Limerick minor footballers defeated by Tipperary in round one of the championship
John Redington in Fethard
Email: sport@limerickleader.ie
LIMERICK lost 2-13 to 0-10 in round one of the Munster Minor Football Championship this Tuesday evening on the 4G Fethard astroturf.
Giving as good as they got in a tightly-contested opening period, they recovered from an early sucker-punch goal to turn over just a point behind before a Tipp barrage of 1-4 without reply inside just four minutes closed off the contest before it even reached the three-quarter mark.
Limerick attacked early and took the lead off the layoff but that was the spark that ignited the Tipp engine room as they ran straight at the defence to open up the channels which allowed Corcoran to equalise. Making the most of the momentum, they flooded forward from the kickout, a furious rush saw Stephen Kearney twice deny Dylan Cotter’s and Yousif’s shots on goal before Cotter made it third time lucky with a ground shot into the far corner.
Although Shane Dolan struck back immediately, Tipp were still on a wave and, despite Dolan pointed his second from a free at the end of a breakaway attack, the heave up the centre continued as Corcoran, Charlie Walsh off a mark and Cillian Healy put four between the sides. It could have been more had Yousif’s screamer off a sprint up the middle not cannoned back of the butt of the upright but, despite the pressure, the visitors’ defence held their shape and, once they found enough time to build their attacks, they drew a pair of fouls for Dolan to punish.
When Rory Mullins and Donal Dawson both found the target to equalise coming up to break, Limerick were patiently stretching the Tipp rearguard to find the cracks but the hosts held out long enough to launch a final attack which drew a free for Walsh to convert and leave his side 1-5 to 0-7 at half-time.
Yusif struck again off a quick free within a minute of the restart before the defences had time to lock into position but, when when Órán Gahan ended seven scoreless minutes, the floodgates opened when the kickout was immediately returned and inrushing full-back Ronan Styles fed Cotter to slot home his second goal from close range and then point as the kickout returned. It could have been more had Yusif’s next crack not been blocked by Kearney but he then followed up with a brace of points and was followed by Cillian Healy and Seán Griffin before the bombardment eased up.
Going into the final quarter, Rian McNamara found a response for Limerick when skimming just over the bar after being put through but that only provoked a Tipp fit of rubbing in their dominance with immediate replies from Ciarán Kelly, Walsh and Jack Barrett’s free before both sides cleaned out their benches. Limerick might have had a goal to relaunch their rally but Cillian McNamara blasted back off the crossbar and it wasn’t until the end of the five added minutes of the extended run-in that points from Jake Slattery and Dolan’s free brought their tally into double figures.
SCORERS: TIPPERARY: Dylan Cotter 2-1, Charlie Walsh 0-4 (2 frees, 1 mark), Tom Corcoran, Jamal Yusif 0-2 each, Cillian Healy, Órán Gahan, Ciarán Kelly, Jack Garrett (free) 0-1 each; LIMERICK: Shane Dolan 0-5 (4 frees), Rory Mullins, Donal Dawson, Rian McNamara, Jake Slattery 0-1 each.
TIPPERARY: Mark Conroy (Drom and Inch); Jackie McGonigle (Rockwell Rovers), Ronan Styles (Ardfinnan), Gavin Neville (Fethard); Noah O’Flynn (Fethard), Tom Corcoran (JK Brackens), Jack Garrett (Arravale Rovers); Dylan Cotter (Thurles Gaels), Órán Gahan (St Patrick’s); Cillian Healy (Kilruane McDonaghs), Jamal Yousif (Clonmel Óg), Seán Griffin (Upperchurch-Drombane); Ciarán Kelly (Arravale Rovers), Charlie Walsh (Fethard); Cian Collins (Galtee Rovers). SUBS: Danny Morris (Clonmel Commercials) for Noah O’Flynn (44 minutes), Harry Tobin-Ryan (Clonmel Commercials) for Cian Collins (44 minutes), Ryan O’Sullivan (Clerihan) for Cillian healy (52 minutes), Luke Foley (Moyle Rovers) for Seán Griffin (56 minutes), Mikey McGuire (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) for Orán Gahan (injured, 58 minutes).
LIMERICK: Stephen Kearney (St Senans); Danny McCarthy (Fr Caseys), Sean O’Donnell (Galtee Gaels), Sean Hanley (Oola); Michael Mulcahy (St Senans), Donal Dawson (Ahane), Conor O’Longaigh (Mungret St Pauls); Cian Costelloe (Cappagh-Rathkeale), Daniel O’Connell (Mungret St Pauls); Shane Dolan (Monaleen), Rory Mulins (Mungret St Pauls), Michael Naughton (Croom); Charlie Casey (Monaleen), Rian McNamara (Hospital-Herbertstown), Leon Curtin (Fr Caseys). SUBS: Daniel Murphy (Ballylanders) for Charlie Casey (44 minutes), Ben Ryan (Croom) for Michael Naughton (44 minutes), Cillian McNamara (Monaleen) for Rian McNamara (48 minutes), Jake Slattery (Cappagh) for Leon Curtin (48 minutes), Seán Gallahue (Galtee Gaels) for Seán O’Donnell (54 minutes).
REFEREE: Eoghan Ó Muircheartaigh (Kerry).
