Three From Three, But Plenty to Work On, Tipperary Minors Reach Munster Final After Limerick Test.
Tipperary are into the Munster Minor Hurling Final with a game still to play, but if anyone thinks this was straightforward, they weren’t watching it properly.
A 2-13 to 0-16 win away to Limerick in the TUS Gaelic Grounds sends Tipp through with a perfect record, three wins from three, but the manner of it will give management plenty to chew on over the next fortnight.
Clare beaten in Thurles. Cork beaten in Thurles. Now Limerick beaten on their own patch. That’s the facts of it. But within that, there’s a performance that had control, had cutting edge, had a wobble, and in the end had enough composure to get over the line.
Context Matters, Tipperary Arrive in Form
Coming into this one, Tipp had already put themselves in a strong position. A 4-20 to 3-19 win over Clare showed scoring power. A 2-17 to 0-16 win over Cork showed control against a serious opponent.
That meant this trip to Limerick was about one thing, win it and you’re in the Munster final.
Limerick, for their part, had bounced back from an opening defeat to Waterford by beating Clare away, so there was no question this was a proper test. Away from home, under lights, with a bit of bite in it.
Lightning Start, Tipperary Mean Business Early
Tipp didn’t hang around.
Inside the opening five minutes they had four points on the board. KJ Dunne, Conall Morrisson, Riain McGrath, and Ollie Roche (free) all raised white flags.
That’s not just a good start, that’s a statement. Movement sharp, ball going in quick, forwards making runs, and Limerick on the back foot straight away.
By the 10th minute, Tipp had control of territory and possession, and the next moment felt like it would define the half.
Penalty Miss Keeps Limerick Alive
11 minutes in, Tipperary win a penalty. KJ Dunne fouled, and Limerick’s Conor Ryan black carded.
Everything lined up for Tipp to go for the jugular.
But the penalty from Ollie Roche was saved.
Now, these things happen, but the knock-on effect was massive. Instead of pushing five or six clear, Tipp left Limerick hanging around. At this level, especially away from home, that’s dangerous.
To Tipp’s credit, they didn’t drop their heads. Morrisson added another point, and the scoreboard kept ticking, but Limerick found their foothold through one man in particular.
Waters Keeps Limerick in Touch
If Tipp had the spread of scorers, Limerick had Shane Waters.
He finished with 0-12, made up of 0-10 frees, 0-1 65, and 0-01 from play. That tells you everything. Tipp were giving away just enough frees to keep Limerick alive, and Waters punished nearly every one.
Add in scores from Eamon O’Sullivan (0-03) and Diarmuid Crowe (0-01), and suddenly the gap wasn’t as big as it should have been.
Tipp added points through Shane Ryan (0-02, including a free) and Conor Kennedy (0-02), but Limerick finished the half stronger.
At the break it was 0-09 to 0-07.
From a Tipperary perspective, they’d be saying the same thing, we should be further ahead.
Second Half, Tipperary Deliver the Hammer Blows
If the first half was about control without damage, the second half was about doing something with it.
Straight from the throw-in, Tipp struck.
Riain McGrath, who had come into the starting team late, reacted quickest to a breaking ball and buried it to the net. That goal stretched the lead and gave Tipp a cushion they hadn’t had.
Limerick responded through Waters frees again, but Tipp kept the scoreboard moving.
Then came the key moment.
On 44 minutes, a flowing move involving Shane Ryan and Eanna Tucker carved Limerick open. The finish fell to Ollie Roche, who made no mistake.
Goal.
Now it’s 2-12 to 0-10. Eight points in it.
At that stage, you’d expect Tipp to push on and close it out comfortably.
The 15-Minute Drought, A Real Concern
But this is where the game turned.
From that second goal, Tipperary didn’t score again for 15 minutes.
Fifteen.
That’s not a small dip. That’s a window where games can swing, and this one nearly did.
Limerick sensed it. They went after it.
They hit five points in a row, through O’Sullivan (2), Crowe, and Waters (2 frees).
The gap is back to three.
Crowd into it. Momentum fully with Limerick. Tipp under pressure for the first time in the half.
That’s the spell that will concern management. Not just the lack of scores, but how the control of the game slipped.
Late Nerve, But Tipperary Find a Way
This is where you learn about a team.
With Limerick pushing for a goal that would level it, Tipp needed something, anything, to stop the run.
Sean Burke, introduced in the second half, stepped up with a point on 59 minutes.
A small score on paper. A massive one in reality.
It settled Tipperary. It gave them breathing room. It forced Limerick to chase two scores instead of one.
Waters added one more late free, bringing it back to a goal, but Tipperary didn’t give up the big chance. No goal conceded. No panic.
Full-time, 2-13 to 0-16.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Scores For | Scores Against | Score Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tipperary | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8-50 (74) | 3-51 (60) | +14 | 6 |
| Limerick | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3-42 (51) | 3-42 (51) | 0 | 2 |
| Cork | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0-28 (28) | 2-26 (32) | -4 | 2 |
| Clare | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4-51 (63) | 8-44 (68) | -5 | 2 |
| Waterford | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3-38 (47) | 2-46 (52) | -5 | 2 |
Full Scoring Breakdown
Tipperary (2-13):
- Ollie Roche 1-02 (0-02 frees)
- Conall Morrisson 0-04
- Riain McGrath 1-01
- Shane Ryan 0-02 (0-01 free)
- Conor Kennedy 0-02
- KJ Dunne 0-01
- Sean Burke 0-01
Limerick (0-16):
- Shane Waters 0-12 (0-10 frees, 0-01 65, 0-01 play)
- Eamon O’Sullivan 0-03
- Diarmuid Crowe 0-01
That’s seven scorers for Tipp, spread across the team. Two goals from play. Only three points from frees. That tells you Tipp’s attacking threat came from open play.
Key Performers, Tipp Depth Showing
Colm Ryan was named Player of the Match, and it’s easy to see why. When Limerick were pushing late, Tipp needed their backs to stand up, and he did just that.
Conall Morrisson (0-04) was consistently dangerous, always available, always a threat.
Ollie Roche (1-02) had a big influence, even aside from the goal, and kept Limerick tied up.
Riain McGrath (1-01) took his goal well and made his presence felt.
Then you’ve the likes of KJ Dunne, involved early and winning the penalty, Shane Ryan controlling play and scoring, and Conor Kennedy chipping in.
And don’t underestimate Sean Burke’s contribution. That late point mattered.
Score Pattern, The Game in Phases
- Tipp dominate first 10 minutes
- Miss penalty, fail to pull away
- Lead 0-9 to 0-7 at half-time
- McGrath goal early second half
- Roche goal on 44 minutes
- Tipp lead by 8, 2-12 to 0-10
- Tipp go 15 minutes without scoring
- Limerick hit 5 in a row
- Burke steadies it late
- Tipp close it out
That’s a game with everything in it.
Three From Three, Munster Final Secured
The bottom line is this.
- Played 3
- Won 3
- Clare beaten
- Cork beaten
- Limerick beaten away
That guarantees Tipp a place in the Munster Final on May 15th.
There’s still one round left, away to Waterford in Dungarvan, but that now becomes about momentum and fine-tuning rather than qualification.
Final Word, Plenty Done, More to Do
There’s a lot to like here.
Tipp can score goals. They’ve shown that again. They can build leads. They’ve done that in all three games. They’ve shown they can win different types of matches.
But there’s also clear areas to tighten.
You can’t go 15 minutes without a score at this level. You can’t leave teams alive when you’ve them on the ropes. And you can’t rely on digging it out late every time.
That said, winning away to Limerick, under pressure, with a Munster final on the line, and getting the job done, that counts.
Three from three. Munster final secured.
And if Tipp can put a full performance together, they won’t be far away.