Limerick 1-25

Tipperary 2-18

John Keogh reports at TUS Gaelic Grounds

NINE POINTS FROM Aidan O’Connor helped Limerick to the Munster U20 Hurling Championship following a four point victory over Tipperary at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.

The Ballybrown clubman put in a superb showing in the 1-25 to 2-18 win that avenged the defeat to Cork in the 2021 decider.

Limerick led from start to finish with O’Connor landing the first and final score in a game that saw 12 difference scorers for Diarmuid Mullins’s men.

Tipperary had Kyle Shelly and Jack Leamy leading their charge but they were never closer to a two point margin in the game.

Adam English followed up O’Connor’s opener with the first goal of the game. He robbed Cathal Quinn of possession and then fired an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

2 nóim #LIMvTIP@LimerickCLG 1-01@TipperaryGAA 0-00

Tús iontach do Luimneach! Cúl luath faighte acu! 🤩

Adam English finds the net with a wonderful strike! 👌@GAA_BEO | @officialgaa
#GAABEO

BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/vvBHFz1kSC

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) May 4, 2022

English then followed up with two points to help Limerick to a 1-3 to 0-2 lead after eight minutes. Tipp’s scores coming from Shelly and Paddy Creedon.

Limerick bossed the opening 20 minutes aided by the breeze with O’Connor, Colin Coughlan, John Kirby, Jimmy Quilty and Shane O’Brien all hitting the target.

However, Tipperary got back into the game by virtue of a Shelly goal. He rose high over Evan O’Leary before firing a bouncing shot into the net.

O’Connor hit three in a row to wrestle control back Limerick’s way between the 22nd and 26th minutes to see them 1-10 to 1-6 ahead.

O’Brien, Chris Thomas and O’Connor again raised white flags for the home side to see them to a seven point lead at the break.

Limerick continued to subdue the Tipperary challenge but seven minutes into the second half, the Premier got a lifeline when Colm Fogarty set up Leamy for their second goal.

Mullins’s men didn’t panic, however, and kept the scoreboard ticking over with Cian Scully, O’Connor and substitute Patrick O’Donovan keeping Tipperary at bay.

Three in a row from Tipperary heading into the final 10 minutes brought the lead back to two but O’Connor, Patrick Reale and O’Brien all hit the target to see Limerick home.

O’Connor landed the final score to top off a splendid performance that saw Limerick coast him in the end.

Scorers for Limerick: Aidan O’Connor 0-9 (6f), Adam English 1-2, Shane O’Brien 0-5, Colin Coughlan, John Kirby, Jimmy Quilty, Chris Thomas, Eddie Stokes, Cian Scully, Patrick O’Donovan, Patrick Kirby and Patrick Reale 0-1 each

Scorers for Tipperary: Kyle Shelly 1-6 (3f), Jack Leamy 1-3 (1f), Peter McGarry and Paddy Creedon 0-3 each, Darragh Stakelum, Cathal Quinn and Sean Kenneally 0-1 each.

Limerick

1. Colin Hanley Clarke (Kilmallock)

2. Chris Thomas (Doon), 3. Fergal O’Connor (Effin), 4. Evan O’Leary (Ahane)

5. Cian Scully (Dromin-Athlacca Banogue), 6. Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West), 7. Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown)

8. Jimmy Quilty (Blackrock – captain), 9. John Kirby (Patrickswell)

10. Adam English (Doon), 11. Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown), 12. Eddie Stokes (Doon)

13. Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), 14. Patrick Kirby (Patrickswell), 15. Donnacha Ó Dalaigh (Monaleen)

Subs

24. Patrick O’Donovan (Effin) for O’Dalaigh (44)

17. Brian O’Meara (Mungret St Pauls) for Scully (46)

20. Joe Sweeney (Adare) for Quilty (53)

18. Patrick Reale (Knockainey) for J Kirby (55)

Tipperary

1. Paidi Williams (Kilruane McDonaghs)

2. Conor Cadell (JK Brackens), 3. Conor O’Dwyer (Cashel King Cormacs), 4. Luke Shanahan (Upperchurch Drombane)

5: Cathal Quinn (Cashel Kink Cormacs), 6: James Armstrong (Thurles Sarsfields), 7. Michael Corcoran (Silvermines)

8. Darragh Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), 9. John Campion (Drom & Inch – captain)

10. Josh Keller (Nenagh Eire Og), 11. Peter McGarry (St Marys), 12. Eddie Ryan (Borris-Ileigh)

13. Kyle Shelly (Moycarkey Borris), 14. Jack Leamy (Golden Kilfeacle), 15. Paddy Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields)

Subs

18. Colm Fogarty (Lorra Dorrha) for Ryan (33)

19. Sean Kenneally (Monehall) for Keller (39)

21. Conor McKelvey (Silvermines) for Corcoran (53)

24. Conor Ryan (Borrisokane) for Shelly (57)

Referee: Niall Malone (Clare)

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