Stunning second half sees Limerick footballers off to a winning league start

Limerick got off to a flying start in Division 3 of the Allianz Football League Division 3 South with a 1-13 to 0-14 victory over Tipperary at the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

Danny Neville’s 1-1 in the space of 90 seconds at the beginning of the second half saw Limerick reverse a two point deficit. They led for the remainder of the game.

Hugh Bourke also chipped in with 0-6 for Billy Lee’s men against the 2020 Munster Football champions.

Tipperary had all of the play in the opening quarter with two Conor Sweeney frees and one each from Sean O’Connor and Steven O’Brien putting them four in front.

Darragh Treacy eventually got Limerick on the board on 16 minutes but Tipperary went four clear again when O’Connor landed his second mark of the game.

Limerick improved from there with efforts from Tony McCarthy and two Bourke scores to reduce the lead to one ahed of the break.

A Michael O’Reilly ’45 saw Tipp two clear once more at half time but the game changed on the resumption with Neville to the fore.

He nailed a superb left footed point after 33 seconds of the half and then buried the game’s only goal moments later, again with his left peg.

Bourke, Neville and then Bourke again saw Limerick 1-8 to 0-6 ahead with Tipperary very much on the back foot.

Liam Boland settled Tipperary with their first score of the second half but Brian Donovan kicked his first of two points to keep Limerick five clear before Sweeney and Bourke exchanged frees.

Tipperary came out all guns blazing after the water break with three in a row but Bourke and Neville settled Limerick once more.

Donovan finished the scoring for the home side and despite another late rally from Tipp, Limerick comfortable held on for a deserved win.

LIMERICK: Donal O’Sullivan; Sean O’Dea, Brian Fanning, Michael Donovan; Tony McCarthy, Bob Childs, Gordon Brown; Darragh Treacy, Tommie Childs; Cian Sheehan, Cillian Fahy, Tommy Griffin; Adrian Enright, Danny Neville, Hugh Bourke. Subs: Iain Corbett for Enright (h-t), Brian Donovan for Griffin (h-t), Paul Maher for Brown (59), Seamus O’Carroll for Sheehan (65), Robbie Bourke for Fahy (69).

Scorers – Limerick: Hugh Bourke 0-6 (3f), Danny Neville 1-3, Brian Donovan 0-2, Darragh Treacy and Tony McCarthy 0-1 each.