Evening all and welcome along as the 2017 Munster U21 hurling championship gets ready to start tonight. This grade always tend to throw up classic encounters and the opening quarter-final tie between Limerick and Tipperary has real potential. Throw-in at the Gaelic Grounds is 7.30pm.

Here are the teams named to start tonight.

Tipperary

1. Brian Hogan (Lorrha-Dorrha)

2. Paul Maher (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)
3. Emmett Moloney (Drom & Inch)
4. Kevin Hassett (Drom & Inch)

5. Robert Byrne (Portroe)
6. Brian McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
7. Enda Heffernan (Clonoulty-Rossmore)

8. Billy McCarthy (Thurles Sarsfields)
9. Ger Browne (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)

10. Andrew Coffey (Nenagh Éire Óg – captain)
11. Stephen Quirke (Moyle Rovers)
12. Mark Kehoe (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)

13. Lyndon Fairbrother (JK Brackens)
14. David Gleeson (Ballinahinch)
15. Willie Connors (Kiladangan)

Limerick

1. Eoghan McNamara (Doon)

2. Sean Finn (Bruff)
3. Darragh Fanning (Pallasgreen)
4. Dan Joy (Kilmallock)

5. Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh)
6. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
7. Josh Adams (Ballybrown)

8. Robbie Hanley (Kilmallock)
9. Colin Ryan (Pallasgreen)

10. Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
11. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane – captain)

13. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
14. Barry Nash (South Liberties)
15. Barry Murphy (Doon)

The teams will line out as selected.

This is the third year in a row that these counties have faced off in this championship.

Limerick won a six-goal thriller in 2015 at the Gaelic Grounds and went on to claim the All-Ireland that year.

• 14-man Limerick see off Tipperary to win six-goal Munster U21 hurling thriller

Tipperary then turned the tables last year at Semple Stadium against a Limerick side who were heavily tipped to make a big impression at U21 level.

• Tipperary’s great hurling week continues as they defeat Limerick in Munster U21 semi-final

Game on in the Gaelic Grounds.

Limerick 0-1 Tipperary 0-0
1 mins – Limerick hit the front courtesy of Aaron Gillane – the scoring star for Mary Immaculate College in the Fitzgibbon Cup this year – from a free.

Limerick 0-2 Tipperary 0-0
3 mins – Cian Lynch is the point scorer but Limerick owed a lot there to the surging run by Peter Casey to create the opening.

Limerick 0-3 Tipperary 0-0
4 mins – Limerick are flying. Colin Ryan with their latest point.

Close to a Limerick goal! Captain Tom Morrissey makes headway on the left wing but flicks a shot across the goal and the ball goes wide.

Goal for Limerick!

Limerick 1-3 Tipperary 0-0
6 mins – And this time Tom Morrissey finds the net! Couldn’t fault Tipp goalkeeper Brian Hogan after he pulls off two great saves to deny Barry Nash and Morrissey before the Ahane man dives to scramble the loose ball to the corner of the goal.

Limerick 1-4 Tipperary 0-0
9 mins – Tipperary miss a couple of chances to open their account but Limerick make no mistake with their latest point notched by Colin Ryan.

Limerick 1-5 Tipperary 0-2
11 mins – Tipperary finally get motoring with Mark Kehoe and Billy McCarthy grabbing points. Limerick respond to go six points clear thanks to Morrissey.

Limerick 1-6 Tipperary 0-3
14 mins – Gillane pops over a free after Barry Nash was fouled. Tipperary do reply with a point from Kehoe.

Goal for Limerick!

Limerick 2-6 Tipperary 0-3
16 mins – Barry Nash gathers and races away from the Tipperary cover before flicking the ball in for his side’s second goal. Ronan Lynch then smashes a long-range free just wide. Limerick in control though.

Limerick 2-7 Tipperary 0-4
19 mins – Tipperary pull a point back courtesy of a Lyndon Fairbrother free before Ronan Lynch chips in for Limerick with a point.

Limerick 2-8 Tipperary 0-5
20 mins – Points traded again, this time it’s Tipperary’s Mark Kehoe and Limerick’s Aaron Gillane on target.

Limerick 2-9 Tipperary 0-6
22 mins – Limerick push the gap out to ten points courtesy of Barry Murphy. Tipperary respond then through Ger Browne but they’re nine adrift and struggling to stay in this game approaching half-time.

Limerick 2-10 Tipperary 0-6
26 mins – It’s Doon club man Murphy again on target for Limerick as he splits the posts.

Limerick 2-10 Tipperary 0-7
26 mins – Fairbrother replies for Tipperary from a free. Half-time can’t come quick enough for William Maher’s side.

Limerick 2-10 Tipperary 0-8
27 mins – Ger Browne does very well to draw a foul off the Tipperary rearguard and it’s another pointed free for Fairbrother.

Limerick 2-11 Tipperary 0-8
28 mins – Limerick reaffirm their dominance with a point by Ronan Lynch from distance. Excellent score.

Yellow card for Tipperary’s Stephen Quirke.

Half-Time: Tipperary 2-12 Limerick 0-8

A late Tom Morrissey point leaves Limerick ten clear at the end of the first-half. They’ve been extremely dominant, tough task for Tipperary to retrieve this deficit.

Second-half action under way.

Limerick 2-12 Tipperary 0-9
33 mins – JK Brackens man Fairbrothers bags another point from a free. Gap is cut to nine but you get the sense Tipperary are going to need a goal here to truly ignite a comeback.

Limerick 2-12 Tipperary 0-11
34 mins – Now that’s better from Tipperary since half-time. Two points courtesy of Willie Connors and Ger Browne trim that deficit to seven.

Limerick 2-13 Tipperary 0-11
36 mins – Limerick counter to settle themselves. Cian Lynch was fouled and the free is converted by Gillane.

The attendance at the Gaelic Grounds is 3,076.

Sub: Blood sub on Tipperary team with Michael Whelan coming in for Paul Maher.

Limerick 2-13 Tipperary 0-12
40 mins – Ger Browne weighs in with his third point of the night for Tipperary.

Sub: Limerick bring in Conor Boylan for Robbie Hanley.

Limerick 2-13 Tipperary 0-13
41 mins – Now the gap is down to six, Fairbrother from play this time from a tight angle.

Sub: Limerick bring in Thomas Grimes for Josh Adams, Ronan Teehan replaces David Gleeson on the Tipperary side.

Limerick 2-15 Tipperary 0-13
42 mins – Gillane gives his side some breathing space as he pops over a pair of points from frees.

Limerick 2-16 Tipperary 0-13
44 mins – Limerick have taken the sting out of Tipperary’s burst and pushed ahead again by nine. The latest point courtesy of Gillane once more, this time from play.

Limerick 2-17 Tipperary 0-13
45 mins – He’s been Limerick’s only scorer in this half, Aaron Gillane’s contribution has been key. A fourth point in a row from the Patrickswell man, the latest from a free.

Subs: Tipperary bring in Cian Darcy and Tommy Nolan for Fairbrother and the injured Connors.

Limerick 2-19 Tipperary 0-13
48 mins – It looks like Limerick can start thinking of a semi-final clash against Clare. Peter Casey and Morrissey chip in with the latest points.

Sub: Oisin O’Reilly in for Limerick for Barry Murphy.

Limerick 2-19 Tipperary 0-15
51 mins – Tipperary pull back a couple of points courtesy of the excellent Ger Browne and one from a free by Darcy.

Sub: Lorcan Lyons in for Limerick for Colin Ryan. Tipperary bring in Paul Ryan for Billy McCarthy.

Limerick 2-20 Tipperary 0-15
53 mins – Morrissey on target for Limerick. He’s impressed tonight.

Limerick 2-20 Tipperary 0-16
56 mins – Ger Browne brings Tipperary’s tally to 0-16. They’ll be exiting the championship tonight though, Limerick are set for a last four clash with Clare.

Limerick 2-21 Tipperary 0-16
58 mins – Another point from a free by Gillane.

Subs: Paudie Ahern is on for Limerick, Gavin O’Halloran is brought in to the Tipperary team.

Limerick 2-22 Tipperary 0-18
61 mins – Some late points, Peter Casey for Limerick before Gavin O’Halloran and Darcy strike for Tipperary.

Full-Time: Limerick 2-24 Tipperary 0-19

Some more points in injury time there. Tommy Nolan on target for Tipperary, then Limerick round off a great night’s work with points from Peter Casey and Paudie Ahern.

Limerick now advance to face Clare at the semi-final stage on 12 July. It’ll be Waterford and Cork in the other last four encounter. Tipperary bow out, no complaints from them tonight. They’d  a young side out in action and collided with a vastly superior and stronger Limerick outfit.

That’s all from us, thanks for joining in.