'They'll be a real force' - Relentless Limerick stretch Tipp's barren run to an ugly 13

Let no 14-man headlines tell a white lie — this game was over long before Willie Connors saw red as the current-day Tipp-Limerick rivalry continues to be a rivalry of Limerick victories and little else.

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

NHL Division 1A: Limerick 0-36 Tipperary 0-21 

Been a while since we had a spring statement from the green corner.

For a very long time, such statements were unnecessary. But given how their past two summers panned out, Saturday’s reminder was no harm at all.

Liam Cahill heeded the reminder. Others should too.

“Anyone that had any thoughts of them being gone away, they're far from it,” the Tipp boss said of their visiting conquerors. “They showed all their physique and good hurling decisions of old, and they'll be a real force come the business end of the year again.” This, as Cahill correctly summarised, was vintage Limerick. Their middle third snare was at its strangling best.

Noel McGrath and Sam O’Farrell being outnumbered and dispossessed for Limerick’s second and third points quickly developed into a central theme. There were many forms of punishment, mind.

Tormented Tipp deliveries failing to find whatever target was hoped to be found. A puckout given little room to breathe and eventually picked apart. Attempts to short-pass and build out from the back bullied into surrender.

Each employed method of suppression worked so effectively to extend to 13 games Limerick's unbeaten run over the All-Ireland champions.

From midfield back, the green sea thrashed and surged with familiar intent. For their 16th white flag and an 11-point lead on 27 minutes, the score spawned from a defensive turnover. Midfielder Adam English was the furthest Limerick player back and cleaned up the breaking possession. He sprayed to No.15 Peter Casey just beyond Limerick’s 45-metre line.

English and Casey operating so deeply spoke to how Limerick crowded their own half and from here overran their hosts. English and Casey operating so deeply spoke to how loosely they populated the opposition half and the space this created.

Casey delivered to Shane O’Brien. The offload to Cathal O’Neill. The scoring of Limerick’s front eight complete.

Ahead by 0-20 to 0-7 at the break, Limerick mined 0-14 from turnover ball in that opening half.

Newcomer corner-back Matthew Fitzgerald twice fetched incoming Tipp deliveries for two Limerick points. Seán Kenneally stood beside Fitzgerald. Starting his first game in exactly 12 months, he was the sole blue and gold forward not to be drowned by the first-half tempest.

From midfield up, and here’s the concern for Tipp, Kenneally was Saturday’s sole starter that hadn’t began or been introduced in last July’s All-Ireland final. And yet they didn’t register their opening shot from play until the ninth minute. Jake Morris’ wide called back for a converted free on 20 minutes represented just their third shot from play.

Darragh McCarthy’s freetaking was their sole scoring source until Noel McGrath delivered their opener from play on 33:35. Let that sink in for a moment. The All-Ireland champions, in front of a 15,221-strong home crowd, failing to score from play until 85 seconds shy of the 35-minute mark.

Sam O’Farrell was whipped on the half hour. All-Star Andrew Ormond did not reappear for the second period. Willie Connors was dismissed seconds into that second period for swinging back at the helmet of Darragh O’Donovan. Darragh McCarthy was subbed off before the end of the third quarter, having failed to score from play and having sent wide a first-half penalty. Jake Morris managed just a solitary white flag.

35-year-old Noel McGrath and his five second-half points meant he occupied a lonely island of Tipp players not to depart with reputation stained.

“Disappointed with our fight and spirit, which is always disappointing to say,” Cahill continued.

“We were second to the breaks. Limerick came out with a lot of ruck ball, and they were really aggressive in the swarm tackle. Everything that Limerick have been renowned for down the years they produced it again tonight.

“Getting to a league final now is probably beyond us after tonight, so yeah, we really have to start putting real shape on our personnel and our panel.” For Limerick, how do you single out individuals when the collective nailed 20 of 26 first-half shots. How do you prioritise certain point-scorers when there are 12 names on the scoresheet?

We’re going to pluck from the crowd Aidan O’Connor and Shane O’Brien. Both finished with six from play. They’ll not be moved. The older guard is competing against the older guard for the other forward shirts.

O'Brien was a physical conundrum Tipp couldn’t solve. On top of his first-half three, he assisted a pair, was fouled for a converted free, and forced the intercept for another.

Tipperary go on losing this fixture. Limerick can’t stay beating them often enough. Tipp’s six-game unbeaten home run dead without a whimper. It’ll be a few weeks before we know if this was an evening we read too much or too little into - on both sides.

Scorers for Limerick: 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).

Scorers for Tipperary: 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).

LIMERICK: 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.

SUBS: 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).

TIPPERARY: 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.

SUBS: 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).

REFEREE: C Lyons (Cork)