It’s the Treaty’s first league win of the campaign
LIMERICK 0-30
TIPPERARY 1-23
It wasn’t easy, but Limerick won’t care as they came out of the TUS Gaelic Grounds on Sunday afternoon with a 0-30 to 1-23 win over Tipperary in a fantastic game of hurling.
It’s the first win of the league campaign in Division 1A for the reigning Munster champions following their draw away to Cork last Saturday, whilst Tipperary suffer first defeat of the season following wins over Galway and Wexford respectively.
Diarmuid Byrnes had one of his best games in the green jersey as he ended with 0-7, whilst Aidan O’Connor impressed hugely with 0-5 from play at wing forward.
Tipperary will be frustrated to have not scored from play for the final 25 minutes and relying a bit too much on Darragh McCarthy’s free taking, but they will be pleased with how well they competed with Limerick in comparison to their clash in the Munster championship in 2024.
It was Tipperary who were fast out the tracks as Willie Connors, Alan Tynan and Michael Breen all got their names on the score sheet, but Limerick responded rapidly with Aidan O’Connor and David Reidy doing most of the damage with some terrific efforts from long range.
Doon’s Adam English settled into the game well with two early scores of his own as Limerick sent over 0-11 within the first 20 minutes and looked like they could easily get more.
Tipperary weren’t far off however as Sean Kenneally, Jake Morris and Bryan O’Meara kept them in it along with consecutive frees from Toomevara man Darragh McCarthy.
Jake Morris brought it back to a one score game, and soon Liam Cahill’s men had the lead after 24 minutes on the clock thanks to a first time volley off the hurl from Sean Kenneally after he found Darragh McCarthy in space and he struck his effort first time, leaving Shane Dowling no chance in nets.
Limerick lost Kyle Hayes to injury, but Ethan Hurley was on the scoreboard within seconds after coming on. Tipperary then kicked on with three scores on the bounce from Kenneally, Morris and Gearoid O’Connor and found themselves a goal in front after 28 minutes played.
Limerick were struggling for a period and went six minutes without a score until Diarmuid Byrnes sent over his second point from 60 yards out, before Aidan O’Connor brought it back to a one point game with a lovely effort off his left coming up to half time.
Despite levelling the game through captain Cian Lynch, Alan Tynan’s point straight from the puck out gave Tipperary a one point advantage heading into the break.
The second half started just as quick as first did, with John Kiely’s men striking the first three scores to take back their lead thanks to Patrick O’Donovan, Diarmuid Byrnes and Aidan O’Connor, with Tipperary not lying down and responding with back to back points from Kenneally and a free from McCarthy.
Limerick began to push on with five of the next seven scores and were starting to pull away from their Munster rivals, with David Reidy, O’Donovan and Cian Lynch all providing the all important scores.
Tipperary kept fighting and drew themselves closer with Darragh McCarthy converting five frees in a row, with Adam English robbing possession in the middle of the park and getting his third point of the afternoon. Patrickswell star Diarmuid Byrnes was also on point with his free taking duties, with his placed ball effort on 63 minutes was his fifth score and with three coming from play.
Ethan Hurley and Byrnes put the final nails in the coffin and all but ended the fixture as a contest for Tipperary as they just couldn’t find a late spark to turn the result in their favour, but will still take plenty of positives from the overall 70 minute display as both sides now get set for the next round in two weeks time.
Scorers: LIMERICK: Diarmuid Byrnes 0-7 (0-3 f); Aidan O’Connor 0-5; Aaron Gillane (0-1 f) 0-4 each; David Reidy, Patrick O’Donovan and Adam English 0-3 each; Ethan Hurley and Cian Lynch 0-2 each, Eddie Stokes 0-1
TIPPERARY: Darragh McCarthy 0-9 (0-7 f); Sean Keanneally 1-3; Jake Morris 0-4; Alan Tynan 0-3; Michael Breen, Bryan O’Meara, Willie Connors and Gearoid O’Connor 0-1 each
Wides: LIMERICK: 6
TIPPERARY: 10
Teams:
LIMERICK: Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh); Fergal O’Connor (Effin); Dan Morrissey (Ahane); Barry Murphy (Doon); Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell); Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry); Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown); Adam English (Doon); Cian Lynch (C) (Patrickswell); Eddie Stokes (Doon); David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca); Aidan O’Connor (Ballybrown); Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell); Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (Monaleen); Patrick O’Donovan (Effin).
Subs: Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West) for Hayes (24m); Micheal Houlihan (Kilmallock) for Ó Dálaigh (46m); Hugh Flanagan (Garryspillane) for Stokes (65m); Dylan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh) for O’Donovan (68m)
TIPPERARY:
Barry Hogan (Kiladangan); Robert Doyle (Clonoulty Rossmore); Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs); Michael Breen (Ballina); Seamus Kennedy (St. Marys); Ronan Maher (C) (Thurles Sarsfields); Bryan O’Mara (Holycross); Willie Connors (Kiladangan); Craig Morgan (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Gearoid O’Connor (Moyne Templetuohy); Jake Morris (Nenagh Eire Óg); Alan Tynan (Roscrea); Darragh Stakelum(Thurles Sarsfields); Sean Kenneally(Moneygall); Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara).
Subs: Brian McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney) for Stakelum (46m); Conor Bowe (Moyne Templetuohy) for Kennedy (46m); Michael Corcoran (Silvermines) for Morgan (56m); John McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney) for O’Connor (64m); Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers) for Connors (64m)
Referee: Chris Mooney (Dublin).