Allianz Hurling League Division 1 semi-final

TIPPERARY 2-31 LIMERICK 1-31 (AET)

By John Harrington at Semple Stadium

It’s becoming very clear we have one hell of a hurling summer to look forward to.

Tipperary and Limerick produced a hugely enjoyable helter-skelter game of hurling in Semple tonight that seriously whets the appetite for their Championship clash on May 20.

Two extra-time goals from Jason Forde were the decisive scores of the match for Tipperary who just about deserved the win, but Limerick earned huge honour in defeat.

They showed serious resolve to bring the game to extra-time in the first place by scoring the last four points in normal time, and will rue gifting Forde the first of his goals on a silver platter.

From the start it was an intriguing tactical battle as both teams set about proving there’s more than one way to play the game.

Limerick’s inside forwards were constantly switching and moving as they tried to create space in the two quadrants either side of the Tipperary goal.

And further out the field Limerick were prepared to pass the ball short and patiently until someone had the time to get their head up and fire diagonal balls into the space left by the movement of those inside forwards.

Tipperary on the other had were playing a more orthodox brand of hurling where the ball was being long and direct whenever possible.

And even though this was quite often meat and drink to the Limerick defenders, because Tipperary we so clinical with any opportunities they did create they made much of the early running in the match.

By the eight minute they were 0-4 to 0-2 ahead, and even then Limerick’s profligacy was consistently undermining some neat hurling further out the field.

They would hit six wides and drop four balls short in the first half whereas Tipperary would hit just a single wide.

Tipperary are always capable of producing a purple patch at any given moment in a match, and four points in as many minutes, including one from lively debutant Willie Connors, had them 0-8 to 0-4 ahead by the 21st minute.

The gap was still four points by the 30 minute mark, but then Limerick finally started to find the sort of composure in the final third they’d lacked up to that point.

Some really slick heads up hurling saw them stretch the Tipperary defence this way and that before Kyle Hayes (2) and Seamus Flanagan applied clinical finishing touches.

And when Aaron Gillane knocked over a long-range free, the teams were level and we had a scoreline that more accurately reflected the balance of play.

But just before half-time Tipperary once again displayed their ability to suddenly put their foot on the gas, as nice points from Ronan Maher and Michael Breen left them leading 0-12 to 0-10 by the break.

A couple of frees from Forde increased their advantage to four early in the second-half before Limerick started to impress again with some patient build-up play and clinical finishing.

An Aaron Gillane free was followed by classy scores from Barry Murphy and Seamus Flanagan to make it a one-point game.

But just like they’d already done on a couple of occasions, when Tipp saw Limerick appear in their rear-view mirror they opened up the throttle to hit the next four points.

Two of them were hit from play by Forde, who was once again showing why he’s not just the form forward in the Tipp team, but arguably the country.

It looked then like perhaps Tipperary were starting to dictate the contest, but just like they’d proven in the quarter-final against Clare, this young Limerick team doesn’t lack for grit.

They hit six of the next seven points scored to draw level by the 56th minute at 0-19 apiece, and at that stage looked like the team with all the momentum.

Kyle Hayes was hurling up a storm on the ’40, Gearoid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey were coming into the game too, and substitute Pat Ryan scored a great point with his first involvement.

But Tipp had brought on a super-sub of their own, John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer, and points from him and Sean Curran settled Tipperary nerves.

John McGrath then got in on the scoring act having been unusually quiet since the opening minutes of the match before Ronan Maher roused the greatest cheer of the night when he landed an incredible sideline cut from the half-way line.

Maher was having a powerful game in open play too, and when he then drove over a sensational long-range point on the 67-minute mark to put Tipperary 0-26 to 0-22 ahead, the Premier County’s passage to the League Final seemed assured.

But just like in the quarter-final against Clare, Limerick refused to throw in the towel.

Sub Graeme Mulcahy filched a point before the inspirational Cian Lynch hit two in quick succession.

The Limerick support were on their feet when Tom Morrisey then levelled it up two minutes into injury time with a 50 yard free, but Tipperary then had a late chance to win the game when they won another sideline and Ronan Maher stepped up to take it.

He’d already converted two and this one was sweetly struck too, but at the last minute it tailed off to the right and wide.

The final whistle blew with the score at 0-26 apiece and into extra-time we went.

Tipperary immediately seized the initiative again. First John McGrath pointed, and then Jason Forde scored his first goal when Limerick goal-keeper Nicky Quad was generous enough to puck the ball straight too him.

You don’t give Forde chances like that. He took one step forward and buried it low and hard to the back of the net.

His second goal arrived eight minutes later and was less aesthetically pleasing, as he showed good perseverance to flick the ball to the net after a goal-mouth scramble, but they all count.

Tipp led by 2-28 to 0-29 after the first period of extra-time and Limerick required another unlikely comeback, but this time they couldn’t summon it.

Not that they didn’t try, mind you. Graeme Mulcahy hit a brilliant goal to reduce the deficit to four points on the 87 minute-mark and then David Reidy landed a point to make it a one-score game again. 

But the Tipperary defence just about managed to repulse a couple of desperate late charges to finally finish off a brave Limerick side once and for all to book their place in next weekend's Allianz League Final.

Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 2-11 (8f), Ronan Maher 0-5 (2 sidelines), Michael Breen 0-3, John McGrath 0-5, Sean Curran 0-3, John O’Dwyer 0-1, Willie Connors 0-1, Barry Heffernan 0-1, Billy McCarthy 0-1.

Scorers for Limerick: Aaron Gillane 0-7 (4f, 2 ’65), Tom Morrissey 0-6 (5f), Graeme Mulcahy 1-1, Gearoid Hegarty 0-3 (1 sideline), Kyle Hayes 0-3, Seamus Flanagan 0-3, Cian Lynch 0-2, Pat Ryan 0-1, Paul Browne 0-1, , Diarmuid Byrnes 0-1, Barry Murphy 0-1, Barry Nash 0-1, David Reidy 0-1

**TIPPERARY: **Daragh Mooney; Alan Flynn, James Barry, Michael Cahill; Barry Heffernan, Padraic Maher, Tomás Hamill; Séamus Kennedy, Ronan Maher; Seán Curran, Billy McCarthy, John McGrath; Michael Breen, Jason Forde, Willie Connors. **Subs: **Brendan Maher for Tomas Hamill (36), John O’Dwyer for Billy McCarthy (45), Cathal Barrett for Seamus Kennedy (65), Donagh Maher for Barry Heffernan (72), Mark Russell for Willie Connors (78), Cian Darcy for Michael Breen (88), Sean O’Brien for Roan Maher (90)

**LIMERICK: **Nicky Quaid; Sean Finn, Seamus Hickey, Richie English; Diarmuid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; Colin Ryan, Cian Lynch; Gearóid Hegarty, Kyle Hayes, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Séamus Flanagan, Barry Murphy. **Subs: **Paul Browne for Colin Ryan (ht), Pat Ryan for Barry Murphy (50), Graeme Mulcahy for Seamus Flanagan (58), Barry Nash for Aaron Gillane (60), David Reidy for Gearoid Hegarty (84), Paddy O’Loughlin for Diarmuid Byrnes (86)

Ref: John Keenan (Wicklow)