Seamus hits a hat trick in Tipp cruise
SEAMUS Callanan took Dublin for 3-11 as All-ireland champions Tipperary marched into the quarter-finals.
In what looks certain to be Ger Cunningham’s last game in charge, the Sky Blues were battered by 22 points in Thurles.
Dublin were aggrieved at having to travel to Semple Stadium and left with their tails between their legs after copping a massive hiding.
Callanan was excellent but he was aided and abetted by John O’dwyer – who squared unselfishly for his colleague’s hat-trick goal in the final minute.
Tipp looked vulnerable defensively at times in the first half, particularly in the full-back line, but still led by 4-11 to 1-10 break.
By half-time, Callanan and John Mcgrath had helped themselves to a brace of goals each, but much of that was down to bad defending.
Callanan looked particularly sharp early on and with less than eight minutes on the clock, he had posted 1-3, including 1-2 from play.
But Dublin were level by the 15th minute, Cian O’sullivan netting to tie it up at 1-4 apiece.
Dublin were undone by awful defending after that as Mcgrath notched his first goal in the 19th minute after Paudie Maher’s long delivery wasn’t dealt with.
Three minutes later, Shane Barrett was turned over by Callanan, who picked out Mcgrath for a wonderful, lobbed finish.
Patrick Maher then made inroads before picking out Callanan, who squeezed a ground-stroke home from a tight angle.
The game was done and dusted but Tipp pushed on – hitting an unanswered 1-7 to kick-start the second half.
Mikey Breen had the ball in Dublin’s net 19 seconds after the restart and in the final minute, O’dwyer set up Callanan.