Tipp Minors into Munster Final after win over Limerick
GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 4
Limerick 0-16
Tipperary 2-13
Report: Shane Brophy at the TUS Gaelic Grounds
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Colm Ryan (Tipperary)
SCORERS – Limerick: Shane Waters 0-12 (10 frees, 1 ’65); Eamon O’Sullivan 0-3; Diarmuid Crowe 0-1.
Tipperary: Ollie Roche 1-2 (0-2 frees); Conall Morrisson 0-4; Rian McGrath 1-1; Conor Kennedy, Shane Ryan (1 free) 0-2 each; KJ Dunne, Sean Burke 0-1 each.
Tipperary secured their passage to the Munster Minor Hurling final on Thursday evening holding off a Limerick rally to secure their third consecutive victory.
Second half goals from Rian McGrath and Ollie Roche proved decisive as they helped Tipp go eight clear but Limerick battled back within three but couldn’t force the goal they needed to earn a share of the spoils.
Tipperary made two changes from the side that defeated Cork with Ollie Roche coming in for the injured Zac O’Keeffe with the second enforced before throw-in with Chris Dunne unable to feature and was replaced by Rian McGrath.
It was the visitors who made the brighter start with KJ Dunne opening the scoring inside thirty seconds with Conall Morrisson, Rian McGrath and Ollie Roche (free) also on the scoresheet by the fifth minute.
Limerick captain Shane Waters opening the home sides account before Eamon O’Sullivan halved the deficit in the seventh minute.
However, Tipp were the more threatening and were awarded a penalty in the eleventh minute when KJ Dunne was fouled with Conor Ryan sent to the sin-bin. Ollie Roche stepped up but his penalty was straight at Sam Collins who saved but wasn’t fully clear with Morrisson getting his second.
Waters pointed again for Limerick before Shane Ryan and Conor Kennedy added their names to the scoresheet for Tipp but it was the home side who finished the half the stronger with three Waters frees to trail by just two at the break, 0-7 to 0-9.
The second half followed a similar trend to the first with Tipp straight out of the blocks with Rian McGrath goaling from close range.
As the conditions deteriorated, it was a case of trading frees with Waters adding two more with Roche and Shane Ryan pointing for Tipp.
Water’s one and only point from play cut the gap to four before Tipp cut through for their second goal on 44 minutes, Ryan and Eanna Tucker doing the spade work for Ollie Roche to goal from close range.
Tipp seemed to have the game well in hand, leading 2-12 to 0-10 but they wouldn’t score again for fifteen minutes by which time Limerick reeled off five without reply from O’Sullivan (2), Diarmuid Crowe and two more Waters’ placed balls.
Sub Sean Burke landed a timely score for Tipp on 59 minutes with Waters bringing his tally to twelve as Tipp held on for a three point win with a game to spare ahead of travelling to Dungarvan to play Waterford next Friday.
TEAMS – Limerick: Sam Collins; Sam Mitchell, William Ryan, Rowan Collins; Eoin Hennessy, Conor Ryan; John O’Riordan; Xavier Nelligan, Jack Roche; Diarmuid Crowe, Ryan Foley, Shane Waters (Capt); Gavin O’Brien, Eamon O’Sullivan, Rian Horgan.
Subs: Colin Burke for Horgan (40); David Long for O’Brien (50); Danny O’Grady for Roche (50); Jack McCarthy for Mitchell (60); Callum Butler for Nelligan (60+2)
Tipperary: Eoin Connolly (Carrick Swan); Colm Ryan (Newport), Daniel Groome (Borris-Ileigh), Conor Collins (Galtee Rovers, Capt); Oisin Kennedy (Newport), James Finn (Golden-Kilfeacle), Travis McLoughlin (Cahir); Shane Ryan (Borris-Ileigh), Hugo Healy (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Conor Kennedy (Clonoulty/Rossmore), Riain McGrath (Kiladangan), Eanna Tucker (Nenagh Eire Og); Ollie Roche (Newport), Conall Morrisson (Moyle Rovers), KJ Dunne (Toomevara).
Subs: Ciaran Gantley (Cappawhite) for Tucker (44); Sean Burke (JK Brackens) for McGrath (52); John O’Meara (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone) for Healy (57);
Referee: Patrick O’Mahoney (Cork).