Limerick minor hurlers suffer narrow defeat to Tipperary in Munster championship

THE Limerick minor hurlers were narrowly defeated by Tipperary in round five of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship on a final scoreline of 0-13 to 0-12 at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale on Thursday evening. 

Shane Dowling's Limerick charges produced their best performance of the year showing huge intensity all over the pitch.

The narrow defeat saw Limerick complete their programme of round robin fixtures in the province without a victory, while Tipperary now advance to the Munster final.

It was the visitors who started brightly scoring the first five points of the contest through Euan Murray, Darragh O'Hora and the clinical Eoghan Doughan on three occasions. 

Limerick regrouped and registered their first score on ten minutes when Patrick Kearney landed an inspirational score under the stand in Mick Neville Park. Kearney quickly landed a free to leave three points between the sides on 12 minutes, 0-5 to 0-2. 

Dr Harty Cup winner with Nenagh CBS, Eoghan Doughan, responded for Tipperary from a placed ball and Darragh O'Hora found himself in space to push Tipperary's lead back out to five points. 

Kearney and Danny Sheehan combined cleverly to keep Limerick within touching distance. Kearney made no mistake from a free on 17 minutes to have the home side trailing 0-7 to 0-4 on 17 minutes. 

Cillian Minogue got a point back for Tipp to push their lead out to four points. Two more frees from Kearney brought Shane Dowling's side back into the contest to have them trailing 0-8 to 0-6 at the break. 

Straight from the throw-in Eoghan Maher made a great run and he found himself just outside the D and Maher split the posts to leave minimum between the sides. 

Euan Murray was causing the Limerick defence issues with his movement and Murray was on target for the second time to put the Premier County in the ascendency leading 0-9 to 0-7. 

Jack Cosgrave was excelling in sweeper role for the Shannonsiders and the Limerick captain hit two inspirational frees from distance to have sides level at 0-9 apiece on 38 minutes. 

Eoghan Doughan was proving to be a handful for Tipperary with his accuracy in front of the posts and he stretched Tipperary's lead out to two points. 

Limerick were showing huge character to stay in the game Malachy McKenna and a Kearney placed ball had the sides level for the second time with 11 minutes remaining. 

In the remaining 11 minutes Tipperary outscored their opponents 0-2 to 0-1 and hung on for a narrow one point victory. 

Late on, in injury time Limerick were reduced to 14 men with substitutute Adam Frewan receiving two yellow cards.

SCORERS: LIMERICK: Patrick Kearney (0-7, 0-4 frees), Jack Cosgrave (0-2 frees), Danny Sheehan, Malachy McKenna and Eoghan Maher 0-1 each. TIPPERARY: Eoghan Doughan (0-6, 0-5 frees), Cillian Minogue 0-3, Darragh O'Hora and Euan Murray 0-2 each.

LIMERICK: Cathal Dennehy (Glenroe), Dennis Blackwell (Ahane), Daithi Dennehy (Glenroe), Rory Hanly (Ballybricken/Bohermore), Gavin Dorgan (Monagea), Jack Cosgrave (Ahane) (Captain), Gearoid Enright (Kilmallock), , Eoghan Maher (Monaleen), Patrick Cagney (Feohanagh/Castlemahon), Paul Murphy (Castletown Ballyagran), Danny Sheehan (Na Piarsaigh), John O’Connor (Ahane), Malachy Mckenna (Pallasgreen), Patrick Kearney (Adare), John O'Keefe (Murroe/Boher).  SUBS: Eoin Brosnan (Na Piarsaigh) for Cagney (45 minutes), Liam O'Connor (Templeglantine) for Sheehan (52 minutes), Adam Frewan (Glenroe) for O'Keefe (55 minutes). 

TIPPERARY: Daire English, Shane Ryan, Cathal O'Reilly, Patrick Ryan, David Ryan, Owen O'Dwyer, Jake Donelan Houlihan, Tiernan Ryan, Darragh O'Hora, Adam Ryan, Euan Murray, Billy O'Brien, Eoghan Doughan, Stefan Tobin, Cillian Minogue.  SUBS: Andrew Cagney for O'Hora (41 minutes), Killian Cantwell for Tiernan Ryan (49 minutes), Paul Cummins for Adam Ryan (53 minutes) Joe O'Dwyer for O'Brien (55 minutes), Kieran Rossiter for Tobin (55 minutes).

REFEREE: Shane Scanlon (Cork)