Limerick fall to U20 Hurling defeat against Tipperary

Tipperary 1-15
Limerick 0-16

By Tom Clancy in FBD Semple Stadium

Limerick suffered a first loss of the O’Neills.com Munster U20 Hurling Championship, as their wasteful opening half left them with too much to do at FBD Semple Stadium.

It was a night where little went right for Diarmuid Mullins’ side, with Adam English limping out of the contest with a hamstring issue, just prior to the half-time whistle. They were wasteful in the opening half, hitting 11 wides in total. These were compounded by a looseness at the back.

The opening goal came from Sean Keanneally, which pushed them 1-8 to 0-1 clear approaching half-time.
Tipperary led 1-9 to 0-2 at half-time with Patrick O’Donovan’s late free ending 20 minutes without a Limerick score. Limerick hit 11 wides in a most frustrating half of hurling.

There was a significant contribution from the subs bench with Oisin O’Farrell getting a nice brace of points. Eighe second-half points from O’Donovan hauled Limerick to within one point in stoppage time, but Jack Leamy gave the Premier a two point buffer.

The hunt for a winning goal was an unsuccessful one as Tipperary held on to get a first win and move ahead of Limerick in the table.

The Treaty must regroup against Cork next Friday at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, knowing a win will see them advance to a Munster semi-final. A loss will see them de-throned as provincial champions.

Scorers for Tipperary: Jack Leamy 0-7 (0-5f); Eddie Ryan 0-3; Sean Keaneally 1-2; Peter McGarry, Darragh Stakelum and Daniel Corbett 0-1 each.

Scorers Limerick: Patrick O’Donovan 0-9 (0-7f); Oisin O’Farrell 0-2; Shane O’Brien, Con Hayes, Adam Fitzgerald, Cian Scully and Ronan Lyons 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Jason O’Dwyer (Clonoulty Rossmore); Danny Slattery (Clonoulty Rossmore), Robert Doyle (Clonoulty Rossmore), Luke Shanahan (Upperchurch Drombane); Cathal Quinn (Cashel King Cormacs), Joe Caesar (Holycross Ballycahill), Conor McKelvey (Silvermines); James Morris (St. Mary’s), Darragh Stakelum © (Thurles Sarsfields); Sean Keanneally (Moneygall), Eddie Ryan (Borris-Ileigh), Jack Leamy (Golden Kilfeacle); Peter McGarry (St. Mary’s), Tony Cahill (Drom & Inch), Darragh McCarthy (Tommevara).

Subs: Damien Corbett for McCarthy (45), Ben Currivan for McGarry (45), Stephen Ferncombe for Ryan (56), Michael Corcoran for McKelvey (58) Conor O’Brien for Slattery (inj – 61).


Limerick: Josh O’Reilly (Ballybrown); David Fitzgerald (Kildimo/Pallaskenry), Ronan Lyons (Monaleen), Evan O’Leary (Ahane); Barry Duff (Mungret/St. Paul’s), Cian Scully (Dromin/Athlacca), Ethan Hurley © (Newcastle West); Joseph Fitzgerald (Monaleen), John Kirby (Patrickswell); Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret/St. Paul’s), Patrick O’Donovan (Effin), Adam Fitzgerald (Templeglantine); Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), Adam English (Doon), Seán O’Neill (Blackrock).

Subs: Con Hayes (Newcastle West) for English (inj – 30), Mikey Gavin (Ballybrown) for Kirby (h-t), Oisin O’Farrell (Askeaton) for F Fitzgerald (h-t), Liam Dennehy (Glenroe) for O’Neill (51)

Referee: Nicky Barry (Waterford)