Tipp Under 20's make impressive winning start with Limerick win

Tipperary opened their Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship campaign with an impressive victory over Limerick on Friday evening.

GAA: O’Neills.com Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 2

Limerick 1-17

Tipperary 3-18

Report: Shane Brophy at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Ronan Connolly (Tipperary)

SCORERS - Limerick: Hugh Flanagan 1-1 (1-0 pen); Oisin O’Farrell (frees), Cian Scully (1 free, 1 ‘65) 0-3 each; Con Hayes, Mark Riordan (frees) 0-2 each; Matthew Fitzgerald, Shane O’Brien, Fintan Fitzgerald, Wayne Kearns, Dara Ferland, Vince Harrington 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Darragh McCarthy 1-9 (1-0 pen, 0-7 frees); Oisin O’Donoghue 1-2; Conor Martin 0-3; Senan Butler 1-0; Cathal English 0-2; Ronan Connolly, Paddy McCormack (free) 0-1 each.

This was despite getting off to a slow start as the home side made the early running with two Con Hayes points and one from Matthew Fitzgerald inside three minutes. Having had a bye in the first round, Tipp were a little off the pace in the early going with Daragh McCarthy opening their account from a free on five minutes.

However, Limerick continued in the ascendancy thanks to two Oisin O’Farrell frees and a Cian Scully shot from distance. Tipp’s first score from play came on nine minutes from Conor Martin and despite Cian Scully registering next for Limerick for a 0-6 to 0-3 lead on eleven minutes, from there to half time Tipperary took full control with eight points in the space of nine minutes from Ronan Connolly, McCarthy (free), the impressive Cathal English, Oisin O’Donoghue and two from the lively Conor Martin. McCarthy and Paddy McCormack stretched Tipperary’s advantage to five points with two placed balls but their momentum stalled briefly when Limerick were awarded a penalty on 22 minutes when Fintan Fitzgerald was fouled and Hugh Flanagan converted with aplomb

Cathal English and Shane O’Brien traded scores before Oisin O’Donoghue raced onto a breaking ball for Tipperary’s opening goal on 25 minutes and four minutes later Daragh McCarthy converted a penalty he won himself to give his side a healthy 2-12 to 1-8 half time lead.

Hugh Flanagan opened the scoring in the second half for Limerick but Tipp continued to dominate with Daragh McCarthy on target with five, including two from play while Oisin O’Donoghue also added to his tally.

Tipperary led 2-18 to 1-11 going into the last fifteen minutes but only scored once in that period, but it was a big score with Senan Butler goaling on fifty minutes.

Tipp sat back on their lead, with injuries to Sam O’Farrell, Jack Collins and Aaron O’Halloran stalling their momentum as well as a straight red card for Paddy McCormack on 56 minutes.

However, a well-drilled Tipperary defence withstood a barrage from Limerick late on as they went on the hunt for goals with Matthew Fitzgerald and Cian Scully denied by the excellent Eoin Horgan.

Tipperary head to Dungarvan next Friday evening to play Waterford in their second game.

TEAMS – Limerick: Pierce Connery; Mikey Fitzgibbon, Darragh Langan, Shane Fitzgibbon; Vince Harrington, Matthew Fitzgerald, Cian Scully (Capt); Joe Fitzgerald, Con Hayes; Fintan Fitzgerald, Shane O’Brien, Robert O’Farrell; Donal Coughlan, Oisin O’Farrell, Hugh Flanagan.

Subs: Wayne Kearns for Fitzgibbon (HT); Dara Ferland for O O’Farrell (45); Mark Riordan for Coughlan (46), Dan Scully for Flanagan (51), Tadgh Boddy for F Fitzgerald (60+1).

Tipperary: Eoin Horgan (Knockavilla-D Kickhams); Chris O’Donnell (Ballylooby/Castlegrace), Aaron O’Halloran (Carrick Swan), Podge O’Dwyer (Killenaule); Ronan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs), Ben Currivan (Golden Kilfeacle, Capt), Jack Collins (Ballina); Sam O’Farrell (Nenagh Eire Og), Adam Daly (Knockavilla-D Kickhams); Cathal English (Father Sheehy’s), Conor Martin (Cappawhite), Oisin O’Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara), Paddy McCormack (Borris-Ileigh), Senan Butler (Kilsheelan/Kilcash).

Subs: Eoin Craddock (Holycross/Ballycahill) for O’Farrell (37 inj), Conor Gleeson (Gortnahoe/Glengoole) for Collins (49 inj), Damien Corbett (Gortnahoe/Glengoole) for Butler (52); Jamie Ormond (JK Brackens) for English (53 inj), Jack Quinlan (Fethard) for O’Halloran (57 inj).

Referee: Shane Scanlon (Cork).