Limerick 0-26
Tipperary 3-16
THE SCOREBOARD HINTED at a tight and tense clash that was decided by a narrow margin on a perishingly cold Saturday night in Cork.
The truth was this game boiled down to another expression of Limerick’s second-half superiority. Jason Forde, Patrick Bonner Maher and Jake Morris all buried shots to the net for Tipperary past goalkeeper Nickie Quaid, but the champions were full value for maintaining their unbeaten Division 1 hurling league record.
Morris netted with the last act of the game to cut the deficit to one, yet the 5,605 that were in attendance had witnessed Limerick’s dominance grow as the second-half progressed to ensure they would take the spoils. Tipperary’s disappointment at the result was one thing, the sight of key defender Seamus Kennedy limping off with a knee injury in the second half was a greater concern.
The first half was a forgettable affair. The fans that had journeyed to Cork from Limerick and Tipperary were huddled in the North Stand, yet the game was a messy encounter with plenty mistakes on both sides. Limerick’s play was unusually sloppy, they struck seven wides in the first half and dropped another three shots harmlessly short.
By the half hour mark they had only five points on the board, but added another four before the half-time whistle, seemingly stung into action by the concession of a goal to Forde. That 30th minute strike pushed Tipperary five clear, Forde and Gearoid O’Connor inflicting the first-half scoring damage, yet the gap only stood at one at the break, 1-7 to 0-9, after that strong Limerick response.
Forde and Tynan fired over Tipperary points to kickstart the second-half scoring, but Limerick started to take over after that. The likes of Cathal O’Neill, Diarmaid Byrnes, Cian Lynch, Gearoid Hegarty and Donnacha Ó Dálaigh stamped their authority on proceedings.
They were were 0-18 to 1-12 clear after a superb score by Mike Casey in the 57 minute but Tipperary received a lifeline moments later when Bonner Maher robbed Colin Coughlan in possession, raced towards goal and cut inside the covering defence to drill a shot to the bottom corner.
That left the teams deadlocked but Limerick’s response was emphatic. They reeled off the game’s next four points. They got a scoring bounce off the bench and outscored Tipperary 0-8 to 0-3 between the 58th and 75th minutes. Tipperary kept pressing, Forde tapped over a late point and Morris, who sparkled in the second half with his direct running, broke through to notch their third goal.
There was no altering the end result though, Limerick head to Salthill next Saturday with a perfect league record as they get set to face Galway. Tipperary’s last round encounter involves a trip to Belfast to meet Antrim.
Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-8 (0-7f), Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 0-3, Diarmaid Byrnes 0-3 (0-1f), Colin Coughlan 0-2, Gearoid Hegarty 0-2, Cian Lynch 0-2, Mike Casey 0-1, Conor Boylan 0-1, Adam English 0-1, Seamus Flanagan 0-1, Tom Morrissey 0-1, Graeme Mulcahy 0-1, Barry Murphy 0-1.
Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 1-7 (0-3f), Jake Morris 1-3, Patrick Bonner Maher 1-0, Gearoid O’Connor 0-3, Craig Morgan 0-1, Sean Ryan 0-1, Alan Tynan 0-1.
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2. Fergal O’Connor (Effin) 3. Dan Morrissey (Ahane) 4. Mike Casey (Na Piarsiagh)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell) 6. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora/Manister) 7. Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown)
8. Will O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh), 25. Barry Murphy (Doon)
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St Patricks) 11. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell) 12. Conor Boylan (Na Piarsiagh)
13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell) 14. Donnacha O Dalaigh (Monaleen) 15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
Subs
- 23. Tom Morrissey (Ahane) for Boylan (59)
- 24. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock) for Peter Casey (59)
- 19. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon) for Gillane (64)
- 18. Adam English (Doon) for Murphy (70)
Tipperary
1. Barry Hogan (Kiladangan)
2. Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs), 3. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), 4. Michael Breen (Ballina)
5. Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s), 6. Brian McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), 7. Conor Bowe (Moyne-Templetuohy)
8. Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs), 9. Paddy Cadell (JK Brackens)
10. Alan Tynan (Roscrea), 11. Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), 12. Gearoid O’Connor (Moyne-Templetuohy)
13. Jason Forde (Silvermines), 14. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg)
Subs
- 20. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh) for Bowe (temporary) (2)
- Bowe for McCormack (11)
- 23. Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill) for Brian McGrath (half-time)
- 19. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha) for O’Connor (temporary) (41)
- O’Connor for Maher (45)
- 20. McCormack for Kennedy (inj) (47)
- 26. Sean Ryan (Templederry Kenyons) for John McGrath (52)
- Patrick Maher for Tynan (56)
- 24. Cathal Quinn (Cashel King Cormacs) for Cadell (64)
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)
