Stephen Barry reports from TUS Gaelic Grounds
LIMERICK PRODUCED ANOTHER second-half demolition job on Tipperary, brutally extinguishing any hopes that their neighbours could stick with them for 70 minutes.
There was an early pitch invasion to celebrate this supreme performance under the lights in front of 11,812 supporters at the Gaelic Grounds. Liam Gordon sensibly blew the final whistle as kids streamed onto the field.
They advance to the Allianz hurling league Division 1 final against Cork or Kilkenny where, on this form, they will be heavy favourites.
In the second half, John Kiely’s masters didn’t miss a single shot until the final minute as they outscored their opponents by 1-16 to 0-9. In fact, Tipp only scored three points from play in the second half and didn’t create a single goal chance.
Like the 2021 Munster final, the Limerick half-back line got to grips with the Tipperary attack and wiped them out, led by man of the match Declan Hannon and Barry Nash. The Tipp forwards were so effective in the first half but didn’t get a sniff after the break.
For Limerick, every player from no.4 to 15 scored at least once.
When these two last met in a league semi-final, back in 2018, Tipperary used 22 players in winning an extra-time epic. Of those, 16 are no longer on the panel.
Limerick, meanwhile, have been a model of consistency, with an almost unchanged team carrying them to unprecedented success.
John Kiely gave Colin Coughlan and Donnacha Ó Dálaigh chances to stake their claim. But with the hosts holding Kyle Hayes, Dan Morrissey, Gearóid Hegarty, and Séamus Flanagan in reserve, there was a sense that their challengers would need to carry a lead into the final quarter.
Liam Cahill picked his strongest 15 from the start and they made their mark on the All-Ireland champions early on.
In a breathless opening half, the teams struck 28 points in 35 minutes, 0-16 to 0-12 in Tipp’s favour.
They stretched five clear by the 22nd minute with a display of power and pace. Alan Tynan was up for the fight, getting involved with William O’Donoghue before the throw-in and taking any opportunity to lay down a marker on his opposite number.
The former Munster Rugby academy prospect carried that chip on the shoulder into the game, scoring four points from midfield before Tipp were hauled back.
Jason Forde was deadly accurate too. He floated around the forward-line, with all three inside backs picking him up at different times. He sniped seven first-half points, including three from play in quick succession.
That intensity was clear without the ball too. Bryan O’Mara and Noel McGrath produced block downs on Tom Morrissey and Diarmaid Byrnes as Limerick converted just half of their scoring chances before the break.
Tipp had only conceded three goals in five games, keeping three clean sheets, and Michael Breen appeared to have things well tied up at full-back.
Séamus Kennedy was full of work tracking back from half-forward and he slotted two points. Gearóid O’Connor proved he’s ready for this level with a fine catch from a puck-out to set up one of Kennedy’s points and add one of his own.
Limerick trailed by 0-12 to 0-7 but they hung in there, led by Cian Lynch at centre-forward. He didn’t score until later but won three scoreable frees and assisted two more in open play. Like Tynan, he showed he was hungry for the battle celebrating one free with a couple of shoulders for the opposition defenders.
In a heavy-hitting finish, six of the final eight points came from frees, three for each side.
Limerick set about their second-half comeback in the right way, a Gillane free followed by Lynch and Tom Morrissey points from either sideline to get the crowd going.
Tipp broke their momentum, with McGrath setting up points for Forde (free) and Tynan, who was continuing his inspired form.
But Limerick were dominating Tipperary’s half-forward line now and that trio would outscore their opposition’s half-forward by 0-9 to 0-6. Their runners were punching holes and drawing fouls too, with Lynch and Morrissey earning frees for Gillane (two) and Byrnes to convert.
When Gillane added his first from play in the 46th minute, the home side were ahead for the first time in 39 minutes.
It didn’t end there. After two more Byrnes frees, their half-backs Colin Coughlan and Declan Hannon strode forward to pick points.
After 56 minutes, they broke the Tipp defence to strike the killer blow. Barry Murphy turned over possession, Coughlan landed a high ball on top of Peter Casey, and the smallest Limerick attacker held off Johnny Ryan to snatch the sliotar and kick it to the net.
Rather than the lead Tipp needed when Limerick began to run their bench, the game was effectively over.
O’Donoghue and Nash extended their lead to nine, 1-26 to 0-20. Limerick had scored 1-14 now without missing a shot all half.
They then went 13 minutes without a score as Forde landed four frees and Gearóid O’Connor his third from play but Tipp never looked like getting back into this one.
Casey and Lynch wrapped it up with the final brace.
Limerick now eye a third League title in five years. The message to their rivals was clear: Kiely’s All-Ireland champions look harder to beat than ever before.
Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillan 0-7 (6f), Diarmaid Byrnes 0-6 (5f), Peter Casey 1-2, Declan Hannon 0-2, Cathal O’Neill 0-2, Cian Lynch 0-2, Tom Morrissey 0-2, Barry Nash 0-1, Colin Coughlan 0-1, Barry Murphy 0-1, William O’Donoghue 0-1, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh 0-1.
Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 0-14 (11f), Alan Tynan 0-4, Gearóid O’Connor 0-3, Séamus Kennedy 0-2, Noel McGrath 0-1, Jake Morris 0-1.
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2. Seán Finn (Bruff), 3. Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh), 4. Barry Nash (South Liberties)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), 6. Declan Hannon (Adare, captain), 7. Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown)
24. Barry Murphy (Doon), 9. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)
10. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora-Manister), 11. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), 12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
14. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh), 13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), 15. Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (Monaleen)
Subs
21. Gearóid Hegarty (St Patrick’s) for Murphy (51-54, blood)
21. Hegarty for O’Neill (60)
17. Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh) for Morrissey (62)
18. Richie English (Doon) for Finn (65)
19. Séamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon) for Gillane (70+1)
22. Micheál Houlihan (Kilmallock) for O’Donoghue (70+3)
1. Barry Hogan (Kiladangan)
2. Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs), 3. Michael Breen (Ballina), 4. Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers)
5. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh), 6. Bryan O’Mara (Holycross-Ballycahill), 7. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. Conor Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields), 9. Alan Tynan (Roscrea)
10. Séamus Kennedy (St Mary’s), 11. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney, captain), 12. Gearóid O’Connor (Moyne-Templetouhy)
13. Jason Forde (Silvermines), 14. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha), 15. Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg)
Subs
21. Enda Heffernan (Clonoulty-Rossmore) for Stakelum (51)
22. Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) for P Maher (51)
23. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Morris (56)
17. Conor Bowe (Moyne-Templetuohy) for Kennedy (65)
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)
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Written by Stephen Barry and posted on the42.ie
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