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Limerick's David Reidy and Tomas Hamill of Tipperary Credit: INPHO/James Crombie
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Tipp overcome Limerick in Munster U21 HC quarter-final

The Premier County are into the last four after a seven-point win at Semple Stadium.

Tipperary 2-18
Limerick 2-11

KEN HOGAN’S TIPPERARY romped into the semi-finals of the Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21 hurling championship with a surprisingly comfortable seven-point victory over Limerick in Thurles this evening.

The Shannonsiders arrived with high hopes of scoring a first victory over Tipp in this grade since 2002 but were sent packing by Jason Forde. The former Tipp minor captain and current senior panellist hit 1-8 as the hosts set up a semi-final showdown with Cork on July 17.

Forde, from the Silvermines club, was in imperious form and it was his 52nd minute goal that ended a Limerick revival that had brought them to within five points.

Boosted by that Forde strike, after Liam McGrath had provided the pass, Tipp moved ten points clear before Shane Kenny’s cracking late goal added some respectability to the scoreboard from a Limerick perspective.

But the writing was on the wall from an early stage as Tipp moved 0-8 to 0-2 clear by the 21st minute.

And by then, Tipp had missed a penalty as Forde, at the heart of everything good that the home side did, blazed a 17th minute effort over the crossbar after industrious Dan McCormack was hauled down by Alan Dempsey.

But a killer goal did come for Tipp before half-time, when Forde set up Aidan McCormack for a clinical finish at the Killinan End.

Limerick had offered little in the way of resistance although Andrew Ryan did brilliantly to hook William Hickey as the Treaty centre forward looked to get a shot away as early as the tenth minute.

That was as close as Limerick got to Tipp’s goal in the first half but sub Michael Ryan netted in the 33rd minute as the visitors went in search of pride.

It was an evening when Declan Hannon and Shane Dowling had been earmarked to provide real spark for Limerick but the senior players never lived up to that billing.

Instead, it was Forde who showed how good a player he already is, and can become, with a performance laced with maturity belying his age.

Tipp, despite playing against the breeze, led by 1-11 to 0-4 at half-time.

Limerick, however, snapped away at Tipp’s heels during the second half, as 2519 spectators looked on.

Four unanswered points – including three from Dowling – reduced the deficit to five points, 1-10 to 1-15, by the 49th minute.

But Forde banged home the insurance goal at the Killinan End and that was that as Tipp repeated last year’s victory over the same opposition.

Scorers for Limerick: Shane Dowling 0-5 (3f), Shane Kenny 1-1, Michael Ryan 1-0, Declan Hannon 0-2, Kevin O’Donnell 0-2 (1f), David Reidy 0-1.
Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 1-8 (0-4f, 0-1 pen), Aidan McCormack 1-3, Dan McCormack & Brian Stapleton 0-2 each, Niall O’Meara, Bill Walsh & Liam McGrath 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Owen Webb O’Rourke (Kilmallock); Alan Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh), Mark O’Loughlin (Kilmallock), Mark Carmody (Patrickswell); Dan Morrissey (Ahane), Barry O’Connell (Kildimo/Pallaskenry), Kevin O’Donnell (Kilmallock); Thomas Ryan (South Liberties), Shane Kenny (Ballybrown); Declan Hannon (Adare), William Hickey (South Liberties), David Reidy (Dromin/Atlacca); John Fitzgibbon (Adare), Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh), Adrian Breen (Na Piarsaigh).

Subs: Kevin O’Brien (Patrickswell) for Hickey (25), Barry Lynch (Feohanagh/Castlemahon) for O’Connell (h.t.), Michael Ryan (Murroe/Boher) for Fitzgibbon (h.t.), Robbie Egan (Kilmallock) for Reidy (45).

TIPPERARY: Darragh Mooney (Éire Óg Annacarty); Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), Michael Breen (Ballina), Andrew Ryan (Toomevara); Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Tomás Hamill (Killea), Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s, Clonmel); Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonagh’s), Justin Cahill (Kilruane MacDonagh’s); Jason Forde (Silvermines), Dan McCormack (Borrisoleigh), Brian Stapleton (Templederry Kenyons); Aidan McCormack (Thurles Sarsfields), Bill Walsh (Carrick Swan), Liam McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney).

Subs: Conor Kenny (Borrisoleigh) for Walsh (46), Bill Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash) for O’Dwyer (51), Tommy Heffernan (Éire Óg Nenagh) for McCormack (55), John Meagher (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Barrett (60+1).

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