UNDER-21 FOOTBALL MUNSTER SEMI-FINAL - Tipperary 0-16 Limerick 2-5:SENIOR STAR Seán Carey turned in a man of the match display as Tipperary powered past Limerick at Semple Stadium last night to reach the Munster Under-21 football final for the fourth year in a row.

Carey was on top of his game, kicking seven points, six from play, as Tipperary called the shots all the way, but a dogged Limerick, helped by a goal in each half, always kept them in sight.

Tipperary stamped their authority on the game from the start. With Carey settling them with three early points, they went on to lead 0-8 to 0-3 after 26 minutes.

Limerick got a lifeline when David Ward netted in the 28th minute, but Carey landed his fourth point to leave Tipperary ahead 0-9 to 1-3 at the break.

With the fresh breeze in their favour, Tipperary opened a five-point lead after 12 minutes of the second half, but once more Limerick rattled them with a John Riordan goal in the 44th minute.

Séamus O’Carroll pointed to cut the lead to a point, but Tipperary showed their superiority with four points in the closing 12 minutes for a deserved win.

While Carey was the star of the show for Tipperary, Ciarán McDonald, Alan Moloney, John Coghlan and Bernard O’Brien were also very influential.

Tipperary now await the winners of the second semi-final – between Waterford and Kerry – which is fixed for tomorrow afternoon (2.30pm) in Dungarvan.

TIPPERARY:K Kenrick; R Kiely, C McDonald, D Lynch; P O Dwyer, J Coghlan, D Dwyer; A Moloney, P Acheson (0-2); S Carey (0-7), B O Brien (0-3), G Ryan (0-1); C Sweeney (0-3), B O'Meara, M O Dwyer. Subs: P McEvoy for Ryan, T Hanley for O'Brien, S Egan for O Meara, A Matassa for O Dwyer.

LIMERICK:B Scanlon; E Fitzgibbon, M McCormack, D Quaid; B Treacy, E Joy, J Riordan(1-0); B O Brien, T McMahon; D Ward(1-0), J Kelly, E O Connor (0-4); P Sheahan, C Joyce-Power, S O Carroll(0-1); Subs: J Browne for Quaid, P McEnery for Sheahan, E Kennedy for McMahon, J Martin for Ward.

Referee:M Collins (Cork).