Buckley goal opens gates as Limerick rout disappointing Tipp

Limerick 3-12 Tipperary 0-5

Even allowing for the weakness of the opposition, Limerick produced a marvelous display of attacking football and, on this evidence, will provide Cork with a searching test in next month’s semi-final.

Over the last three years Tipp had beaten Limerick in the minor championship and were expected to at least put up a serious challenge on this occasion. However, they simply weren’t at the races in this game and it was over as a contest after the Shannonsiders hit two goals by the 10th minute.

Limerick played against the wind in the opening half and after the perfect start with a John O’Connell point after 20 seconds and while Tipp were level by the fifth minute thanks to Michael Dillon it was very evident Limerick were the better side. Well marshaled in defence by Padraig Brown and totally on top at midfield thanks to excellent work by John O’Connell and Kevin O’Connor, Limerick proceeded to carve open the Tipperary defence playing superb free flowing football. It paid a handsome dividends after six minutes when Sean Buckley found the net from the rebound after Tipperary keeper Gerry O’Brien had denied them with a magnificent point blank save.

Indeed, only for the brilliance of their keeper, Tipperary would have been in far more serious trouble as they had no answer to the slick passing movements of a finely tuned Limerick side and only another great save by O’Brien from Darren Horan, denied the rampant Limerick forwards a second goal.

However, the incessant pressure was telling and O’Brien was powerless to stop the impressive Vinny Connell who billowed the net after another great passing movement and Tipp looked to be in for a drubbing.

As the half wore on Ian Barnes landed two points to give Tipp some hope, but Limerick’s response was clinical on continuing to play some excellent football they kicked over a succession of points to lead 2-6 to 0-3 at half time and there was only going to be one result as they turned to play with the rising wind. Looking to shore up their deficiencies, the Tipp selectors made wholesale switches for the second-half but it mattered little and, while the scores didn’t come as frequently as they did in the first half Limerick continued to dictate matters in most sectors of the field.

By the end of the third quarter they had stretched their lead by 2-9 to 0-4 but Tipp were a little unlucky not to score a goal when Patrick Halley’s effort was tipped onto the crossbar by Limerick keeper Mike Jones before being cleared.

However, as the Tipp challenge petered out, Limerick finished in style and John O’Connell’s goal following another splendid movement put the seal on an excellent all round performance.

Scorers: Limerick: J O’Connell 1-3, S Buckley, V Connell (0-2 frees) 1-2 each, S Fox 0-2, D Horan, G Noonan, P Kelly 0-1 each. Tipperary: M Dillon, I Barnes (0-1 free) 0-2 each, A Ryan 0-1 (free).

LIMERICK: M Jones, D McCarthy, J McCarthy, P Ranahan, A Lane, P Brown, O Benson, J O’Connell, K O’Connor, G Noonan, S Fox, D Horan, J Lyons, S Buckley, V Connell. Subs. P Keating for Brown, B Fitzgerald for Benson, J Ryan for O’Connor, J Carroll for Buckley, M Summers for Connell.

TIPPERARY: J O’Brien, J Hassett, P King, P O’Doherty, P O’Flaherty, H Coughlan, P Ryan, M Dillon, P Halley, R Desmond, G Moore, P Kelly, P Whelan, I Barnes, A Ryan. Subs. D Byron for Whelan, T Collins for A Ryan.

Referee: R Hickey (Clare).