All-Ireland champs edge wasteful Limerick

GAA: Champions Under Lights Senior Hurling Challenge in support of the Dillon Quirke Foundation

Tipperary 1-21

Limerick 0-23

Report: Stephen Barry at Fethard Town Park

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Jack Leamy (Tipperary)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Jack Leamy 0-10 (8 frees); Seán Kenneally 1-1; Darragh Stakelum, Paddy Creedon, Kevin McCarthy 0-2 each; Joe Caesar, Brian Óg O’Dwyer, Billy Seymour, Darragh Tynan 0-1 each.

Limerick: Aidan O’Connor 0-8 (5 frees); Shane O’Brien 0-4 (1 free); Oisín O’Farrell, Robbie O’Farrell, Dylan O’Shea 0-2 each; Darragh Langan, Colin Coughlan, Ethan Hurley, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Paddy O’Donovan 0-1 each.

A late pair of Jack Leamy frees saw Tipperary secure a one-point victory over Limerick in the Champions Under Lights Senior Hurling Challenge on Saturday evening in aid of the Dillon Quirke Foundation.

The All-Ireland champions led by eight points before being pegged back level with three minutes to play. They were never headed, though, as newcomers Kevin McCarthy and Brian Óg O’Dwyer won frees to complete Leamy’s 0-10 haul.

Brian Hogan kept a valuable clean sheet on his return between the Premier posts after three years abroad.

Limerick got off 46 shots to Tipp’s 37 in the sixty-minute contest but must tune up their shooting after spraying eighteen wides.

The wides became the defining factor early on as Limerick struggled to find their radar into the wind. That included a goal chance as Donnacha Ó Dálaigh hit the side-netting after good work by Shane O’Brien.

Paddy Creedon intercepted a puck-out to get in at the other end, but Colin Ryan made a diving save.

The first eighteen minutes featured seventeen wides, with the Treaty striking eleven of those. In total, they missed eleven of their first twelve shots, with Oisín O’Farrell breaking their duck at the ninth attempt in the tenth minute.

Tipp took time to settle, too. It was 0-3 to 0-1 at the first-quarter mark, with points from Billy Seymour, Joe Caesar, and Leamy’s first free, before the scores began to flow more freely.

O’Brien and Aidan O’Connor levelled, but Tipp tagged on five of the next six points, including efforts from Seán Kenneally, Darragh Tynan, Darragh Stakelum, and McCarthy.

They exchanged goal chances with Seán Casey blocking from Kenneally and Hogan saving from Colin Coughlan. Stakelum then came down the field to slot his second point.

Kenneally hit the net in the 27th minute after a good full-forward line combination involving Creedon and Leamy. A quality score from play by Leamy made it 1-11 to 0-8 at half-time.

A Leamy brace extended the advantage to eight before Limerick lifted their game with four consecutive points, led by O’Connor and O’Brien. O’Dwyer fizzed a goal chance over and Creedon added 0-2 to restore Tipp's six-point cushion.

Limerick scored seven of the next eight to level, including a brilliant Dylan O’Shea pair from wing-back and Robbie O’Farrell’s second.

McCarthy and O’Connor traded points before Leamy did the business with his late frees.

O’Brien pulled the gap back to the minimum before missing a late levelling opportunity.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Brian Hogan (Lorrha 7); Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers 7), David Nolan (Gortnahoe/Glengoole 6), Ray McCormack (Borris-Ileigh 7); Darragh Tynan (Roscrea 7), Joe Caesar (Holycross/Ballycahill 6), Mason Cawley (Nenagh Éire Óg 6); Peter McGarry (St Mary’s, Capt 6), Darragh Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields 7); Joe Fogarty (Moneygall 6), Kevin McCarthy (Toomevara 7), Billy Seymour (Kiladangan 6); Seán Kenneally (Moneygall 7), Paddy Creedon (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Jack Leamy (Golden Kilfeacle 8).

Subs: Charlie Ryan (Boherlahan-Dualla 6) for Cawley (39); Brian Óg O’Dwyer (Boherlahan-Dualla 7) for Seymour (39); Adam Daly (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams 6) for McGarry (46); Adam Hall (Toomevara 6) for Kenneally (46).

Limerick: Colin Ryan (7); Vince Harrington (6), Seán Casey (7), Eddie Stokes (6); Darragh Langan (7), Cathal O’Neill (Capt 6), Colin Coughlan (7); Adam English (7), Ethan Hurley (6); Oisín O’Farrell (7), Aidan O’Connor (7), Hugh Flanagan (6); Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (6), Shane O’Brien (7), Paddy O’Donovan (6).

Subs: Robbie O’Farrell (7) for Flanagan (HT); Joe Fitzgerald (6) for Hurley (43); Dylan O’Shea (7) for Coughlan (43); Chris Thomas (6) for Harrington (43); Fintan Fitzgerald (6) for English (50); Dara Ferland (6) for Ó Dálaigh (50); Matthew Fitzgerald (6) for Langan (50); John English (6) for O O’Farrell (50); Fionn O’Brien (6) for Ryan (53); James Coughlan (6) for O’Neill (53).

Referee: Nicky O’Toole (Waterford).