Hello, and welcome to The42′s live coverage of Limerick and Tipperary’s Munster SHC clash at the Gaelic Grounds. This should be good!
Throw-in is 2pm (live on RTÉ 2), we’ll have team news shortly. Stick with us throughout the afternoon and as per, feel free to voice your opinion in the comments section.
Here’s are how the teams are set to line out.
Two championship debutants for Limerick in the full-forward line — Aaron Gillane and Seamus Flanagan — while no na Piarsaigh players start, as of now.
Tipperary meanwhile have four championship newcomers, with Padraic Maher captaining the county. Seamus Callanan and Brendan Maher are both named on the bench.
We’ll have any late changes though.
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Seamus Hickey (Murroe-Boher)
4. Richie English (Doon)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Declan Hannon (Adare)
7. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
9. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
10. Gearoid Hegarty (St Patricks)
11. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
13. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh)
15. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock)
Tipperary
1. Brian Hogan (Lorrha-Dorrha)
2. Alan Flynn (Kiladangan)
3. Séamus Kennedy (St. Mary’s Clonmel)
4. Donagh Maher (Burgess)
5. Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg)
6. Padraic Maher (captain) (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. Willie Connors (Kiladangan)
9. Billy McCarthy (Thurles Sarsfields)
10. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)
11. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
12. Seán Curran (Mullinahone)
13. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
14. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
15. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
The Munster Hurling Championship is back... but not as we know it. Limerick host Tipperary on The Sunday Game Live on RTÉ2 at 2pm followed by Cork v Clare at 4pm. Live blogs on RTE Sport Online and the News Now App. #RTEgaa #GAA pic.twitter.com/PGYkRedQXO
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) May 20, 2018
Something to whet the appetite.
Under the new championship format, Tipperary will be looking to regain the provincial trophy they won back-to-back in 2015 and 2016 before losing to Cork at the quarter-final stage 12 months ago.
The last time these two sides met was in this year’s league semi-final and it was Tipp who prevailed after a cracking encounter. Michael Ryan’s charges now face a tough visit to Ennis Road where the Shannonsiders will be gunning for them.
The crowd are starting to filter in as that 2pm throw-in time nears and the atmosphere is well and truly building.
In the minor clash, it was Limerick who got off to a winning start with a 1-17 to 2-12 win. Read all about it here.
Munster Senior Hurling Championship - both Limerick & Tipperary line out as selected and as per the official programme pic.twitter.com/dWc5bTGxD9
— Munster GAA (@MunsterGAA) May 20, 2018
Less than five minutes to go, no changes to either side.
Call it?
Poll Results:
2 mins – Limerick 0-1 Tipperary 0-0: Beautiful catch from Aaron Gillane, he wins a free and pops it over as Limerick draw first blood.
3 mins – Limerick 0-1 Tipperary 0-1: We’re level, John McGrath with a lovely equaliser.
4 mins – Limerick 0-1 Tipperary 0-1: Limerick are looking slightly brighter at early doors, Gillane does well but his effort at the posts sweeps across the face of them and wide.
6 mins – Limerick 0-2 Tipperary 0-2: Jason Forde slots a tricky free, that will give the Silvermines man great confidence.
7 mins – Limerick 0-3 Tipperary 0-2: Mulcahy with a lovely effort to split the posts. This is tit-for-tat at the minute.
9 mins – Limerick 0-3 Tipperary 0-2: Free-in to the Shannonsiders, looks a handy one. Gillane misses the target. It’s still 0-3 to 0-2.
13 mins – Limerick 0-3 Tipperary 0-2: Ronan Maher sends a sideline cut wide before Tom Morrissey misses at the other end. There seems to be a huge amount of space in the Limerick forward line. The ref consults his umpires regarding an off-the-ball incident at the other end, and John McGrath sees yellow.
15 mins – Limerick 0-3 Tipperary 0-3: Bad wides at each end, but then Forde slots over a free. It’s Tipp’s first score in 10 mins.
Back to that yellow card — Sean Finn was the Limerick player to go down, but he’s up and at it again.
17 mins – Limerick 0-3 Tipperary 0-3: Great save from Brian Hogan as a high ball drops in, Limerick probably should have made better use of that.
18 mins – Limerick 0-4 Tipperary 0-3: Gillane edges Limerick in front once again.
21 mins – Tipperary 1-3 Limerick 0-6: Gillane points a free and Mulcahy hits another from play.
Back to that lovely goal from McCormack to cap an exciting spell of blocks and what not around the middle. This is spicing up nicely.
23 mins – Tipperary 1-4 Limerick 0-7: The hits are getting harder in the Gaelic Grounds. Jason Forde slots over his third of the match with a free, while Morrissey responds at the other end.
24 mins – Tipperary 1-5 Limerick 0-7: Forde makes no mistake with another free from just outside the 45.
25 mins – Tipperary 1-5 Limerick 0-8: And Limerick strike back with a brilliant score from Gillane. He’s causing serious problems for the Tipp defence.
27 mins – Tipperary 1-6 Limerick 0-9: Declan Hannon is flying for Limerick, leading the charge from centre-half back. That said, John McGrath grabs a nice point while Cian Lynch responds at the other end.
29 mins – Limerick 0-10 Tipperary 1-7: Seamus Flanagan with a beauty to put Limerick ahead. But Noel McGrath cancels it out at the other end.
31 mins – Tipperary 1-8 Limerick 0-10: A fifth point for Forde from a free – Tipp have just three from play.
33 mins – Tipperary 1-9 Limerick 0-11: Another for Mulcahy to level proceedings. He’s on fire. Forde puts Tipp ahead once again with another easy free though.
34 mins – Tipperary 1-9 Limerick 0-12: Level for the 10th time as Darragh O’Donovan puts one over from around the middle.
36 mins – Tipperary 1-10 Limerick 0-12: First of two minutes added time. Boos ring around the ground as the ref brings play back for a Tipp free — Forde obliges.
HALF-TIME: Tipperary 1-10 Limerick 0-12
The general consensus in The Sunday Game studio is that it’s a cagey affair and that Limerick probably should be ahead. But it’s the beauty of Tipp that they’re one up.
What do you lot at home think?
‘It’s Limerick’s to lose,’ they’re saying in studio now.
Here’s some first-half highlights to feast your eyes on.
Tipperary lead Limerick by 0-1 at the break. Check out our GAANOW half-time highlights here! pic.twitter.com/azRkG1PS3Q
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 20, 2018
36 mins – Tipperary 1-10 Limerick 0-12: Dan McCormack should have raised a white flag from play there, he’ll be disappointed with that. Rain has started to fall, no blood drawn from the restart just yet.
39 mins – Tipperary 1-10 Limerick 0-13: Seamus Kennedy gives away a free and Gillane levels play with the resultant free.
43 mins – Limerick 0-15 Tipperary 1-11: Sean O’Brien on for Tipp, Donagh Maher off. Just before that change, Limerick had a promising attack but yet another wide came off it.
45 mins – Limerick 0-15 Tipperary 1-12: John O’Dwyer levels proceedings once again.
46 mins – Limerick 0-17 Tipperary 1-12: Another simple free for Gillane before Gearoid Hegarty drives them on further.
49 mins – Limerick 0-18 Tipperary 1-12: Gillane opts to drop a ball in with a long-range free rather than pop it over. It bobbles around the goalmouth but goes out for a 65 and Diarmuid Byrnes converts.
50 mins – Limerick 0-18 Tipperary 2-12: GOAL! for Tipperary and it’s Jason Forde. Just when Limerick looked like they were drifting off, Forde smashes home out of nowhere. Brilliant!
53 mins – Limerick 0-18 Tipperary 2-12: That goal has lifted things slightly as there’s a bit more noise around the Gaelic Grounds. The ante has been upped. Tipp have called the reinforcements — Callanan is in, he joins Brendan Maher who came on moments ago.
55 mins – Limerick 0-18 Tipperary 2-12: David Dempsey and Barry Murphy are in too on the other side. The former has a go but sends it wide.
56 mins – Limerick 0-18 Tipperary 2-12: Mike Casey is on for Seamus Hickey, who half runs-half limps off the field. Fresh legs, let’s go. Bubbles lets a high ball in but Limerick deal with it accordingly.
58 mins – Tipperary 2-13 Limerick 0-18: Classy score from Noel McGrath to give Tipp the lead again.
59 mins – Tipperary 2-13 Limerick 0-19: Gillane splits the posts from play. You guessed it – level again.
61 mins – Limerick 0-20 Tipperary 2-13: Cian Lynch sticks another excellent score from around the middle. Pat Ryan is in for Flanagan. Can Limerick push on?
63 mins – Limerick 0-21 Tipperary 2-13: Diarmaid Byrnes makes no mistake with a 65 – two from two. Two in it also.
66 mins – Limerick 0-22 Tipperary 2-13: Gearoid Hegarty with a lovely score, the crowd like that one!
66 mins – Limerick 0-22 Tipperary 2-14: Bonner Maher is on for McCarthy. Noel McGrath is fouled in front of the posts and Forde fires over. He has 1-9.
68 mins – Limerick 1-22 Tipperary 2-14: Five between them now, brilliant goal from Barry Murphy – he took it very cleverly.
69 mins – Limerick 1-23 Tipperary 2-14: Diarmaid Byrnes. Wow. The crowd are loving it!
70 mins – Limerick 1-23 Tipperary 2-14: Five minutes of added time, as Tipperary search desperately for something.
72 mins – Limerick 1-23 Tipperary 2-14: Limerick are standing firm as the sliotar is played around the house, they get it out and up the field. Nearly a monster score at the other end but it goes wide.
74 mins – Limerick 1-23 Tipperary 2-14: Michael Ryan pops up on the screen, disappointment all over her face. It’s Limerick’s day.
74 mins – Limerick 1-23 Tipperary 2-14: The Premier county have a late half goal chance, but nothing… it hits the side net.
FULL-TIME: Limerick 1-23 Tipperary 2-14
A huge – and deserved – win for John Kiely’s side.
Sin é. Limerick win the first-ever Munster championship round robin fixture by six points, they’ll be delighted with that one.
That’s all from me, thanks for reading. We’ll have a full match report on The42 in the coming minutes, while Kevin O’Brien will be bringing you all the action from Cork v Clare right here.
Have a good one!
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Come on Limerick
Great second half from Limerick, but they’d want to sort out those wides.
Kiely very slow to take Hickey off, Mike Casey should be already in
@Gaaonthefence: or Richie McCarthy. Either way get Hickey out of there asap.
Limerick going to regret all these wides
@Kevin Shortall: they sure are Kevin.
@Shane Doherty: as a Kilkenny man I’m delighted
Take nothing away from Limerick, I think the whole country would like to see them do well. But as a Tipp supporter, how James McGrath can officiate at this level concerns me. He is getting even the most basic decisions wrong and is so inconsistent to how he applies the rules. Just rid of Kirwan after years of bias and now we have to watch this clown ruining games.
@Dave Russell: I think the standard is poor across the board but i suppose it is a thankless job. Is there a case to look at two referees on the pitch at either end.
Here we go again, ref doing his best to ruin it, major boo boo in this lad yet ..
@Gerry Campbell: or the fact that Limerick can’t stop giving away stupid frees
@Tom49: they are all frees alright….and thats coming from a limerick man
@Tom49: well undeniably true Tom .
Very poor referee? Compliments to both teams that the game didn’t boil over?
Killing ourselves with the wides but great to see some discipline in 2nd half, great start to the campaign and something to build on now! Hon Luimneach
Well done mike ryan
Great day. The RESSURECTION started that day