Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship round 4

Limerick 1-23 Tipperary 1-22

**Clare 0-17 Cork 0-12
**

A 65th-minute winner from half-back Jack Cosgrove eliminated the Tipperary minors from the Munster Championship with a game to spare while ensuring Limerick’s progression.

Robbie Ryan was heroic in defeat, his tally of 16 points from all angles keeping Tipp alive for much of this contest until two late hammer blows saw Limerick into the knockout stages, where they will be joined by Clare and Cork.

The first key moment, Robert O’Farrell’s 58th-minute goal, came from a dropped ball as Tipp tried to pass their way out from the back. O’Farrell found the net from 25 yards out with the goalie unable to recover his position to defend the whole of the goal.

It put Limerick two clear and was a fine reward for an attack that forced turnover scores all day long at FBD Semple Stadium.

Cosgrove’s winner, his third point of the day, similarly came from a loose clearance, this time a longer one. It was excusable in the circumstances as Tipp were desperate to get off one last attack knowing nothing but a win could breathe life into their All-Ireland title defence.

Limerick had struck eight of the first 10 points as O’Farrell (1-3) lit the fuse with three in three minutes.

James Woodlock positioned inside forward Ryan at centre-forward with a licence to roam and he would bend the game to his will in the second quarter with eight of Tipp’s next 10 points to make it 0-12 to 0-10 at halfway.

Darren Collopy (0-9, 6 frees) and substitute Patrick Kearney (0-2) helped Limerick regain the lead until Sam Rowan’s 49th-minute goal ignited a 1-3 streak to put Tipp two ahead.

Collopy and Matthew Fitzgerald brought Limerick back level and while Tipp had three more points from Jamie Ormond, Cormac Cahill, and Ryan, those errors would cost them.

Tipp’s defeat meant that Cork and Clare would both advance to the next stage regardless, although the Banner’s 0-17 to 0-12 win puts them top of the table with all four of their games played (6 points, +9 score difference).

They won’t take top spot and the direct route into the Munster final, however. Limerick (6 points, +8) will take that position with a win or draw in their final game against Cork, while the Rebels (4 points, +15) would go top with a victory.

The sides were level eight times in the first 40 minutes at Sixmilebridge with Clare 0-9 to 0-8 up at the break before Cork forged one ahead.

But Clare struck seven points in a row to seal their victory, with centre-back James Hegarty top-scoring for the winners with 0-4 (3 frees).