Tipperary under 20 Footballers impress in seeing off Limerick

Tipperary0-16

Limerick1-10

By Shane Brophy

Tipperary won their first match in the U20/21 grade since 2015 as they impressively defeated Limerick in the Munster U20 Football quarter final at Semple Stadium, Thurles this evening

The visitors began the livelier with captain Brian Foley kicking them into an early lead before Barry Kehoe responded for Tipp. Eliah Riordan managed the only other score before the water-break for Limerick but after it the home side took over, defending well, were patient on the ball and worked good scoring positions from where Leon Kennedy, sub Ben Comerford, and in particular Sean O’Connor who kicked five points, three from frees. Limerick’s only scores in the quarter were from a Colm Ryan free and Patrick Shanahan from play as they trailed 0-8 to 0-4 at half time.

Tipperary continued to dominate with Barry Kehoe a thorn in the Limerick side with three points from play while Kevin Grogan (45), Sean & Mark O’Connor also on target, the latter off a rebound after Sean O’Connor’s blistering shot was turned onto the crossbar by Ronan McElligott. Limerick never threatened a revival relying on frees with Colm Ryan, Brian Ahern and James Molyneaux their only scorers in the second points with their goal coming with the final kick of the game from Brian Ahern.

Tipperary will now play Waterford in the semi-final next Wednesday in Semple Stadium at 7.30pm

SCORERS – Tipperary: Sean O’Connor 0-7 (5 frees); Barry Kehoe 0-4; Tadhg Condon, Leon Kennedy, Kevin Grogan (45), Mark O’Connor, Ben Comerford 0-1 each.

Limerick: Colm Ryan 0-4 frees; Brian Ahern 1-1; Patrick Shanahan, Eliah Riordan, Darragh O’Keeffe, Brian Foley, James Molyneaux 0-1 each.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Callan Scully; Sean Daly, Tadhg Condon, Brian McKeown; Emmet Butler, Billy O’Connor, Leon Kennedy; Cathal Deeley, Kevin Grogan; Conor Cadell, Ryan Walsh, Jamie Holloway; Mark O’Connor, Barry Kehoe, Sean O’Connor.

Subs: B Comerford (0-1) for Walsh (17); M Lyons for M O’Connor (51); J Kiely for McKeown (53); C English for Holloway (58); J Duncan for Kennedy (60+1).

Limerick: Ronan McElligott; Ruadhan O’Connor, Craig Carew, Alan McGrath; Cormac Woulfe, Patrick Shanahan, Sean Kilbride; Eliah Riordan, Darragh O’Keeffe; Dylan Quirke, John Hayes, Jamie Baynham; Brian Foley, James Molyneaux, Colm Ryan.

Subs: E McNamara for Kilbride (26); B Ahern (1-1) for Baynham (43); S O’Donoghue for Foley (43); J Pierce for Quirke (51); G Sparling for Hayes (51).

Referee: David Murnane (Cork)