Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A

LIMERICK 2-14 TIPPERARY 0-18

By John Fallon at Semple Stadium

Allianz League champions Limerick came from ten points behind early in the second-half to carve out an exciting victory in front of a crowd of 11,867 at Semple Stadium in Thurles.

However, All-Ireland champions Tipperary almost snatched victory at the death but Jason Forde’s free from 25 metres was deflected in a crowded goalmouth and hit the crossbar before being cleared to safety.

The wind was not factor in ideal conditions in Thurles but it was very much contrasting fortunes in either half, with Tipperary dominating the opening period and Limerick coming good after the restart.

Limerick struggled to get quality ball into their attack in the opening half and Tipperary deservedly led by 0-13 to 0-4 at the break, with Forde, Jake Morris and John McGrath impressive in up front.

Morris and McGrath hit a brace each from play, Forde landed 0-7, five from frees and one from a sideline, while debutant Paddy Cadell and Willie Connors also hit good scores.

But Limerick were a different proposition after the restart and they outscored Tipp by 1-6 to 0-2 in the third quarter as they upped the tempo in this battle of the last two sides to win the All-Ireland.

Limerick reduced the margin with three points from Gillane, while David Dempsey fired over a couple and Diarmuid Byrnes hit one from 75 metres after some good passing out of defence.

The main score of the match came after 49 minutes when substitute William O’Donoghue burst through and to set up Gillane and he blasted low into the bottom right corner.

They reduced the margin to 0-15 to 1-10 at the end of the third quarter, with McGrath responding with his third point for Tipp.

Another Forde free pushed Tipp three in front but then O’Donoghue again was instrumental in setting up a Limerick goal when he found Hegarty and whose low shot to the bottom left corner tied the match at 0-16 to 2-10.

The sides swapped points but then Gillane and Byrnes landed points and when Forde reduced the gap to the minimum, Seamus Flanagan put two between them in the dying moments.

Tipp still had time to snatch it but Forde’s late effort was deflected off the crossbar and clear as Limerick held on for the win.

Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 1-6 (4f, 0-1sl), David Dempsey 0-3, Gearoid Hegarty 1-0, Tom Morrissey 0-2, Diarmuid Byrnes 0-2 (1f), Seamus Flanagan 0-1.

Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 0-10 (8f, 0-1sl), Jake Morris 0-3, John McGarth 0-3, Paddy Cadell 0-1, Willie Connors 0-1.

LIMERICK: Barry Hennessy; Tom Condon, Mike Casey, Richie English; Diarmuid Byrnes, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Robbie Hanley, Cian Lynch; Darragh O’Donovan, Tom Morrissey, David Reidy; Aaron Gillane, Graeme Mulcahy, David Dempsey. Subs: Sean Finn for Casey (24), William O’Donoghue for Hanley (28), Gearóid Hegarty for Reidy (49), Seamus Flanagan for Mulcahy (70).

TIPPERARY: Brian Hogan; Cathal Barrett, Ronan Maher, Seán O’Brien; Séamus Kennedy, Padraic Maher, Bryan O’Meara; Alan Flynn, Paddy Cadell; Willie Connors, John McGrath, Michael Breen; Mark Kehoe, Jason Forde, Jake Morris. Subs: Dylan Quirke for Kehoe (55), Paul Flynn for Connors (55), Craig Morgan for Flynn (60), Cian Darcy for Breen (66), Jamie Moloney for Kennedy (69).

Referee: Patrick Murphy (Carlow).