway’s tough start to the league continues by welcoming titleholders Cork to Pearse Stadium on Saturday.
Tipperary: R Shelly; M Breen, R Doyle, C O’Reilly; J Caesar, B O’Mara, S Kennedy (0-01); W Connors, C Stakelum (0-01); S O’Farrell (0-02), A Ormond (0-02), J Morris (0-08, 3f); D McCarthy (0-07, 6f), O O’Donoghue, J Leamy.
Subs: J Ryan for Doyle (26, inj), D Stakelum (1-00) for Leamy (h-t), J Keller for Caesar (40), P McCormack for McCarthy (53), S Tobin for O’Donoghue (69).
Galway: D Fahy; J Ryan, C Trayers, D Morrissey; P Mannion (0-02), D Burke, D Loftus; G Lee (0-01), T Monaghan; D Neary (0-02), R Burke (1-03), J Fleming (0-03); A Niland (0-02, 2f), J Rabbitte (0-02), D McLaughlin.
Subs: R Glennon for Morrissey (4, inj), C Mannion for Monaghan (42), C Molloy (0-01) for McLaughlin (53), P Mac Cárthaigh for Neary (66), S Linnane for Lee (66).
Referee: S Stack (Dublin).
