Limerick lose out to Tipp in Dillon Quirke Foundation hurling challenge:
THE final dress rehearsal before the start of the Allianz Hurling League next weekend saw a youthful Limerick side lose out to an experimental Tipperary team on a 3-27 to 1-20 scoreline in the Dillon Quirke Foundation senior hurling challenge at FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
This was the last opportunity for fringe players to put their hands up for selection in the league. Limerick open their Division 1 league campaign back at Semple Stadium on Sunday next against Antrim at 2pm.
An official attendance of 3,218 was treated to a lively encounter, particularly in a first half that produced thirty scores, including four goals, and while the second half did not have the same flow, due largely to the many substitutions by both managers, it nevertheless kept the gathering engaged right up to Kevin Jordan’s final whistle.
Three first half goals tipped the scales in Tipperary’s favour. John McGrath bagged the first, converting a 10th minute penalty after Mark Kehoe was fouled.
That put Tipp 1-5 to 0-3 ahead but within a minute Limerick’s Donnacha O’Dalaigh wrong-footed Johnny Ryan, shook off Ronan Maher’s tackle, and blasted past Barry Hogan for a goal for the Shannonsiders.
At half-time Tipp led 3-13 to 1-13. The second half was not nearly as lively with Tipperary fending off Limerick’s best efforts to bridge the six points margin.
Tipp were leading 3-21 to 1-19 with five minutes plus stoppage time remaining and in that closing spell they out-shot Limerick six points to one for a flattering thirteen points win.
Limerick manager John Kiely will not lose sleep over this defeat. He will be encouraged by the performance of the likes of Donnacha O’Dálaigh who grabbed 1-3 from play with Adam English, Fergal O’Connor, Ethan Hurley, and Conor Boylan, who was also prominent.
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TIPPERARY: Barry Hogan; Danny Slattery, Ronan Maher (0-1), Johnny Ryan; Michael Breen, Robert Byrne, Enda Heffernan (0-1); Eoghan Connolly (0-1), John Campion; Jack Ryan (0-1), John McGrath (2-9, pen gl, 6fs), Alan Tynan (0-2); Andrew Ormond (1-2), Mark Kehoe (0-1), Jake Morris (0-3). SUBS: Craig Morgan for Slattery (34mins), Conor Bowe (0-1) for Heffernan, Patrick Maher for Kehoe, Willie Connors (0-1) for Campion(all half-time), Billy Seymour for Jack Ryan,
Sean Ryan (0-1) for Morris (52mins), Paddy Cadell for Connolly (55mins), Barry Heffernan for Byrne (60mins), Gearoid O’ Connor (0-2,2fs) for McGrath (61mins), Gavin O’Halloran for Tynan (62mins), Joe Fogarty (0-1) for Ormond, Pauric Campion for Breen, Bryan O’Mara for Johnny Ryan (all 68mins), Cian O’Dwyer for R Maher (69mins).
LIMERICK: Jamie Power; Emmet McEvoy, Fergal O’Connor, Ronan Lyons; Ethan Hurley, Ronan Connolly, Ciaran Barry; Micheal Houlihan, Colin Coughlan (0-1); Aidan O’Connor (0-1), Patrick O’Donovan (0-4, 2fs), Conor Boylan; Donnacha O’Dalaigh (1-3), Oisin O’Reilly (0-2) Adam English (0-4). SUBS: Darragh Langan for Barry (30mins), Barry Murphy for Houlihan, Joe Fitzgerald for Coughlan, David Reidy (0-4, 4fs) for O’Donovan, Gearoid Hegarty for A O’Connor(all half-time), Mike Keane for Lyons( 49mins), David Fitzgerald for Connolly, Liam Lynch for O’Reilly, Luke Flynn(0-1) for O’Dalaigh, Donal Coughlan for English (all 54mins), Evan O’Leary for F O’Connor (58mins).
REFEREE: Kevin Jordan (Thurles Gaels)