Tipperary 0-20
Limerick 0-15
TIPPERARY have beaten Limerick by five points in this afternoon’s Munster intermediate hurling championship semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds.
The reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions had ten points from Timmy Hammersley as they advanced to a provincial final showdown with Cork or Clare on July 18.
Limerick got off to a brilliant start and led by 0-3 to 0-0 within three minutes but Tipp rallied to lead by 0-10 to 0-8 at half-time.
Hammersley scored five points of that first half total, with wing-forward Pat Molloy knocking over a brace for the Premier County.
Tipp never looked unduly troubled during the second half but Limerick were still within touching distance down the home straight as they trailed by two points.
And with Tipp protecting a four-point advantage with time almost up, goalkeeper Darragh Egan produced a brilliant double save to preserve a clean sheet.
Joey McLoughney, who tasted early season senior action along with Hammersley, was another to impress for Tipp, who were not allowed to the field the 19 players who featured in last year’s All-Ireland final.
Limerick had a seven-point haul from Jack Aherne, including six frees, but the Shannonsiders managed just 0-7 from play during the entire game.
Tipp came closest to a goal in the fifth minute when Ruairi Gleeson whistled a shot inches wide.
Tipperary’s Tom Treacy and Dan Morrissey of Limerick
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Scorers for Tipperary: Timmy Hammersley 0-10 (6f, 1 65), Joey McLoughney 0-3 (1 sl), Pat Molloy 0-2, Willie Ryan, Orrie Quirke, Ruairi Gleeson, Paudie Greene & Padraig O’Leary 0-1 each.
Scorers for Limerick: Jack Aherne 0-7 (6f), Willie Griffin 0-2, Cathal McNamara 0-2 (1f, 1 65) Jason Hayes, Paudie Leahy, Pat Begley & Mikey Ryan 0-1 each.
TIPPERARY: Darragh Egan (Kildangan); Sean O’Brien (Newport), Micheal Butler (Drom and Inch), Tom Treacy (Cappawhite); Willie Ryan (Clonakenny), David Young (Toomevara), Padraig Heffernan (Clonoulty Rossmore); Joey McLoughney (Toomevara), Seán McCormack (Borris-Ileigh); Orrie Quirke (Silvermines), Timmy Hammersley (Clonoulty Rossmore), Pat Molloy (Moycarkey Borris); Ruairi Gleeson (Kildangan), Denis Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Paudie Greene (Upperchurch Drombane).
Subs for Tipperary: Padraig O’Leary (Templederry Kenyons) for Maher (40), Michael Ivors (Ballingarry) for Greene (46), Alan Hogan (Shannon Rovers) for McCormack (50).
Referee: Paul Foley (Waterford)
