Tipperary brush Limerick aside

A finely-tuned Tipperary side had little difficulty in disposing of Limerick in the ESB Munster MHC semi-final at Semple Stadium last night and set up a final meting with Cork on the last Sunday in June.

There was never going to be a repeat of what happened to Tipp in Kilmallock 12 months ago when they were roundly beaten by the Shannonsiders at the same stage of the championship. Hurling with supreme confidence, Tipp, apart from two brief periods in the game, were never in any real danger.

Limerick got off to a dream start when Shane O’Donnell pulled down James Carroll’s cross before coolly slotting home a goal after just 50 seconds. But they flattered to deceive as Tipp began to sparkle. Hurling with tremendous skill and pace, they hit 1-8 without reply and had one leg in the final after 10 minutes.