Aaron Gillane surrounded by Limerick supporters following the Munster SHC win over Tipperary. Photo by Tom Beary/Sportsfile
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Limerick 2-27 Tipperary 0-18
By Tom Clancy at TUS Gaelic Grounds
Limerick sealed back-to-back Munster Championship wins after a routine victory over old rivals Tipperary at a packed TUS Gaelic Grounds. Unfortunately Limerick marksman, Peter Casey, suffered a serious ankle injury during the second half.The result puts John Kiely’s firmly in control of the group. Few would rule out Limerick reaching a sixth Munster title in a row, and an eighth decider just in 12 seasons.
Goals from Aaron Gillane and Casey pushed Limerick clear in the second half and a 15-point differential perhaps didn’t flatter them. It extends Limerick’s unbeaten championship over their neighbours to six games (five wins, one draw). 33,475 were in attendance at the Ennis Road venue.
While the wides were level five times, Liam Cahill’s men only led once, briefly, when Gearoid O’Connor fired over after seven minutes. Quickfire points from Kyle Hayes, the elusive Cathal O’Neill and Gillane (free) put Limerick back into some control.
The game could have been different on 22 minutes. When trailing by just a point, Tipperary had the first goal chance of the afternoon. This came from a forced turnover from Eoghan Connolly while with Alan Tynan played the final pass to Seán Hayes, who saw his effort sabed by a sprawling Nickie Quaid.
In an opening half that was at times fragmented, the hosts pushed clear with six in a row between 27 and 35 minutes, the pick of the scores from Diarmaid Byrnes. The former Hurler of the Year landed a free from inside his own half, while Gillane and the returning Peter Casey also got their first points from play during this run.
A Jason Forde free closed the half, but the Premier County still trailed 0-12 to 0-7. Liam Cahill’s men had wasted a couple of 65’s and other efforts, on an afternoon when their accuracy needed to be much higher.
Both sides fired over points over inside two minutes of the restart, Mark Kehoe replying to David Reidy’s effort.
Kehoe then had a goal chance after Noel McGrath’s attempt at a point came off the post. However, his attempts to whip the ball home were stopped by Sean Finn.
Then came the goal, and what a finish it was. After Byrnes saw his free drop well shot, his clubmate Gillane collected the loose ball and picked out the top corner on the turn. A bullet that left Barry Hogan with little chance.
The second goal confirmed Limerick’s win, if it hadn’t been already.
In the act of scoring Limerick’s goal, Casey suffered an horrendous injury.
Adam English did his best to impress late on, clipping over four points to stretch the margin of victory. John Kiely’s men will enjoy a fortnight’s break before travelling to Cork, while Tipperary travel to Walsh Park next Saturday, for a meeting with Waterford.
Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 1-8 (7fs), Peter Casey 1-2, Adam English 0-4, Cathal O’Neill, Tom Morrissey 0-3 each, David Reidy, Diarmaid Byrnes (2fs) 0-2 each, Kyle Hayes, William O’Donoghue, Donnacha O Dálaigh 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 0-9 (8fs), Mark Kehoe, Gearoid O’Connor (1f) 0-2 each, Eoghan Connolly, Alan Tynan, Patrick Maher, Noel McGrath, Johnny Ryan 0-1 each.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Seán Finn, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon (C), Kyle Hayes; William O’Donoghue, Cian Lynch; Gearoid Hegarty, Cathal O’Neill, Tom Morrissey; David Reidy, Aaron Gillane, Peter Casey.
Subs: Donnacha O Dálaigh for Hegarty (52); Graeme Mulcahy for P. Casey (inj - 58); Adam English for Lynch (61); Colin Coughlan for Hayes (65); Conor Boylan for Reidy (69).
Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Johnny Ryan, Ronan Maher (C), Craig Morgan; Michael Breen, Bryan O’Mara, Conor Bowe; Willie Connors, Eoghan Connolly; Alan Tynan, Gearoid O’Connor, Jason Forde; Sean Hayes, Jake Morris, Mark Kehoe.
Subs: Noel McGrath for Hayes (half-time); Patrick Maher for Kehoe (43); Andrew Ormond for Connors (50), Darragh Stakelum for Morris (59); Seánie Kenneally for Forde (69).
Referee: Liam Gordon (Galway)