Full-time drama as Tipperary finish strongly

Tipperary 0-20 Limerick 0-17

Limerick coughed up their Electric Ireland Munster minor hurling crown in controversial fashion at Semple Stadium yesterday. The Shannonsiders were left fuming when referee Joe Larkin blew for full-time with 61 minutes and 20 seconds on the scoreboard clock. The fourth official had indicated that an additional two minutes would be played, but with Limerick camped deep in enemy territory Larkin called time.

That late drama overshadowed a superb victory for Tipperary. Lyndon Fairbrother was Tipp’s scoring hero, landing seven points in the second half against a Limerick side over-reliant on Peter Casey, who bagged 10 of his 13 points from placed balls.

Tipperary had the greater spread of scorers in the first half, with seven players on target, but Limerick still held a 0-10 to 0-8 lead at the break.

In a tie that was level 11 times, it was a strong Tipp finish that got them over the line. They were 0-16 to 0-17 down before four unanswered points, including three from Fairbrother, won the game.

TIPPERARY: P Hayes; E Heffernan, E Moloney, J Quigley; K Hassett; B McGrath, D Peters; D Carey (0-1), L McCutcheon (0-2); C Darcy (0-1), G Ryan (0-2), A Tynan (0-2); T Nolan (0-3), D Gleeson (0-1), L Fairbrother (0-7, 0-4f). Subs: J Skehan for Heffernan (41 min), G Dunne for Moloney (53 min), R Mulrooney for McCutcheon (55 min), S Neville (0-1) for Darcy (56 min).

LIMERICK: E McNamara; T Hayes, C McSweeney, J O'Grady; C Byrnes, P O'Loughlin, C Houlihan; D Carroll, T Grimes (0-1); K Hayes, M Mackey (0-1), B Ryan; P Casey (0-13, 0-10 free), S Flanagan (0-1), B Murphy (0-1). Subs: P Ahern for Hayes (40 min), W O'Meara for Mackey (54 min), C Boylan for Carroll (59 min).

Referee: J Larkin (Cork).