Green machine in gear but green shoots too for Tipp
FACING UP: Cian Lynch of Limerick in action against Michael Breen of Tipperary during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A match at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Pic: Seb Daly, Sportsfile
Limerick’s domination over Tipperary in the John Kiely era (2017-present) now reads 11 wins in 15 matches, but there were grounds for optimism for both sides here.
Yet again Limerick were best in the third quarter and with just about six nailed-on championship starters on the field they propelled themselves away from the Tipp threat in a game lacking the cut and thrust of Limerick’s draw with Cork the previous weekend.
At the same time, the visitors had greenhorns on display too, most notably in Darragh McCarthy whose pinpoint free-taking ensured the reigning Munster champions were kept honest. After coming against Galway on day one, Robert Doyle is progressing well.
Diarmaid Byrnes produced seven points, two of them in the closing stages where there was little doubt Limerick were going to have enough to shoo their neighbours away in front of the 11,213 crowd. The two points weren’t the only pluses. Barry Murphy filled his namesake Nash’s dashing corner-back role with aplomb. Cian Lynch’s influence is growing with every game.
Afterwards, both managers reported themselves pleased. “I thought we used the ball really well,” remarked John Kiely. “We turned over a few balls at time too but when you’re pushing it and trying to speed up the movement you’re going to have mistakes, either handling errors or poor strikes and we’ll get over that.
“The intent was there to move it quicker and on many occasions we did move it quicker. We created more scoring chances than we did last week and conditions were much better.”
This was another day in TUS Gaelic Grounds when Liam Cahill had to face up after a defeat but there was no grimacing on this occasion. “It’s not today or yesterday that Jake [Morris] or Ronan [Maher] are to the forefront of what we’re about but the bolt-on really is the Seánie Kenneallys, the Darragh McCarthys, Robert Doyle and one or two others who have played in rounds one and two.
“We have to give them more exposure to a formidable Cork team that will come to Thurles in two weeks’ time and we’ll learn more about our squad again. I’m very happy with where they are, the boys are in great form, everybody is working really hard, the players in particular, the management, the coaches and the county board are all fully aligned on where we’re going.”
Like so many times in their battles with Kiely’s Limerick, Tipperary were up at the break but found themselves behind by the middle of the second half. The difference here was there was no drift and they were just two in arrears in the 53rd minute. Shane Dowling was also forced to deny an admittedly tame goal attempt by Kenneally in the 48th minute.
Four McCarthy frees in 10 minutes were vital in Tipperary staying with Limerick. The last of them on the hour mark made it a one-point game. Byrnes and McCarthy swapped placed balls prior to Aaron Gillane stretching the margin to two points in the 68th minute. Ethan Hurley landed his second point before Byrnes whistled over scores, one from play and the other a placed ball, to seal Limerick their first points of the campaign.
Not scoring from play in the final 30 minutes was a copybook blot, Cahill accepted.
“That’s true. Our energy levels in the key areas. It’s a pure warzone out there around 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Our energy levels did probably drop in that area definitely towards the middle of the second half. But I still think we created one or two goal chances that had we capitalised on would have probably enticed the Limerick backs to sit back that little bit deeper.”
Scores had come thick and fast in the early moments, three points apiece inside the first six minutes and that rate of a score every 60 seconds lasted until the 19th minute.
Tipperary were marginally better in the opening 10 minutes with an array of scorers and they were clever with some of their puckouts. However, four Limerick points without reply put them three points ahead by the 15th minute.
Hitting four first-half points, Aidan O’Connor was enjoying himself and the home side pushed four ahead in the 18th minute only for Tipperary to strike back with a brace, the second of them a Morris effort after Maher had stopped Kyle Hayes with a thundering hit.
Hayes left the field injured seconds later and Tipperary jumped into the lead in the 25th minute when Kenneally fired a sweet shot to the net without taking the ball to hand. Michael Breen had sent in a diagonal ball which broke down from a contest between Kenneally and Dan Morrissey. McCarthy picked up the breaking ball and hand-passed it inside to Kenneally to double the sliotar to the net.
Tipperary went as far as two ahead themselves in the 27th minute. A Lynch point tied the game for a fifth time. Alan Tynan’s second point ensured Tipp took the half-time lead, 1-13 to 0-15, but against a good breeze it was going to be a tall task to finish with it.
D. Byrnes (0-7, 3 frees); A. O’Connor (0-5); A. Gillane (0-4, 3 frees); D. Reidy, P. O’Donovan, A. English (0-3 each); C. Lynch, E. Hurley (0-2 each); E. Stokes (0-1).
D. McCarthy (0-9, frees); S. Kenneally (1-3); J. Morris (0-4); A. Tynan (0-3); W. Connors, M. Breen, B. O’Mara, G. O’Connor (0-1 each).
S. Dowling; B. Murphy, D. Morrissey, F. O’Connor; D. Byrnes, K. Hayes, C. Coughlan; A. English, D. Reidy; A. O’Connor, E. Stokes, C. Lynch (c); A. Gillane, D. Ó Dalaigh, P. O’Donovan.
E. Hurley for K. Hayes (inj 24); M. Houlihan for D. Ó Dalaigh (47); H. Flanagan for E. Stokes (66); D. Lynch for P. O’Donovan (68).
B. Hogan; R. Doyle, M. Breen, E. Connolly; S, Kennedy, R. Maher (c), B. O’Mara; W. Connors, C. Morgan; A. Tynan, G. O’Connor, J. Morris; D. McCarthy, S. Kenneally, D. Stakelum.
B. McGrath for S. Kennedy, C. Bowe for D. Stakelum (both 46); M. Corcoran for C. Morgan (57); J. McGrath for G. O’Connor, J. Ryan for W. Connors (both 65).
C. Mooney (Dublin)
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