Tipperary 1-9 Meath 0-10:A BARRY Grogan penalty goal in the 54th minute sent Tipperary on their way to a surprise win in a thrilling tie at Semple Stadium, Thurles yesterday.

This deserved win eases Tipperary’s relegation worries. They dominated play for extensive periods but could never shake off a gritty Meath side whose promotion prospects are now all but gone.

Meath were left to rue two great goal chances missed in the first half. In the eighth minute, Tipperary goalkeeper Paul Fitzgerald produced a top-class save to deny Joe Sheridan. Eight minutes from the break, Ciarán McDonald came to Tipp’s rescue with a timely block to foil Stephen Bray.

These escapes allowed Tipperary forge ahead by 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval after playing with the breeze in the first half.

Meath had three points to Tipperary’s one in the third quarter. Trailing by a point, and with the breeze in their favour, they looked poised to push on for victory.

Tipperary got a vital break in the 54th minute when Peter Acheson was fouled in the Meath square. Grogan blasted the crucial spot-kick to the net.

Brian Coen added a Tipperary point for a five-point lead but Meath came back strongly. Peader Byrne, Shane O’Rourke, and Cian Ward hit three points in five minutes but Tipperary hung on for their first win in the competition.

TIPPERARY:P Fitzgerald; C McDonald, N Curran, P Codd; C Aylward, R Costigan, C McGrath; G Hannigan, S Grogan; P Acheson, P Austin (0-2), B Mulvihill; C Sweeney (0-1), B Coen (0-1), B Grogan (1-5); Subs: S Hahessy for Sweeney; J Cagney for Mulvihill; A Rockett for S Grogan; C Carey for Austin; R O Dwyer for Coen.

MEATH:P O'Rourke; N McKeigue, E Harrington, C O Connor; S Kenny, M Bourke, A Moyles; N Crawford, M Ward; S McAnarney (0-1), C Ward (0-5), J Queeney; D Bray, J Sheridan, S Bray (0-1); Subs: O Lewis for Sheridan; S O Rourke (0-2) for Queeney; P Byrne (0-1) for McAnarney; N Mooney for D Bray.

Referee:T Lynch (Kerry).