Limerick pick up one point win over three goal Tipperary | Lynch and Ó Dálaigh post-match

Ó Dálaigh is enjoying a fine league campaign, the Monaleen man starting to make an inside-forward line spot his own with a string of impressive displays.

Limerick secured their place in next year’s seven-team Division 1 on Saturday evening, as John Kiely’s side picked up a one-point victory over a dogged Tipperary in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Round Four of the Allianz Hurling League.

The Shannonsiders continued their unbeaten league campaign with a win on Leeside, although it wasn’t plain sailing, with the Premier hitting three-goals on a leaky Limerick defence.

Donnacha Ó Dálaigh was on hand to land Limerick’s only two points from open play in the opening 30 minutes, with Aaron Gillane keeping the scoreboard ticking with five close-range frees.

Ó Dálaigh is enjoying a fine league campaign, the Monaleen man starting to make an inside-forward line spot his own with a string of impressive displays.

Speaking post-match, he said it was “a pleasure to play with” Limerick’s four All-Ireland in-a-row winning stars.

“It’s just a pleasure to play with these boys here. Scores were obviously hard to come by in the first-half, but once we got our game going, got hands on ball, we started making better decisions on the ball and we just pushed on.”

Donnacha Ó Dálaigh

Tipperary did their damage via green flags, and they struck the first goal of the game on the half-hour mark, as Silvermines man Jason Forde instinctively finished a sideline delivery past Nickie Quaid.

Bonner Maher hit his side’s second goal, and Jake Morris would pop up with the third late on to pull the Premier within one, as they gave Limerick a real test.

Kiely will be worried with the amount of goal chances conceded, but three white flags from Ó Dálaigh, as well as a pair each from Cian Lynch, Colin Coughlan and Gearóid Hegarty saw his side over the line.

Lynch in particular was a live-wire for the Treaty, the Patrickswell man picking up man-of-the-match as he captained the side on his first-start of the year.

Speaking post-match, he praised the training efforts of the panel, and highlighted to importance of new players coming into the side.

“This time of year, we’re training hard the last two months. Lads are pushing each other, this man beside me (Ó Dálaigh) pushing the barrier every night we’re training. It’s about the rest of us trying to keep up with him and keep pushing him as well.”

“There’s a good batch of new lads after coming in this year from 18-24, pushing all the likes of ourselves who are there the last few years. That’s what you need, you need freshness, you need lads to keep pushing and the competition there is class. We just love going training, love playing matches, enjoy every bit of it.”

Cian Lynch

The Shannonsiders add the Premier to their list of league victories this year, having already gotten the better of Antrim, Westmeath and Dublin.

Kiely’s men are in pole position for a place in the semi-finals, and will travel to face Galway this Saturday at 1.15pm in what will be their final group game.

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