Relentless Limerick stretch Tipp's barren run to an ugly 13
NO ESCAPE: Seán Kenneally of Tipperary is tackled by Matthew Fitzgerald and Dan Morrissey of Limerick and wins a penalty during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A match between Tipperary and Limerick at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Paul Phelan/Sportsfile
Tipperary go on losing this fixture. Limerick can’t stay beating them often enough.
Tipp’s winless run against John Kiely’s side extends to 13 games and into an eighth year. Tipp’s six-game unbeaten home run dies without a whimper.
The hosts operated with 14 men from the second minute of the second half. But let no 14-man headlines tell a white lie.
The two points were going back down the road long before Willie Connor’s hurl made contact with the faceguard of Darragh O’Donovan for a straight red card.
Given the difference on the scoreboard was 13 points when Connors walked, the second period, watched by a crowd of 15,221, was a non-event.
The 35-year-old Noel McGrath and his five second-half points from play meant he occupied a lonely island of Tipperary players not to depart with reputation stained.
All-Star Andrew Ormond did not reappear for the second period. Darragh McCarthy was subbed off entering the final quarter, having failed to score from play and having sent wide a first-half penalty. Jake Morris managed just a solitary white flag.
At the far end, tallies continued to be swelled at ease. Shane O’Brien, who is dealt with in greater detail below, finished with six from play. Aidan O’Connor went one better in that department. Subs Tom Morrissey and Donnacha Ó Dalaigh registered a pair each upon introduction.
A phenomenal first half from the visitors. As impressive a spring clinic of point-taking as John Kiely’s side has ever produced: 20 scores from 26 shots. 17 of the 20 scores from play. Both midfielders and all six forwards on the mark.
But before we pick out and praise lavishly the standout white flags from this 20-page catalogue, a word on the defensive wall which was the platform for a Limerick advantage that was eight-strong inside 14 minutes, had grown to double digits by 23 minutes, and peaked at 14 points - 0-19 to 0-5 - on 34 minutes before falling by one to 13 at the break.
The half-back trio of Colin Coughlan, William O’Donoghue, and the returning Kyle Hayes muted and marginalised Sam O’Farrell, Andrew Ormond, and Noel McGrath. Although somewhat unfair to lump McGrath in with the other two given he would belatedly assert himself.
Indeed, when Darragh Stakelum was being readied for half-hour introduction, the debate centred on who from the half-forward line was about to be whipped. The curly finger was for O’Farrell.
Tipp goalkeeper Barry Hogan sent the next puckout down on top of the right flank where O’Farrell had been stationed and silent. Kyle Hayes claimed another restart and off went Limerick again.
Different blue and gold personnel, same subdued result.
The punishment and purgatory for Tipp players and their puckout was without pause.
The visitors operated a two-man full-forward line. O’Brien was shadowed by Bryan O’Mara, Aaron Gillane watched by Eoghan Connolly. Peter Casey drifted further out. The latter linked passes and play to superb effect around the middle. He also nailed the target on three occasions in the opening half.
The Bull O’Brien was a physical conundrum O’Mara and Tipp could not solve. He opened their account. He assisted their fifth, for Adam English, and supplied their sixth.
For points 16, 17, and 18, he assisted Cathal O’Neill, was fouled for a converted Aidan O’Connor free, and caught over Craig Morgan’s head for his third of the half. Morgan hadn’t started on O’Brien, but such was the relentless dominance of the Treaty attack, there was need for a defensive reconfiguration, which included Eoghan Connolly moving out to the half-back line.
A rare win for the embattled home defence was Joe Caesar’s sliding block to stop at source Daragh O'Donovan’s goal drive on 28 minutes.
Tipp engineered three first-half green flag opportunities. Kenneally crashed the sliotar off the woodwork. Nickie Quaid denied Darragh Stakelum. And in the last play of the half, and to put the final decoration on a most miserable 35-plus minutes for the All-Ireland champions, Darragh McCarthy drilled wide a penalty following a foul on Kenneally.
McCarthy’s free-taking was their sole scoring source until Noel McGrath delivered their opener from play on 33:35.
Let that sink in, the All-Ireland champions on home soil failing to score from play until 85 seconds shy of the 35-minute mark.
The current-day Tipp-Limerick rivalry continues to be a rivalry of Limerick victories and little else.
A O’Connor (0-11, 0-3 frees, 0-2 65s); S O’Brien (0-6); P Casey (0-4); A English (0-3); G Hegarty, T Morrissey, D Ó Dalaigh, A Gillane (0-2 each); M Casey, C Coughlan, D O’Donovan, C O’Neill (0-1 each).
D McCarthy (0-7, 0-7 frees); N McGrath (0-6); E Connolly (0-1 free, 0-1 ‘65), J McGrath (0-2 each, 0-2 frees); S Kenneally, J Morris, K Ryan, D Stakelum (0-1 each).
N Quaid; M Fitzgerald, D Morrissey, M Casey; C Coughlan, W O’Donoghue, K Hayes; A English, D O’Donovan; C O’Neill, A O’Connor, G Hegarty; P Casey, S O’Brien, A Gillane.
D Ó Dálaigh for O’Brien (temporary 44-46); D Reidy for English, T Morrissey for Hegarty (both 52); J Fitzgerald for O’Neill, D Ó Dálaigh for Gillane (both 60); D Byrnes for Hayes (63).
Barry Hogan; C O’Reilly, B O’Mara, E Connolly; J Caesar, C Morgan, S Kennedy; W Connors, C Stakelum; S O’Farrell, A Ormond, N McGrath; D McCarthy, J Morris, S Kenneally.
D Stakelum for O’Farrell (30); O O’Donoghue for Ormond (HT); J McGrath for McCarthy, J Keller for C Stakelum (both 56); K Ryan for Caesar (61).
C Lyons (Cork)
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