Limerick's momentum pulls them over line

MUNSTER SFC FIRST ROUND LImerick 1-11 Tipperary 1-9: THIS MAY not make the Book of Great Championship Comebacks, but it was an incredible contest nonetheless. Thoroughly roasted in the first half, which had nothing to do with the hot sunshine at Semple Stadium, Tipperary suddenly came alive and turned all the heat on to their opponents.

So they still died of thirst just a few steps short of the well, but at least they died with pride. With all the hype around Tipperary after their rise through the league ranks, there was always the danger of it imploding when they got to the championship stage, which it more or less did for the opening half. Limerick could hardly believe it themselves.

The prize on offer was effectively a place in the Munster final, not that anyone would admit it beforehand. Limerick must still play Clare in Ennis on June 7th, but they can take that as a small step before the leap of playing either Kerry or Cork in the final showdown.

For Tipperary, that prospect, defined by a definite case of stage fright, seemed too much to bear, at least for the opening half hour. Limerick tore into them as if they weren’t even there – and soon established a nine-point advantage which could have been a lot more.

A goal from Ian Ryan after three minutes set them on their way, and from there it went Bang! Bang! Bang! – Ger Collins, Patrick Ranahan and the teenage Cormac Joyce-Power adding points as if for fun.

Tipp made two substitutes and had three bookings before they managed their first score on exactly 32 minutes; a free from Barry Grogan. Yet, they left the field with a hint of things to come when Hugh Coghlan delivered a sweet ball to Grogan, whose short pass to Brian Coen was deftly palmed into the Limerick net.

Seven points in arrears is far from unattainable in championship fervour, but no one was expecting Tipp to hit off five points without reply in the next 15 minutes – closing the gap to two. Limerick were visibly crumbling under the pressure, but Tipp’s gameplan was simple: get more men forward, play in quick ball, and run at goal.

“After the first half we knew we’d have to produce something special,” commented Tipp boss John Evans, “and in fairness we did that. Maybe after the league we were in a comfort area. Whereas Limerick were in this to save their bloody lives, to be quite honest. But at least we showed we could play some football.”

Limerick rallied, however, with John Galvin regaining his decisive grip at midfield. After 20 minutes of the half they finally hit back with a superb point from Stephen Lucey, who’d moved up to the forward ranks. It turned the momentum, if only briefly.

So, with 10 minutes remaining it was a three-point game and everything was in the melting pot. Tipp could have had a penalty when Coen was dragged down close to the area, but instead they exchanged points before the tension mounted yet again.Another Grogan free was followed by a superb move from Brian Fox to Aidan Fitzgerald, and finished off by Brian Mulvihill – and that made it a one-point game just as the clock spilled into added time.

Limerick just about held their nerve, held up possession, and when Kieran O’Callaghan coolly struck a 45 on 72 minutes it was as good as over. When Tipp’s last-gasp effort for a goal was blocked down it was over.

“All credit to Tipp, they’re an exceptionally good team,” declared a relieved Limerick manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan. “Our lads were very determined coming here and showed that in the first half. But we were so far ahead I think the intensity dropped. That’s the big danger. Tipp gathered momentum and it was hard to break that.”

LIMERICK: 1 S Kiely; 3 J McCarthy; 4 M O'Riordan; 2 S Gallagher; 10 S Lucey (0-1), 6 S Lavin, 7 P Ranahan (0-1); 8 J O'Donovan, 9 J Galvin; 5 P Browne, 11 I Ryan (1-2, two frees), 12 S Buckley; 13 C Joyce-Power (0-2), 14 J Stokes, 15 G Collins (0-4, two frees). Subs: 20 K O'Callaghan (0-1, 45)for Stokes (42 mins), 23 D Phelan for Buckley (49 mins), 21 B O'Brien for O'Donovan (60 mins), 18 L O'Dwyer for Ranahan (both 60 mins), 19 T Cahill for Joyce-Power (69 mins).

TIPPERARY: 1 P Fitzgerald; 2 C Morrissey, 3 R Costigan, 4 P Codd; 5 C Aylward, 6 H Coghlan (0-1), 7 B Fox; 8 G Hannigan, 9 B Jones; 10 S Carey, 11 P Austin, 12 B Mulvihill (0-1); 13 J Tierney, 14 B Coen (1-2), 15 B Grogan (0-4, all frees). Subs: 18 C Higgins for Morrissey (20 mins), 19 K Mulryan for Jones (31 mins), 24 A Fitzgerald (0-1)for Tierney (41 mins), 21 D O'Brien for Austin (51 mins).

Referee: G Ó Conamha(Galway).