John Lyons kicking over what at the time was a lead point for Tipperary in extra time.

Cards of all colours cost Tipp dearly

GAA: EirGrid Munster Under 21 Football Championship Quarter Final

  

Luimneach 0-16

Tiobraid Arann 0-14

  

Three red cards, four black cards, thrilling scores, this crazy game had it all!

A game that was a slow burner in the first half sprang to life late in the second, and in extra time as a brave Tipperary side missed out on progressing in the Munster Under 21 Football Championship.

While Limerick were probably full value for the win considering the goal chances they sqandered in normal time, Tipperary looked to have had the game in hand close to the final whistle in both normal time and extra time before letting it slip.

It was a pretty mundane game for most of the first half in which Limerick led 0-5 to 0-4 at the break with Tipperary having failed to score from play with Jack Kennedy and Joe Ryan contributing all four points from placed balls. Stephen Quirke came closest to a goal when Richard Hayes made a fine close range stop while at the other end Charlie Manton denied Hugh Bourke.

Within two minutes of the restart, Tipperary were reduced to fourteen men after Emmet Moloney picked up his second yellow card, however it was the early soft first booking which was his undoing with referee Sean Joy creating a rod for his own back with some harsh cards for both sides.

Tipperary upped their game despite their numerical disadvantage with Paudie Feehan and Brendan Martin kicking fine scores. Josh Ryan nearly broke the upright with a blistering shot for Limerick but Tipp were in the ascendency as the impressive Jack Kennedy pointed from play to nudge Tipp ahead going into the final quarter.

The game went point for point and going into the five minutes of added time, the sides were level when the drama upped another notch. Firstly Limerick's Josh Ryan was red carded for an off the ball strike on Danny Owens. Jack Kennedy looked to have won it for Tipp as he continued his exhibition of long range free-takiing to nudge his side in front. However he missed a subsequent one which could have put Tipp over the line.

However with the added time beyond that signalled, Willie Connors cynically pulled down a Limerick player in midfield to prevent a counter-attack, a play which looked sensible but the home side still managed to conjure up the point they needed with Robert Childs landing a long range shot from the outside of his right foot.

With both sides benefitting from the GAA anomaly, being restored to 15 men for extra time with Morgan Irwin and Ross Peters coming into the Tipp side, the visitors looked to have made the burst for home with Peters, Feehan and Jack Kennedy (45) pushing Tipp three points clear. However on the cusp of the changeover, Jack Kennedy was black carded rather harshly. He was replaced by Jordan Moloney who within seconds of the start of the second period was himself black carded for a lazy foul and with all their subs now used, Tipp had to finish the game with fourteen men.

They held out for five minutes but two points from Hugh Bourke brought Limerick level. In a rare attack, Ross Peters played in fellow sub John Lyons for a cracking score but in the final minute of extra time, Kieran Daly brought the sides level again and it seemed as if a replay would be required.

But the wind was in Limerick's sails and against a flagging Tipp side, full back Michael Donovan took a big swing of his left boot from 50 yards with the ball flying between the posts. There would be no response from Tipp, they weren't able and after Donovan himself was black carded in preventing a Tipp attack, a subsequent counter attack led to Brian Donovan sealing Limerick's progression following a frantic ending to a crazy game.

 

MATCH DIGEST

Laoch an Cluiche: Hugh Bourke (Limerick)

Scorers – Luimneach: Hugh Bourke 0-8, 6 frees; Josh Ryan (1 45, 1 free), Michael Donovan 0-2 each; Padraig de Brun, Robert Childs, Kieran Daly, Brian Donovan 0-1 each.

Tiobraid Arann: Jack Kennedy 0-6 (3 frees, 2 45s); Paudie Feehan 0-3; Brendan Martin 0-2; Joe Ryan (free), Ross Peters, John Lyons 0-1 each.

 

Luimneach: Richard Hayes (7); Edward Sheehy (6), Michael Donovan (8), David Connolly (7); Brian Fanning (6), Jim Liston (7), Sean Murphy (7); Josh Ryan (6), Tommie Childs (6); Padraig de Brun (6), Hugh Bourke (9), Killian Ryan (Capt 6); Kieran Daly (7), AJ O'Connor (6), Brian Donovan (7).

Subs: Shane Stack (6) for Daly (41); Robert Childs (7) for De Brun (53); Mark Connolly (6) for O'Connor (56); Mikey Whelan (6) for T Childs (7 ET); Stephen Brosnan (6) for Murphy (9 ET); AJ O'Connor for K Ryan (19 ET)

Tiobraid Arann: Charlie Manton (Fethard 8); Willie Connors (Kiladangan 7), Liam Ryan (Clonmel Commercials 6), Colm O'Shaughnessy (Ardfinnan 7); Daire Brennan (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 7), Liam Fahey (Rockwell Rovers 8), Paudie Feehan (Killenaule 8); Danny Owens (Moyle Rovers, Capt 6), Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials 8); Aidan Buckley (St Patrick's 6), Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers 7), Emmet Moloney (Drom & Inch 6); Joe Ryan (Kilmurry, Cork, 6), Jack Butler (Upperchurch/Drombane 6), Brendan Martin (Kilsheelan/Kilcash 7).

Subs: Michael O'Connor (Cahir 6) for Butler (41); Daire Egan (Galtee Rovers 6) for Buckley (49); John Lyons (Grangemockler/Ballyneale 7) for Ryan (58); Shane Power (Galtee Rovers 6) for Brennan (4 ET); Jordan Moloney (JK Brackens NR) for Kennedy (9 ET BC); Gavin Whelan (Ardfinnan NR) for Feehan (HT ET).

 

Reiteoir: Sean Joy (Ciarrai)