Limerick complete hat-trick of Munster titles with stunning 15-point comeback against Tipperary

Limerick's Kyle Hayes celebrates after scoring a goal. Picture:Â INPHO/Lorraine OâSullivan
Half measures wonât cut it against this Limerick team.
So defective was their first half against Kilkenny in the 2019 All-Ireland semi-final that it ended up costing them. Here, Tipperary produced an even more damning opening-half report for John Kiely, but Limerick simply refused to let it define their afternoon.
Ten points in arrears, what did Kiely say to his men at half time? âNo, I canât, sorry,â with a look to the journalist that said he wasnât going to entertain any more queries on the matter. He wasnât about to give away the secret formula.
Limerick are pretty tight when it comes to protecting their principles and messages. With another 140+ minutes to go before the Liam MacCarthy Cup can be retained, Kiely wasnât going to be a hostage to fortune either. Needless to say, the Limerick that came out of the dressing room a second time looked nothing like the one that were trailing Tipperary in the opening half.
An extraordinary Limerick comeback in this second half and it's summed up here by this Kyle Hayes effort.
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 18, 2021
Watch now on @rte2 or highlights on #sundaygame from 9.30pm pic.twitter.com/GNClAbpAlB
Liam Sheedy hailed his teamâs first-half performance as the best Tipperary have produced during his time as manager. John Kiely declared the 18 minutes Limerick generated after half-time as the best they have produced in his five years in charge. In crude terms, thatâs what it came down to: Limerickâs quarter was worth more than Tipperaryâs half.
Scoring 1-10 to 0-1 in that third quarter, Limerick simply pulverised their neighbours. Kiely had bemoaned his teamâs inability to track Tipperaryâs ghost runners for their two goals in the opening half, but it was their opponents who looked haunted in the third quarter, seemingly losing all recollection of what had given them a handsome foothold in the game.
Yes, there was some fortune. Aaron Gillane could easily have been sent to the line as he was in a similar position on this field three years ago when he reacted to Cork defender SeĂĄn OâDonoghue. Here, he didnât take too kindly to a foul by Cathal Barrett, and retaliated, but Paud OâDwyer, after consulting with a linesman, chose to issue a yellow card and throw in the ball.
Ten minutes later and Gillane was shooting for a goal, his strike saved by Barry Hogan but the rebound falling to Seamus Flanagan to push over the goal-line. The energy it provided to the team and their supporters was priceless. Gillane followed it up with a free, and while Jake Morris did bring Limerickâs run of 1-6 without reply to a halt, they added six more scores going into the second water break.
The equalising score in the 52nd minute was a Gillane free, GearĂłid Hegartyâs celebration in winning it an indication that Limerick knew they had Tipperary on the rack. Flanaganâs third point of the day a minute later put Limerick ahead for the second time and Peter Casey joined the party for the scoreboard to read 1-22 to 2-17. Limerick were deservedly greeted with a standing ovation by their supporters as they gathered close to the sideline for a minute to take in fluids.
Under a brutal sun, all the conceptions about Tipperary being an ageing team looked accurate as Hayes left players for dust with his solo goal down the left wing in the 54th minute. The purpose of the run, the execution of the finish were so damn convincing that OâDwyer could have blown the final whistle there and then to confirm Limerickâs Munster three-in-a-row, their first in 85 years.
The majority of Tipperary starters were spent, although an injection of life from the bench made the scoreline more digestible for Tipp, ensuring their losing margin was less than their previous knockout provincial reverses against Limerick.
Leading 2-16 to 0-12 at half-time, Tipperary werenât thinking along those lines. Dismissed going into this game, they went about defying those beliefs. Before Limerick later redefined the meaning of blistering and breathtaking hurling, Tipp had first coined it in the opening half.
Hungrier and boasting a better touch, they feasted on Limerickâs puckouts while their movement off the ball would have delighted coach Eamon OâShea, certainly the manner in which Morris and John OâDwyer burst onto the breaks from long puckouts.
Morris set the tone in the fourth minute when a long puckout sent Seamus Callananâs way came into the young Nenagh manâs path and he bulged the net. Jason Forde was looking unmarkable and showed great hands in the 11th minute to put Tipperary four points up.
Despite a series of wides, that remained Tipperaryâs leading margin at the first water break, 1-8 to 0-7, and on the resumption, John OâDwyer had beaten Nickie Quaid again. Once more it came from a Barry Hogan puckout that was broken down before the onrushing OâDwyer seized his chance.
It was Limerick who then looked shellshocked and found themselves 10 behind on the half-hour mark after Tipperary hit them for a string of four scores, Forde providing two. Gillane and Dan Morrissey were introduced by the break, but the 10-point difference remained on the turnaround.
Before Kehoeâs consolation goal, Limerick had transformed this game to the tune of 18 points. They will more than settle for 15, but it was on the back of a similarly emphatic ending to their 2019 Munster final against Tipperary that they were caught by Kilkenny.
Schoolmaster Kiely wonât consider that lesson has been learned until they are looking forward to an All-Ireland final on the evening of August 7, but it appears the homework has been done.
T. Morrissey (1 free), A. Gillane (4 frees) (0-6 each); S. Flanagan (1-3); P. Casey (0-5); D. Byrnes (0-4, 2 frees, 1 65), G. Hegarty (0-3); K. Hayes (1-0); C. Lynch, D. Reidy (0-1 each).
J. Forde (0-11, 3 frees, 1 65); J. OâDwyer (1-2); J. Morris (1-2); M. Kehoe (1-0); D. McCormack, S. Callanan, S. Kennedy, W. Connors, R. Maher, M. Breen (0-1 each).
N. Quaid; S. Finn, R. English, B. Nash; D. Byrnes, D. Hannon (c), K. Hayes; W. OâDonoghue, D. OâDonovan; G. Hegarty, C. Lynch. T. Morrissey; P. Casey, G. Mulcahy, S. Flanagan.
A. Gillane for G. Mulcahy, T. Morrissey for R. English (temp) (both 31); D. Reidy for D. OâDonovan (65); C. Boylan for T. Morrissey (66); P. Ryan for S. Flanagan (68); R. Hanley for C. Lynch (70).
Barry Hogan; P. Maher, C. Barrett, B. Heffernan; S. Kennedy, B. Maher, R. Maher; D. McCormack, A. Flynn; M. Breen, J. Forde, N. McGrath; J. Morris, S. Callanan (c), J. OâDwyer.
W. Connors for A. Flynn (52); M. Kehoe for N. McGrath, N. OâMeara for J. OâDwyer, N. OâMeara for D. McCormack (all 56); B. McGrath for B. Heffernan (59).
P. OâDwyer (Carlow).