A disappointing weekend for Limerick hurling was rounded off with a heavy defeat for the minors in the Munster final.
Amid damp, blustery conditions at the Gaelic Grounds the underage hurlers suffered a heavy loss to bitter rivals, Tipperary, going down by a score of 1-24 to 0-10.
Appearing in the their fourth consecutive Munster final Limerick were looking to avenge last year’s defeat and regain the title they’d won in both 2013 and 2014.
And in the game’s early stages they looked well placed to do so, trading points with their opponents and coping manfully with the difficult conditions.
Tipp led by three points to two when the game’s first real talking point occurred; a poor puck out by Mark O’Kelly landing straight into the grateful grasp of danger-man Lyndon Fairbrother who pointed with ease. Fairbrother was to prove a thorn in Limerick’s side throughout the game, the highly-rated forward tormenting his opposite number with a mixture of powerful running and superb stick-work.
Such was the work-rate and movement of the Tipperary forward line that Limerick manager Pat Donnelly was forced into an early change, replacing the floundering Brian Timmons with Jerome Boylan. Brian Nash was another one having difficulties, picking up a booking that was to prove costly as the game went on.
Yet, despite their own forward-line failing to impose themselves on their opposite numbers Limerick were managing to keep in touch. The free-taking of Paul O’Brien coupled with the calm assurance of Brian Ryan and Darragh Carroll in the middle of the park ensuring Tipperary were at least within distance as half time approached.
And were it not for Fairbrother there might not have been much to separate these two sides as half-time approached. But the J.K Brackens man was just having one of those days, with everything he hit dissecting the sticks. One point in particular seemed to defy the laws of both gravity and physics as he scored from an angle so acute it seemed folly to even attempt a shot.
At half-time the gap was six points, Tipperary 0-13 to Limerick’s 0-7.
It was clear that Donnelly needed to fire up his troops, and in particular his forwards who had barely had a sniff of goal. The early stages of the second half suggested that Donnelly had indeed passed down an inspiring sermon. Limerick tore out of the tunnel and continued in the same vein. An early, dogged point from captain Kyle Hayes sparked the crowd into life. A comeback suddenly appeared on the cards, and with it revenge for last year’s defeat.
All talk of comebacks and vengeance were put to bed in a couple of game-turning moments however. First, Tipperary’s Jake Morris scored the game’s first, and only, goal, firing past O’Kelly from distance while under pressure from a handful of defenders. This was a major blow for Limerick, but one they could feasibly recover from. Moments later they suffered another blow, and one from which they would not recover. Brian Nash, already booked, flailed a careless hurley into the face of his opposite number and saw his second yellow of the game.
A man down and facing a large deficit Limerick were now well and truly up and against it. To their credit they fought on, Michael O’Grady charging out of defence and leaving several Tipperary defenders in his wake. But it was for nought. He lost the ball and Tipperary resumed their peppering of the Limerick goal. Now content to take their points the Tipperary forwards, aided and abetted by Morris and Brian McGrath, continued the onslaught; the disappointed home crowd watching on in silence as the scores rained over O’Kelly’s goal. Limerick’s occasionally forays forward were spent in search of goals but despite the valiant efforts of Conor Boylan and Cian Magnier Flynn the Tipperary defence held firm.
By the finish, with the rain growing heavier, the Limerick players looked like a team who just wanted to get into the dressing room. One final flurry by Tipperary tacked on another handful of points, and by the final whistle the scoreline just about reflected the gulf in the teams. For them an All-Ireland semi-final awaits. Limerick meanwhile must regroup and take solace in their first half efforts when they, at least in parts, lived with an almost irrepressible Tipperary forward line.
Teams
Limerick:
Mark O’Kelly (Croom), Brian Nash (South Liberties), Conor Nicholas (Monaleen), Brian Timmons (Murroe Boher), Michael O’Grady (Knockainey), Josh Adams (Ballybrown), Finn Hourigan (Murroe/Boher), Brian Ryan (South Liberties), Darragh Carroll (Newport), Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry), Cal McCarthy (Kilmallock), David Woulfe (Kilmallock), Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), Cian Magnier Flynn (Kileedy), Paul O’Brien (Mungret/St Pauls).
Tipperary:
Ciaran Barrett (Clonmel Og), Killian O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Michael Whelan (Carrick Davins), Jerome Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Cian Flanagan (Newport), Brian McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney), Jake Morris (Nenagh Eire Og), Paddy Cadell (J.K Brackens), Ger Browne (Knockavilla), Rian Doody (Cappawhite), Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Cian Darcy (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Tom Murphy (J.K Brackens), Colin English (Fr. Sheehy’s), Lyndon Fairbrother (J.K Brackens)
Teams:
