Tipp U20 hurlers live to fight another day with battling victory over Limerick

Munster U20 Hurling Championship - Round 3

Tipperary 1-15

Limerick 0-16

By Michael Dundon

Tipperary dug deep to eke out a crucial two points victory over Limerick in the Munster U20 hurling championship at Semple Stadium last week, a victory that sets up another must win contest, this time against Waterford in Semple Stadium this Friday night.

With only a point from two games, Tipperary could not afford a further loss of points if they were to make the knock-out stages of the competition. Limerick came into the game with a win and a draw and were fancied to triumph, but on a night when they shot a total of sixteen wides, eleven in the first half, they paid the price for their waywardness.

The positive outcome for Tipp is that they secured the victory that the circumstances demanded and put the disappointment of their loss to Cork behind them, but they will hardly need reminding that had Limerick been as efficient with their scoring chances in the first half as they were afterwards, the outcome would surely have been different.

That said, taking your chances is an integral part of the game and in this regard Tipp were far more efficient, shooting just eight wides. Four in each half, and in the final analysis that is what won the game for them.

Tipperary took a 1-9 to 0-2 lead with them going in at half-time. It was a massive advantage but it did not accurately reflect the first half story.

Where Tipp were maximising their chances, with Jack Leamy off frees and play, and Eddie Ryan from play showing the way, Limerick were squandering chance after chance. Leamy had five points, Eddie Ryan two, and Peter McGarry a point, as Tipp pushed 0-8 to 0-1 clear by the 27th minute.

Then came the match-winning score when Conor McKelvey’s delivery into the attack was expertly fielded by the impressive Sean Kenneally who rounded his man, bore down on goal and blasted home. Eddie Ryan followed with a point and Tipp were in a commanding situation at the break, ten points to the good, with confidence soaring.

A Limerick response was to be expected in the second half but the might of it had Tipp fans on the edge of their seats demanding the final whistle from referee Nick Barry. Limerick needed a lively start on resuming and by the end of the third quarter they had cut the deficit to a goal, 0-12 to 1-12. The free count against Tipp was frustratingly one-sided and going into the last quarter Limerick looked poised to record a famous win.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going – and Tipperary’s last ten minutes plus, showed the exceptional character in the team as they stemmed the Limerick tide that threatened to engulf them and clawed their way back into a game that was steadily getting away from them.

A Ronan Lyons point gave Limerick further encouragement in the 55th minute but Sean Kenneally responded for Tipp, their first score in seventeen minutes. Oisin O’Farrell for Limerick and Damien Corbett for Tipp swapped points but a brace of Limerick points from Patrick O’Donovan and O’Farrell had Limerick just one behind with the game in injury time.

A more tense finish one could not imagine but Tipp had the nerve and the composure to meet the occasion, Jack Leamy crowning a fine individual performance with a pointed free in the 63rd minute that ensured the honours went to the home county.

Tipp manager Brendan Cummins rightly lauded the bravery of his charges afterwards citing their “unbelievable character” as the ingredient which saw them “fall over the line”. The clash with Waterford will be another massive game as they will be all out to upset the applecart, he said.

Tipp’s first half showing was impressive with Jack Leamy, Eddie Ryan and Sean Kenneally leading Limerick a merry dance. James Morris was working very hard at midfield while in defence Joe Caesar tidied up and delivered confidently with Robert Doyle and Cathal Quinn also to the fore.

What happened subsequently will give Brendan Cummins food for thought this week. However, this week should do much to boost players’ confidence in their own ability to deliver another victory on Friday night.

Limerick were the authors of their own misfortune and can have no complaints about the outcome. Sixteen wides is unsustainable in the modern game and they duly paid the penalty despite the best efforts of such as Patrick O’Donovan, Shane O’Brien, Cian Scully, Ronan Lyons and sub Oisin O’Farrell. They play Cork next with a win a must if they are to qualify.

Tipperary: Jason O’Dwyer; Danny Slattery, Robert Doyle, Luke Shanahan; Cathal Quinn, Joe Caesar, Conor McKelvey; James Morris, Darragh Stakelum (0-1); Sean Kenneally (1-2), Eddie Ryan (0-3), Jack Leamy (0-7, 0-5f); Peter McGarry (0-1), Tony Cahill, Darragh McCarthy.

Subs: Damian Corbett (0-1) for McCarthy (44), Ben Currivan for McGarry (44), Stephen Ferncombe for Ryan (55), Michael Corcoran for McKelvey (57), Conor O Brien for Slattery (61).

Limerick: Josh O’Reilly; David Fitzgerald, Ronan Lyons (0-1), Evan O’Leary; Barry Duff, Cian Scully (0-1), Ethan Hurley; Joseph Fitzgerald, John Kirby; Fintan Fitzgerald, Patrick O’Donovan (0-9, 0-7f), Adam Fitzgerald (0-1); Shane O’Brien (0-1), Adam English, Sean O’Neill.

Subs: Con Hayes (0-1) for English (24), Michael Gavin for Kirby (HT), Oisin O’Farrell (0-2) for F Fitzgerald (HT), Liam Dennehy for O’Neill (50).

Referee: Nick Barry (Waterford)