GAA: Electric Ireland Munster Minor Football Championship Phase 1 Final
Limerick 1-9
Tipperary 1-6
Report: Stephen Barry at Mallow
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Cian Costelloe (Limerick)
SCORERS – Limerick: Darragh Hogan 1-0; Callum Buckley 0-2; Cian Costelloe, Cathal Woulfe, Evan Curry (free), Andrew Lyons (free), Pádraic Murphy, Adam Murphy, Ronan O’Connell 0-1 each.
Tipperary: Charlie Grace 1-1; Liam Freaney 0-2; Jamie O’Keeffe, Tadhg Whyte (free), Charlie Walsh 0-1 each.
Limerick avenged their group-stage defeat against Tipperary to claim the Daryl Darcy Cup as ‘phase 1’ Munster minor winners on Thursday evening.
The Premier held Limerick scoreless for thirty minutes either side of half-time and impact sub Charlie Grace blasted 1-1 upon his introduction to turn the game in their favour entering the closing stages.
Peter Boland made a pair of saves to protect their lead, but Darragh Hogan scored the match-winning goal from a rebound to end Tipp’s three-game winning streak.
They still advance to face Cork in next Thursday’s Munster semi-final after the Rebels beat Kerry, who now play Limerick in the other semi-final.
John McNamara fielded a much-changed attack with three new faces starting in Cillian Fahey, Tadhg Whyte, and Mark Neville. Missing out were vice-captains Emmet Bonner and Ronan O’Brien, who scored 1-3 against Limerick last time, plus Shane Ryan.
Limerick’s changes included a return for powerhouse captain Aidan O’Shea and the excellent Cian Costelloe.
Tipp’s miserly defence had conceded just 1-18 in three games, and all appeared to be going to plan in the early moments. Michael Connellan made a strong start, rampaging down the right wing to win two scoreable frees. Tadhg Whyte slotted the first and while Liam Freaney’s second slipped wide, he made up for it with a turnover point from the subsequent kick-out, set up by Louis Coughlan.
But once Limerick got on the front foot, they penned in the Premier kick-out. Tipp dropped back in sufficient numbers, but Limerick were patient, playing the ball around outside the 45 to draw out defenders and then pouncing with accurate kick passes to the inside line.
They kicked six points in a row with no wide while playing into the wind as Tipp went ten minutes without a shot and seventeen without a score. Adam Murphy scored one point and set up three for Cathal Woulfe, Pádraic Murphy, and Callum Buckley. Costelloe was the third Limerick defender to score on top of a fine display at full-back, while Andrew Lyons added a free.
Tipp did succeed in making a defensive stand in the second quarter, holding Limerick to one shot and no score. Their own scores were slow to arrive, but they did narrow the deficit to two by half-time, 0-6 to 0-4, with Freaney converting when set up by Mark Neville and Jamie O’Keeffe finishing off with the last kick after a Seán Lewis break.
John McNamara made a double change at the interval, with Shane Ryan and Charlie Grace introduced to the attack, and the Ballina youngster would make a telling impact.
Tipp had two goal chances within minutes. The first fell to Whyte, after a quick-passing move involving Joey Quinn and Freaney, but Sam Guerin saved well from the Moneygall clubman’s first-time shot. Then, Coughlan sent Grace down along the end line and his piledriver was too hot to handle despite Guerin’s best efforts.
A fine Shane Flanagan block on danger-man Murphy kept Tipp one ahead and they doubled that margin when Quinn supplied Grace to point.
Another sub Charlie Walsh almost had a goal chance with his first touch, but Guerin raced out to clear. At the other end, Tommy Glynn attempted to shoot through a forest of bodies, but Billy Tierney made the block.
Limerick got back level, though. An Evan Curry free ended their half-hour scoring drought before Buckley, wearing no.3 but in a roaming role, made it 0-8 to 1-5.
Tipp struck the front again when Lewis picked out Walsh for a mark, with the new man in applying the finish.
Limerick came with a late charge. Boland made a fine save from Glynn, but the Treaty would earn one more chance. Glynn turned over possession and fed Curry, but Boland saved again. However, Hogan was in position to leather in the rebound.
There were another four minutes of stoppage time played but Ronan O’Connell kicked the insurance score with his first touch.
Tierney lobbed in one last free, but O’Shea made the catch to round out the victory.
TEAMS – Limerick: Sam Guerin; Cian O’Sullivan, Cian Costelloe, Callum Buckley; Liam Óg Glynn, Cathal Woulfe, Cillian Meade; Aidan O’Shea (capt), Evan Curry; Pádraic Phelan, Darragh Hogan, Pádraic Murphy; Adam Murphy, Andrew Lyons, Tommy Glynn.
Subs: Eoghan Beston for Lyons (42), Ronan O’Connell for A Murphy (60+3), Rory Mullins for Hogan (60+3).
Tipperary: Peter Boland (Moyle Rovers); Ronan Myles (Ardfinnan), Cillian Ryan (Ballina), Shane Flanagan (Newport); Michael Connellan (Clonmel Commercials), Billy Tierney (Clonmel Commercials, capt), Jamie O’Keeffe (Clonmel Commercials); Michael O’Reilly (Moyle Rovers), Seán Lewis (Arravale Rovers); Louis Coughlan (Moycarkey-Borris), Liam Freaney (Kilsheelan-Kilcash), Cillian Fahey (Clonmel Commercials); Joey Quinn (Loughmore-Castleiney), Tadhg Whyte (Moneygall), Mark Neville (Fethard).
Subs: Charlie Grace (Ballina) for Neville (HT), Shane Ryan (Ardfinnan) for Fahey (HT), Charlie Walsh (Fethard) for Whyte (48), Tom Ryan (Moycarkey-Borris) for Freaney (56).
Referee: James O’Regan (Cork).