Limerick sparkle in victory over Tipperary in Munster Minor Football Championship

LIMERICK opened their Munster Minor Football Championship with victory over Tipperary this Sunday.

The final score in Lattin was Limerick, 1-9, Tipperary 1-4.

On an afternoon when all the best-laid plans could come unstuck on the vagaries of fortune, the winners always managed to retain control once they overtook an early goal from nowhere and a non-stop application of pressure during the second quarter delivered enough of a half-time lead in conditions where scores were never going to come easy.

While they did manage to find the vital score whenever Tipp threatened to come back into contact after the break, the basis of their success was their performance when out of possession where a fifteen-man effort doggedly closed off as many scoring opportunities as possible.

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Victory over Clare in their next outing in Mouncollins on Easter Monday will all but guarantee the side a place in phase two of the competition where Cork and Kerry get involved and, if they can build on this performance, they could make a stronger impression on the provincial championship than has been the case in recent years. There is a consistency of contribution right through the lineup and the contribution of the subs suggests a depth that extends beyond the starting fifteen.

After turning over Tipp's attack from the throw-in, Limerick monopolised the early possession and, despite the difficulties the greasy sod was making for creating space, they were two ahead after seven minutes following frees from Tom Gavin and Charlie McCarthy. However all the effort was undone after Cian Lonergan picked up a black card off the first sustained attack into the visitors' half, the free was brought in for a breach which Reuben Grace passed quickly to Cillian Morrissey to blast to the net.

But the response was immediate as the resulting kickout found its way to Cillian Murphy to shoot the equaliser and, continuing the pressure, Charlie McCarthy struck from a free and from play just going past the quarter mark. A rare Tipp escape from their own end of the pitch drew a free which dropped at the edge of the square but Cian Cahill's flykick on the loose ball was stopped on the line. When the onslaught resumed, strikes from Eoghan Hogan and Seán O'Flynn extended Limerick's advantage to 0-7 to 1-0 and it would have been greater had Danny Cashin not stopped Murphy's opportunist shot on goal just before half-time.

With the rain easing off somewhat, the wind rose over the interval and allowed the hosts to dominate primary possession but, as their opponents missed three frees up at the other end, their only reward was Grace's point from a tight angle. Going into the final quarter, a Morrissey free brought the margin back to the minimum but they failed to bridge the gap as Limerick were now making the breaks off turnovers and opportunity slipped from Tpp's grasp when an extended attack flashed across the 13 metre line for O'Flynn to collect and slot into the near corner.

Refusing to give up, the Premier lads wound themselves up for another response and were back to within two with two regulation minutes as Hugh Carolan and Morrissey's free both found the target. However, with fresh legs coming on, there was more gas left in the Limerick tank and, going into added time, Cathal Donnelly's point brought victory closer before McCarthy's free ended the scoring just before the long whistle blew.

SCORERS, LIMERICK: Charlie McCarthy 0-4 (3 frees), Seán O'Flynn 1-1, Tom Gavin (free), Cillian Murphy, Eoghan Hogan, Cathal Donnelly 0-1 each; TIPPERARY: Cillian Morrissey 1-2 (0-2 frees), Reuben Grace, Hugh Carolan 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Dean Ryan (Na Piarsaigh); Luke McDermott (Monaleen), Aaron Murphy (Father Caseys), Ronan Conneely (Ballybricken-Bohermore); Cian Lonergan (Ballylanders), Eoghan Murnane (Camogue Rovers), Rory O'Dwyer (Monaleen); Cillian Murphy (Askeaton-Ballysteen-Kilcornan), Jamie McAuliffe (Father Caseys); Cian Barry (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Jack Moynihan (Monaleen), Seán O'Flynn (Dromcollogher-Broadford); Charlie McCarthy (Adare), Eoghan Hogan (Mungret-Saint Paul's), Tom Gavin (Monaleen). SUBS: Miguel Azzopardi (Kildimo-Pallaskenry) for Eoghan McNamara (37 minutes), Conor O'Dwyer (Rathkeale) for Cian Lonergan (40 minutes), Kevin McNamara for Tom Gavin (51 minutes), Darragh Doyle (Monaleen) for Ronan Conneely (58 minutes), Cathal Donnelly (Camogue Rovers) for Seán O'Flynn (59 minutes).

TIPPERARY: Danny Cashin (Killenaule); Donal O'Callaghan (Clonmel Commercials), Conor Hurley (Moyle Rovers), Oisín McCarthy (Moyle Rovers); Joe O'Donovan (Moyle Rovers), Nicholas Walsh (Cashel King Cormacs), Ciarán Hennessy (Aherlow); Cian Cahill (JK Brackens), Tadhg Dunlea (Ballylooby-Castlegrace); Eoin O'Connell (Aherlow), Conor O'Meara (Grangemockler-Ballyneale), Adam O'Callaghan (Portroe); Cillian Morrissey (Moyle Rovers), Reuben (Grace (Galtee Rovers-Sanit Pecaun's), Hugh Carolan (Moyle Rovers). SUBS: Colin Maher (Cashel King Cormacs) for Joe O'Donovan (30 minutes), Jack Walsh (Roscrea) for Adam O'Callaghan (31 minutes), Donnacha Hurley (Ballylooby-Castlegrace) for Tadhg Dunlea (41 minutes), Fergal Bradshaw (Moyle Rovers) for Ciarán Hennessy (46 minutes), Cormac Williams (Moyle Rovers) for Cian Cahill (50 minutes).

REFEREE: Gary Toomey (Clare).