McGrath Cup Senior Football: Tipperary denied place in the final despite unbeaten run

Tipperary 2-10

Limerick 1-13

Tipperary were denied a place in the McGrath Cup senior football final despite remaining unbeaten in the competition following their second outing of the season at Fethard this afternoon.

Colm McSweeney’s point six minutes into injury time earned Limerick the draw with  that secured the Treaty County's place in the decider to break the heart of David Power's men.

In a brilliant end-to-end encounter on the all-weather pitch at Fethard, Tipperary looked to have snatched victory when sub Joe Lawrence blasted through a crowded goal line for a Premier County goal and an 2-10 to 1-12 lead well into injury time.

But Limerick, a team playing in a division ahead of Tipperary in the Allianz NFL - division 2 -  showed great heart and pushed upfield for McSweeney to hit the leveller with virtually the last kick of the game to give them the place in the final, which Tipperary thought they had done enough to secure.

Limerick made the early running in a tight rencounter, Gordon Browne’s goal after 15 minutes putting them 1-3 to 0-2 ahead. Tipp fought back well and a Conor Sweeney goal after 32 minutes had them in front but Davy Lyons pointed for Limerick to leave it all square 1-6 apiece at the half way mark.

Limerick managed to keep their noses in front for most of the second half but Lawrence’s goal looked to have stolen it for Tipp only for Sweeney to find that deserved equaliser for the visitors who showed great composure and never say die attitude to claim the point.

The loss through injury of Steven O Brien and Paudie Feehan inside 25minutes was a big blow for Tipperary for whom Kevin Fahey, Dean Carew, Jack Kennedy, Jimmy Feehan and Liam McGrath did well.

Cian Sheehan had a big game for Limerick with Adrian Enright, Iain Corbett, Gordon Brown and goalkeeper Donal O Sullivan who pointed three frees, also to the fore.

Scorers for Tipperary: C Sweeney(1-4, 0-4fs), J Lawrence(1-0)), S O Connor(0-3,2fs), L McGrath(0-2), T Doyle(0-1);

Scorers for Limerick: G Browne(1-1), D O Sullivan(0-3,3fs), C Sheehan(0-3,1f), A Enright, D Lyons(0-2 each), P Nash, C McSweeney(0-1 each);

Tipperary: M O Reilly; J Harney, J Feehan, D Carew; K Fahey, C O Shaughnessy, L Boland; P Feehan, J Kennedy; T Doyle, M O Shea, E Moloney; C Sweeney, S O Brien, S O Connor.

Subs: M Stokes for P Feehan (19mins), L McGrath for S O Brien (24mins), C Cadell for Moloney (42mins), D Leahy for Doyle (43mins), T Maher for O'Shea (43mins), C Deeley for Harney (43mins), W Eviston for Carew (45mins), D Brennan for O Connor (45mins), J Hanley for Boland (45mins), J Lawrence for McGrath (65mins).

Limerick: D O Sullivan; D Connolly, S O Dea, B Fanning; B Coleman, I Corbett), J Ryan; C Fahy, C McSweeney; P Maher, C Sheehan, A Enright; D Lyons, G Browne, C Downes. 

Subs: J Naughton for Fahey (h/t); P Nash for O Dea (38mins), D Noonan for Ryan (56mins), R Bourke for Lyons (56mins), M Donovan for Connolly (64mins);

Referee: A Long (Cork).