Tipperary 1-21 Limerick 0-17
By Eoghan Cormican, Croke Park
It was a case of sweet redemption for the Tipperary minors as Liam Cahill’s young charges went one step further than was the case 12 months ago.
The crucial score arrived early in the second-half as Jake Morris, put through by Mark Kehoe, drilled a low shot into the bottom right corner of Mark O’Kelly’s goal to put Tipperary 1-10 to 0-8 clear.
The centre-forward, mind you, was lucky to remain on the field having struck out at Limerick’s Josh Adams directly after the goal. Neither the linesman nor the referee saw the incident and Morris escaped without even a yellow card.
Limerick, through Brian Ryan (free), Ciarán O’Connor, Kyle Hayes and Paul O’Brien, tallied four of the next six scores, to bring it back to a three-point game. No closer would they come, however. Hayes and O’Brien both had goal chances, but both efforts were sent wide.
It wasn’t so clear in the first-half as Limerick rallied from five down to leave just the minimum between the sides at half-time. Their failure to find the net, ultimately, proved their downfall.
Colin English, Mark Kehoe, Lyndon Fairbrother, Shane Neville and Ger Browne were the Tipperary scorers in the final quarter as the favourites ran out deserved seven-point winners.
Scorers for Tipperary: J Morris (1-3); L Fairbrother (0-5, 0-4 frees); C English (0-4); S Neville (0-3); B McGrath (0-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 ’65), M Kehoe (0-2 each); D Walsh, G Browne (0-1 each).
Scorers for Limerick: B Ryan (0-11, 0-9 frees); C O’Connor, D Carroll, C Boylan, K Hayes, D Woulfe, P O’Brien (0-1 each).
Tipperary: C Barrett (Clonmel Óg); K O’Dwyer (Killenuale), M Whelan (Carrick Davins), T Murphy (JK Brackens); C Flanagan (Newport), B McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), J Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs); P Cadell (JK Brackens), G Browne (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams); R Doody (Cappawhite), J Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg), C English (Fr Sheehy’s); L Fairbrother (JK Brackens), C Darcy (Kilruane MacDonaghs), M Kehoe (Kilsheelan Kilcash).
Subs: S Neville (Lattin Cullen) for Doody (26 mins); G Dunne (Holycross-Ballycahill) for Murphy (36); D Walsh (Ballingarry) for Darcy (51); C Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields) for Browne (61).
Limerick: M O’Kelly (Croom); B Nash (South Liberties), C Nicholas (Monaleen), R Connolly (Adare); J Adams (Ballybrown), C O’Connor (Kilmallock), F Hourigan (Murroe/Boher); J Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), D Carroll (Newport); M O’Grady (Knockainey), A Barrett (Kilmallock), B Ryan (South Liberties); C Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), K Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry), C Magner-Flynn (Killeedy).
Subs: P O’Brien (Mungret/St Paul’s) for Magner-Flynn (34); J Flynn (Patrickswell) for Carroll (36); D Woulfe (Kilmallock) for Barrett (42); M Bourke (Garryspillane) for Adams (44); D Quirke (Clonoulty Rossmore) for Flanagan (51); C O’Grady (Hospital/Herbertstown) for M O’Grady (60).
Referee: J Keenan (Wicklow).
