Tipp progress to Munster Football Final
Tipperary 1-15
Limerick 2-11
By Shane Brophy
A Brian Fox point in injury time of extra time settled this Munster Senior Football Championship Semi-Final in the favour of Tipperary over Limerick at the LIT Gaelic Grounds.
The game appeared destined for the first ever penalty shootout in championship football before the veteran player took it upon himself to make the run through the middle and when the chance presented itself he slotted over for what proved to be the winner.
Limerick had one great chance to equalise, but Seamus O’Carroll missed a close range free after claiming a mark and with it went the Shannonsiders chance of a first Munster Final appearance since 2010.
The early stages of the contest were extremely tentative with the sides sharing the first eight points by the water-break with Conor Sweeney opening the scoring with a fifth minute free with Tipp’s other scores coming from frees from Sweeney and Jack Kennedy while Michael Quinlivan had a goal-bound effort turned over the bar by Limerick keeper Donal O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan has been on the scoresheet for the home side from a placed ball with Sean McSweeney, Hugh Bourke, and Cillian Fahey also on target as the Shannonsiders were playing with a greater pace to their play.
They struck for their first goal on 26 minutes when a Tommie Childs run broke open the Tipp defence and he played in Sean McSweeney who kicked low to the net. Tommy Griffin extended the lead with a point from play before they struck for a second goal on 32 minutes as a sublime Tony McCarthy kick pass found Cillian Fahey who had drifted off Jack Kennedy and he gave Evan Comerford no chance.
Tipp responded with a Conor Sweeney point from play, just their second of the half but fine Killian Ryan point in added time gave Limerick and 2-6 to 0-5 half time advantage.
Tipperary began quickly to eat in the deficit at the start of the second half with frees from Kennedy and Sweeney and Kevin Fahey point from play. The momentum was now with the visitors with Sweeney adding two to his tally before Liam Boland reduced the margin to one when Liam Casey goaled in the 55th minutes, reacting quickest to a Emmet Moloney shot which came back off the post.
The water-break proved timely for Limerick who responded with points from Darragh Treacy and a Hugh Bourke free to draw level before Cian Sheehan looked like he had kicked the winner before a moment of class from Conor Sweeney who converted a free from out on the side-line with the outside of his left foot to send the game to extra time.
A Liam Boland point was the only score in the first period of extra time before Limerick levelled through the returning Sean McSweeney before Donal O’Sullivan converted a 45 after his opposite number had made a fine save from Hugh Bourke.
After Robbie Kiely had levelled once more, O’Sullivan had a chance of converting another 45 but it flew inches before in the dying seconds he watched as Brian Fox’s shot sailed over to send Tipperary into a first Munster Final since 2016.
Scorers - Tipperary: Conor Sweeney 0-7 (5 frees); Liam Casey 1-0; Liam Boland, Jack Kennedy (frees) 0-2 each; Kevin Fahey, Robbie Kiely, Michael Quinlivan, Brian Fox 0-1 each.
Limerick: Sean McSweeney 1-2; Cillian Fahy 1-1; Donal O’Sullivan, Hugh Bourke 0-2 frees each; Darragh Treacy, Killian Ryan, Tommy Griffin, Cian Sheehan 0-1 each.
Tipperary: Evan Comerford; Alan Campbell, Jimmy Feehan, Colm O’Shaughnessy; Bill Maher, Kevin Fahey, Robbie Kiely; Conal Kennedy, Liam Casey; Jack Kennedy, Colman Kennedy, Emmet Moloney; Jason Lonergan, Conor Sweeney, Michael Quinlivan. Subs: Brian Fox for Lonergan (HT); Liam Boland for Colman Kennedy (HT); Riain Quigley for J Kennedy (60 inj); Kevin O’Halloran for Moloney (66 inj); Tadhg Fitzgerald for O’Shaughnessy (70); Padraic Looram for O’Halloran (ET); Colman Kennedy for Quigley (7 ET); Paudie Feehan for Fahey (12 ET); Kevin O’Halloran for Boland (18 ET).
Limerick: Donal O’Sullivan; Brian Fanning, Sean O’Dea, Paul Maher; Tony McCarthy, Killian Ryan, Gordon Brown; Darragh Treacy, Tommie Childs; Cillian Fahy, Iain Corbett, Adrian Enright; Hugh Bourke, Tommy Griffin, Sean McSweeney. Subs: Padraig De Brun for Enright (HT); Danny Neville for McSweeney (51); Cian Sheehan for Griffin (51); Robbie Childs for Brown (56); Seamus O’Carroll for Ryan (66); Michael Donovan for McCarthy (7 ET); Davy Lyons for Fahy (9 ET); Sean McSweeney for Maher (HT ET).
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)