Managers happy to look at the positives

Munster SHC Tipperary v Limerick: In fairness, they never promised us a classic, so a tight game was a bonus. Limerick and Tipp came to town yesterday with the intention of surviving. Tipp's hurling has been downbeat most of the year. Limerick are still recovering from their fractured marriage to Pad Joe Whelahan. Both sides got another day and offered up the hosannas, writes Tom Humphries

"It was a great sideline cut," said Ken Hogan of Paul Kelly's lovely stroke which created the late Tipp goal. "I was just thinking as he took it that if we could get two points now from a sideline cut, I'd take the draw. And we would have taken it."

It was a curious Tipp performance with reliable components misfiring, with the Limerick forwards outpacing and outjumping them, and yet a certain pride kept them alive. They chucked in Tommy Dunne and Ger "Redser" O'Grady (the latter we haven't seen in years), and they made the difference in terms of reaching their hands up among swirling sticks and fetching the ball. O'Grady had wides on his first three possessions but finally thundered a goal. Sufficient unto the day.

"So many things didn't work out on the afternoon," said Hogan. "We started pretty well in the first 10 minutes. We got two or three up and then I thought it was like ping pong. Points going over from frees at each end.

"They got the decisive goal just before half-time and after that we seemed to be playing catch up. And what do you want straight up after half-time? We conceded a penalty. Lads are disputing that it was a penalty, that he over-carried, but in fairness the forward gets the benefit of the doubt in those situations and TJ stuck it."

At the time it looked bad for Tipperary. Close relatives looked away shaking their heads and bracing themselves for the worst. Every minute seemed etched on Hogan's brain too.

"So then we were five points down and Limerick's tails were up and the crowd was behind them. It was going to be a tough struggle. We had to bring them back to a draw, and then Limerick got ahead by two again. A hard struggle. We had to replace players and take lads off, and players that normally would be outstanding stalwarts we had to replace them. It freshened it up, Redser got a great goal, and (John) Devane then.

"Injury time, you look at the watch and wonder if it won't be your day. Limerick proved their potential today.

"We knew today it would be tough in our own pitch. We were a point to the right side last year. Today we drew. It's always been that way between us."

He looks back over the afternoon. Tipp not winning their puc outs. The sense that no matter where the ball went Brian Geary or Peter Lawlor seemed to be under it. The timely introduction of O'Grady and Dunne improved their aerial ability.

"The biggest thing for us is that we didn't play well but we stuck at it. Limerick know that today they had the upper hand."

If there was sustenance there for Hogan there was nourishment too for Joe McKenna, still feeling his way into the Limerick job.

"When you go five points you expect to win alright," he said as he clutched for the context.

"It is going to happen in championship, one quick ball, a catch, a hit, a goal. We dug deep and found the belief. When it comes in the last 10 minutes it will always be tough. We came back at them."

Limerick then could claim the final comeback of a topsy turvy last few minutes. If Tipp felt freed up by the draw, Limerick were liberated also.

"We love playing here in Thurles. It's always good to us. The monkey is off our back now regarding championship hurling. I think we'll go on in - not a better frame of mind, because I've never seen guys so geared up - but we'll be confident. We'll do ourselves justice."

TJ Ryan's day at full forward produced 1-7, mostly from placed balls. He was at the centre of a lively full forward line which worried Tipp every time the ball crossed their 21.

"I enjoyed full forward today. Today went okay. This is a good team. Able to play and able to move. We'll move on. Today was about Limerick. This team. The future. I think there'll be a season for us."

To find out of what shape and to get an idea of what length, tune in next Saturday after tea.