Limerick refuse to submit

Munster SHC Semi-final replay/ Tipperary 2-21 Limerick 1-24: "It's up there with any game we've ever seen, anything we've ever seen. To get 70 minutes plus 20 more out of amateurs is incredible."

So said Tipperary manager Michael "Babs" Keating late on Saturday night. And Babs has seen and experienced more hurling than most.

Round three of this epic dog-fight, by the way, is in the Gaelic Grounds next Sunday. Arguably, only the mythical game of hurling can attain such levels of intensity.

Ironically, hundreds of Tipperary supporters in the 27,117 crowd had left Semple Stadium before this battle reached a crescendo. With 15 minutes remaining Eoin Kelly registered his eighth point to re-establish Tipperary's 10-point lead. If not for some outstanding goalkeeping from Limerick's Brian Murray, Semple would have been half-empty.

It was at this juncture that the history of hurling received a new tale. Manager Richie Bennis had already shuffled his deck by introducing Mike Fitzgerald, James O'Brien and Kevin Tobin. Assisted by a remarkable cameo from Ollie Moran, these three men contributed 1-8.

The loss of Shane McGrath then Eamonn Corcoran, scorer of a great sideline, to injury severely hindered Tipperary. McGrath and James Woodlock confirmed their status here as a top-quality midfield pairing. But, amazingly, Limerick proceeded to outhurl Tipperary 1-9 to 0-2.

Moran registered three miraculous points in injury-time that left matters at 1-19 to 1-18. With 73 minutes elapsed, Andrew O'Shaughnessy was awarded a free. He held his nerve.

Into extra-time we went and James O'Brien completed the Limerick revival to put them ahead for the first time since the third minute. Suddenly, as if sensing the enormity of their collapse, Tipperary awoke as Darragh Egan scrambled a goal.

Pandemonium now ruled both on the field and the sideline, Bennis and John Leahy rubbed shoulders, as the sides swapped scores.

Kelly, then Lar Corbett- replaced earlier but launched back into the fray as Babs rolled the dice one more time - seemed to secure a Tipperary victory at 2-21 to 1-22 entering the second half of extra-time.

But Tipperary didn't score again. Mark Foley reduced the deficit to the minimum before O'Shaughnessy spurned a glorious goal chance. Limerick's luck seemed to have run dry. O'Shaughnessy could have clipped it over the bar but he went for broke.

It took guts. As did the 65 he converted in the 94th minute. From hero to villain and back again.

They spoke afterwards of the Richie Bennis 65 at this very ground that captured the 1973 Munster hurling title - the last time Limerick beat Tipp in Thurles. Legend has it that Babs trotted into Bennis's flight path as he prepared to pull the trigger to offer his rival a wager on the resulting puck. Bennis collected.

When reminded of this feat, he beamed like a man in love with life. O'Shaughnessy was just like you in '73, Richie? "It was a little straighter," he enthused.

Bennis said the revival was sparked by a rousing half-time speech from the team coach, and his nephew, Gary Kirby. At the time, they seemed like a broken team, trailing 1-12 to 0-5.

"He told them how they were 10 points down to Tipp in 1996 and came back to draw the match. He told them to believe they could do the same."

There were more pressing issues to be addressed by the Tipperary camp after Keating dropped veteran goalkeeper Brendan Cummins for Gerry Kennedy. Perhaps expecting a backlash, Keating faced the media flanked by county board chairman John Costigan.

"Could I say, we're lucky to have two very good goalkeepers in the county at the moment," started Keating. "We felt that Gerry was hurling very well all along and that he was entitled to a break. We basically picked a new team - this was a new team and Gerry Kennedy was part of that. That's no disrespect to Brendan Cummins because he gave 12 hard years of outstanding service to Tipperary. We just felt that Gerry was in there batting for a place and we felt he deserved a chance - I think we have a goalkeeper to take over from Brendan for many's the long day."

Costigan added: "I was a minor selector in 1992 when Brendan came on the scene first of all. He has given wonderful service to the county. It was a selectorial decision and I would ask you, gentlemen, on behalf of the county to refrain from asking futile and superfluous questions on such an occasion as this."

Babs spoke next in more conciliatory tones: "It was a tough decision to make, especially for myself with Brendan from my native parish. We took what we thought was the best decision, but next Saturday is going to be a different situation and we have to go and look at it."

Babs' "new team" was a success. Kennedy saved a 26th-minute penalty from O'Shaughnessy; Benny Dunne showed well at centre forward, while Séamus Butler and Lar Corbett wreaked havoc in the Limerick full-back line - registering 1-5 between them.

What must grate with Tipperary supporters though is the team's inability to close out two contests they dominated for long periods. Regardless, the rest of the country will be quicker to tune in next time.

TIPPERARY: 1 G Kennedy; 2 E Buckley, 3 D Fanning, 4 D Fitzgerald; 5 E Corcoran (0-1, side-line), 7 C O'Mahony, 23 H Maloney; 8 S McGrath, 9 J Woodlock (0-1); 10 J Carroll, 6 B Dunne (0-2), 12 D Egan (1-2); 17 S Butler (1-2), 14 E Kelly (0-9, six frees), 20 L Corbett (0-3). Subs: 13 P Bourke (0-1)for L Corbett (51 mins), 27 T Stapleton for E Corcoran (60 mins), 25 D O'Hanlon for J Woodlock (72 mins), 11 R O'Dwyer for P Bourke (full-time), 20 L Corbett for S McGrath (79 mins), 15 W Ryan for S Butler (89 mins). Yellow cards: C O'Mahony 73 mins, D Fitzgerald 85 mins

LIMERICK: 1 B Murray; 3 S Lucey, 2 D Reale, 4 S Hickey; 5 M O'Riordan, 6 B Geary (0-2), 7 M Foley (0-1); 8 P Lawlor, 9 D O'Grady; 12 M O'Brien, 11 O Moran (0-4), 10 N Moran (0-3); 13 P Tobin, 14 A O'Shaughnessy (0-6, five frees and a 65), 15 B Foley. Subs: 17 B Begley for P Lawlor (33 mins), 20 M Fitzgerald (1-4)for B Foley (half-time), 29 D Ryan for P Tobin (49 mins), 30 K Tobin (0-2)for N Moran (53 mins), 24 J O'Brien (0-2)for M O'Brien (60 mins), 25 M O'Brien for D Reale (80 mins), 10 N Moran for D O'Grady (81 mins), 13 P Tobin for D Ryan (83 mins). Yellow cards: D Reale 28 mins, M O'Brien 53 mins, P Tobin 85 mins.

Attendance: 27,117.

Referee: B Gavin(Offaly).