Afternoon folks, Gavan Casey here and I’ll be taking you through this provincial decider down in Munster between the last two All-Ireland champions, Limerick and Tipperary.
Limerick have won the last two encounters between these two sides, and three of the last four. Will that trend continue, or can Tipp buck it at Páirc Uí Chaoimh today? Who do you fancy?
Poll Results:
Think everyone will need a couple of water breaks today! We’re just over 10 minutes from throw-in at the Páirc.
Both sides are set to line out as named.
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2. Sean Finn (Bruff), 3. Richie English (Doon), 4. Barry Nash (South Liberties).
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), 6. Declan Hannon (Adare – captain), 7. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry).
8. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsiagh), 9. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon).
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St Patrick’s), 11. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), 12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane).
13. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock), 14. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), 15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh).
Tipperary
1 Barry Hogan (Kiladangan)
2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), 3. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), 4. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
5. Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s Clonmel), 6. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh),7. Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg).
8. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), 9. Alan Flynn (Kildangan)
10. Jason Forde (Silvermines), 11. Michael Breen (Ballina), 12. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)
13. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule), 14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch – captain), 15. Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg).
The anthem begins — after a little hiccup — at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. You ready?
1′ – We’re underway in Cork and, in the absence of Aaron Gillane who is on the bench for the All-Ireland champs, Tom Morrissey hits the first free of the game — but it’s a poor miss, off the post from about 40 yards.
Kyle Hayes and Darragh O’Donovan follow up with two wides in quick succession. Early warning signs but no scores.
4′ – A goal! Finished off by Jake Morris, just seconds after Tom Morrissey had finally opened the scoring.
Morris powered through on a breaking ball and flashed his shot into the bottom corner, to Nicky Quaid’s left.
5′ - Jason Forde has popped another one over for Tipp, but Séamus Flanagan has just fired a wonderful point from the right-hand sideline, almost over his own shoulder. Two points in it, early doors.
7′ - Forde again from play, from close range, extends Tipp’s lead to three.
Seconds later, Tipp’s Dan McCormack lands one from a different post code — a gorgeous score.
Cian Lynch has been everywhere so far and he replies for the All-Ireland champions.
9′ - Peter Casey takes his point when a goal chance was potentially on the cards. Electrifying start to this game. A liveblogger’s nightmare, truth be told.
10′ - Forde scores the first point of the game from a free and, from the resulting puckout, he scores again from the 65′. He looks lethal, has three from play and one from the dead ball.
12′ – In between a couple of Tipp wides, both by ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer, Gearóid Hegarty opens his account from midfield.
Seamie Flanagan follows that up with another score of his own after a beautiful ball in by Diarmaid Byrnes.
Byrnes, then, makes a hames of a later pass and Forde bags his fourth from play.
15′ - Morrissey again for Limerick, from out on the left wing.
Tipp, meanwhile, have seven wides in the opening quarter of an hour, and will feel they should be further ahead.
Jason Forde is on fire, though, and he stretches the lead to three again with an arrow from near midfield.
16′ – Kyle Hayes is pinged for steps by James Owens despite Dan McCormack appearing to ostensibly clean him out in a challenge. Looked a bit harsh on Limerick and Hayes.
18′ - Seamie Callanan pokes one over from the right wing and Tipp lead by four at the first water break.
This is a savage game.
19′ - Seamus Flanagan hits Limerick’s fourth wide to Tipp’s eight.
AND A GOOOOAL! It’s Bubbles! Oh, what a finish — out of nothing! Route one, Bubbles O’Dwyer collects it, charges through, and absolutely blasts is past Quaid from long range. Sensational!
22′ - Morrissey keeps Limerick in touch with a free before goal-scorer Bubbles flashes another one wide.
Morrissey hits the post again from a free but, after a bit of pinball, Byrnes fires over for Limerick.
23′ - Seamus Kennedy blasts over from way down the park and, the next minute, O’Dwyer does the same.
Tipp by seven.
25′ - Two unreal pieces of defending, firstly by Barry Nash who blocks a Callanan attempt and secondly by Cathal Barrett (I think), who beats Seamus Flanagan to possession after a long ball in.
Morrissey scores his fourth, this one from play, and Limerick are back within six.
28′ - After a huge passage of play during which the sides exchanged possession without scoring, dishing out and shipping some big hits, Jason Forde scores what feels like an important score from a psychological perspective.
Jake Morris stretches the lead to eight seconds later, and Dan McCormack extends it to nine before I’m finished typing the sentence.
30′ - Forde scores his second free, this one from about 95 yards down the field.
Limerick haven’t even been that bad, really. Tipp have just been sensational, and they lead by double digits with five minutes to go until half-time.
Two swaps for Limerick: Richie English replaced by Dan Morrissey and Aaron Gillane is on as well — I didn’t see who he replaced, apologies. Will double-check in a moment.
33′ - GOA– oh, it’s disallowed. Seamie Flanagan was celebrating briefly but he’s pinged for a square ball after scrambling the sliotar home.
Gillane gets off the mark seconds after his introduction.
35′ - Cathal Barrett is picking up Gillane, actually, and to clarify, it was Graeme Mulcahy who made way for the All-Star forward.
Forde scores from the floor and Tipp lead by 10 again.
37′ – Diarmuid Byrnes lands a free from inside his own 45′.
39′ – Jason Forde with a free notches his 10th, and Tipp lead by 10 at the break.
Liam Sheedy applauds his side down the tunnel. What a half of hurling by The Premier.
This is Limerick’s biggest challenge since the 2019 All-Ireland semi against Kilkenny.
Catch you in a few!
36′ - Back at it, here, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Can the second half match the first for intensity? Surely not in this heat? But we’ll see…
37′ - Cathal Barrett goes down, looking hurt, after Aaron Gillane caught him with a wild swipe of his hurley.
Oh, that does not look good on the replay. Gillane gets only a yellow but that’s a cast-iron red card. Poor decision by Owens, really. Gillane knew exactly what he was doing.
40′ - Limerick motoring, now, a bit. Two unanswered points — I missed the first one, but Tom Morrissey scored the second.
Cian Lynch wins a free-in after Dan McCormack catches him around the neck with his hurley. McCormack deservedly goes in the book.
Gillane converts and Tipp’s lead is down to seven.
42′ - GAME ON, GER! It’s Seamus Flanagan who pokes home after a stunning save by Barry Hogan from Gillane’s original effort! Limerick are back in this!
46′ - Just over 10 minutes gone in the second half and Tipp’s 10-point half-time lead is down to three! Gillane, this time, with the free.
Jake Morris makes it four again moments later.
47′ - Gillane gets his fourth since coming on, another free.
What a game this is.
49′ – Poor puckout by Hogan. Tom Morrissey intercepts it and drives it straight back over the bar.
Moments later, Gillane gets his fifth of the game after a huge take in midfield. He’s been outstanding.
There’s only a point in it!
52′ - Gillane with another free and they’re level!
Limerick! What. A. Second. Half.
53′ – And the All-Ireland champions lead! This time it’s Seamus Flanagan who pops one over from about 40 yards.
Incredible turnaround. It’s taken just 17 minutes.
And Peter Casey doubles the lead with a lovely score!
What a team, what a team.
Water break, and breathe!
54′ - Into the final quarter and HERE GOES KYLE HAYES! OOOHHHHHHHH, WHAT A GOOOOOOAAAALLL!!!
Goal of the year, goal of the century by Kyle Hayes. A stunning solo run, with a couple of hops off the ground for good measure. He took it about 50 yards, slaloming through the Tipp defence before finishing powerfully past Hogan.
You’ve probably never seen a goal like it. Sensational!
57′ - Peter Casey puts Limerick six in front. A 16-point swing from half-time. Tipp haven’t scored in 10 minutes.
Scratch that, Willie Connors puts one over.
60′ – Jason Forde sums this up just before the hour mark: he was peerless in the first half but fires a poor wide with a chance in the second.
Seconds later, Callanan (I think) is guilty of the same.
62′ - Tipp scored 2-16 in the first half. They have 0-2 in the second.
Diarmaid Byrnes increases Limerick’s lead with a free.
But, if you’re a Tipp fan, you’d feel aggrieved that Aaron Gillane has been able to transform the game to this extent when he should have been sent off early in the second half for that swing on Barrett!
65′ – Gearóid Hegarty scores, Ronan Maher responds.
66′ - David Reidy, just on, scores his first point. Michael Breen drags the deficit back to six for Tipp.
67′ - Hegarty scores from an outrageous angle on the left-hand side. Forde gets his first point of the second half, his 11th overall.
Tipp hanging in there but you can stick a fork in this one with three minutes plus stoppage time to go.
Here’s that incredible Kyle Hayes goal…
Incredible run up the field finished in an unstoppable GOAL from Kyle Hayes for @LimerickCLG v @TipperaryGAA in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/fDLewPxCVK
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 18, 2021
72′ - Peter Casey bags his third point of the game. There are four minutes of stoppage time.
73′ - Ah, what a goal by Tipp’s Mark Keogh. Super pass across by Morris and Keogh nearly blows the net out of Nicky Quaid’s goal.
74′ - The little magician Peter Casey pulls another trick out of the book and Limerick are five up, home and hosed!
FT: There it is: Limerick, Munster champions for the third year in a row! Their first provincial three-in-a-row for 85 years.
What a performance. What a turnaround. What a team.
Just sensational.
Thanks for joining us this afternoon. Hope you’re enjoying the sun, wherever you are. I’ll catch you again soon.
Congratulations, Limerick!
