Limerick on course for treble

Limerick 3-09 Tipp 2-12

Limerick remain on course for an unprecedented under 21 treble despite a Tipperary scare that ended with Eoin Foley hitting a penalty at the death to salvage a draw for the champions.

Eoin Kelly was Tipperary's hero as his tally of 1-08 kept Tipperary in the hunt for most of the game.

Kelly and Andrew O'Shaughnessy grabbed the first two points for their respsctive sides before the champions began to pull away.

Niall Moran pointed and then gifted Mark Keane a goal.

Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett responded to keep Tipp in the hunt but after a Mark Keane free Limerick centre-forward James O'Brien grabbed a super goal as his strike hit the left upright and ended up in the right corner of the net.

The Limerick lead had stretched to five but Tipp's Donal Shelley and O'Brien then exchanged points.

The home side rallyed for the final quarter and a Shelley goal coupled with two Kelly frees levelled the sides at 2-05 to 1-08.

Mark Keane grabbed the half-time lead for Limerick from a free.

Lar Corbet drew first blood in the second half but Andrew O'Shaughnessy and Connor Fitzgerald pulled Limerick two clear.

However Eoin Kelly, a thorn in Limerick's side, then scrambled a goal into the net.

Kelly and Mark Keane exchanged frees, Lar Corbett put over another, and Kelly again struck a free to leave the champions three points in arrears with as many minutes to go.

With a minute and half remaining, Connor Fitzgerald fouled in the box and Eoin Kelly rattled home the resulting penalty to salvage a draw.