Kevin O’Brien reports from Semple Stadium
LIMERICK’S 10-GAME unbeaten run across the Munster SHL and Allianz Hurling League came to an end at Semple Stadium last night, but they’ll have an opportunity to exact revenge on Tipperary next month.
The Treaty men host Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds in the Munster opener on 20 May, a game that promises to be a cracker judging by the entertaining affair that was served up in the league semi-final.
“I’d say you can put your money down on that,” said thrilled Premier boss Michael Ryan afterwards.
“(Munster) will be an absolute belter. But we knew it. It’s always like that, without ever putting this structure into place, but now with home and away and everyone plays everybody.
“It’s novel, it bodes exceptionally well. But I’ve been saying it for years, ‘Munster championship don’t touch it, it’s great anyway.’ Now this is with a twist. Three will go forward and two will go out. I think that’s the tragedy of the Munster championship. It is what it is, that’ll be after four games.”
Limerick hit the last four points of the game to force extra-time, but Jason Forde raised the green flag twice in the first-half of the afters to steer the hosts into the league decider.
“They’re a great bunch of young fellas and we don’t praise them enough, we really don’t,” continued Ryan.
“They give and give and give and give. No different to the Limerick squad next door. What a great young team and I think they’re going to have a great summer by the looks of them as well.”
Forde finished the night with 2-11 and man-of-the-match honours. He’s been thriving in his new role at full-forward during this league campaign and there’s been speculation three-time All-Star Seamus Callanan may find himself repositioned to centre-forward upon his return from a back injury.
“He’s been really good with us all league long as have most of the squad,” said an impressed Ryan.
“I just think he’s had a really, really good pre-season. Jayo’s been there or thereabouts always in our matchday 20 for the last number of years.
Forde’s first goal
Jason Forde wins a Limerick short puck out and executes it! Goal for Tipperary! pic.twitter.com/IxADlhega6
— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 31, 2018
Forde’s second goal
Jason Forde fires it into the back of the net for a second time! pic.twitter.com/2fJZ1NyHC0
— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 31, 2018
“He just reached a time, he’s won his Fitzgibbons and been a main player for UL, and I just saw a change in Jayo that he really wants more out of this season.
“Nothing is promised, you can only offer yourself up and do the work, but he has certainly done the work. That’s showed in spades here over the last number of games.”
It was a stark contrast for Forde from the league semi-final a year ago when he was involved in a physical exchange with Davy Fitzgerald and was slapped with a one-match ban.
Forde was lining out at midfield then, but now he’s become a key figure in the Premier full-forward line. His tally of 5-60 in the league so far highlights how important he is to the Tipperary cause.
Tipperary were hammered by Galway in last year’s league final and Ryan admitted they’ll be looking to right a few wrongs against the winners of Kilkenny and Wexford.
“Certainly, that’s how we feel about it. We’re to different to any other squad, we talk about performance levels and getting it up to an acceptable level.
“We certainly didn’t arrive at that or anything near it this time last year when we got to the league final against Galway. We’re delighted to have another opportunity to play in a league final and we’re not to talk about winning it or anything like that, we’re going to talk about an almost championship performance. That’s what we’re looking for.
“We’ve lots of work to do. We’re not even in April, but everything is coming at us a bit quicker and it’s the same for everybody. We certainly have a lot of things to work on and we’re still waiting to get a couple of players back. It’s been that kind of league, it’s been match to match to match.
“This weekend is going to be about getting ready for a league final on Sunday week so the work waits and we’ll no sooner be finished the league final and the lads will be back into club activity. That’s fine, it’s what we’ve go to do.”
Ryan had to dig deep into his reserves once again, with rookie Alan Flynn particularly impressive at corner-back, while Willie Connors looked lively in attack.
“We all called it out that we needed to deepen our squads so if a guy gets a tap some week in June that he must be able to deliver for you. That’s how it’s panning out. We got an opportunity to see some fellas, we’re giving opportunities to fellas and we still have a few injuries hanging around.
“Those guys will be coming back to fitness over the next few weeks so those few club games they’re going to get are going to be important to those fellas.
“20 May is the fixture, we have to be ready for it. That’s looking ahead, looking a week ahead we’re in a league final and we’re delighted to be in it.”
Noel McGrath is unlikely to recover from a thumb injury for next weekend according to his manager, but Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher and Niall O’Meara will come back into contention. Joe O’Dwyer, Callanan and Dan McCormack won’t feature in the league final but will hope to gain some valuable playing time for their clubs over the next month.
“The club championship that’s coming is going to be hugely important for those guys to get into the mix and hopefully compete earnestly for the jersey on 20 May.
“They’re quality players for us and they’ve been great servants for a number of years. They all want to play which is a great problem to have. We talk about it all the time, competition within the squad, and it’s healthy and it’s only going in one direction.”
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Cork look to be the weakest team going into the Munster Championship this year. I really fear for us. The ground better dry up fast if we’re to have any hope.
Think Tipp will win the AI this year. Only lost to Galway by a point last year and were no where near their best.
Fair play to Limerick for going 10 games unbeaten.
@Munsterman: serious talent on that limerick side. Promising future ahead for limerick hopefully. Always were my second team outside of where im from.
Great win but the best is still to come.
Very hard to predict Tipps championship 15 now. Serious squad
What pissed many of us off was limerick v tipp just after munster v toulon, if the game was played today instead of last night after the munster v toulon game the attendance would have been double, i would have gone to thurles my self today, but no they played the game in thurles on a saturday night, i can not make out weather it was stupid or done on purpose.
@ktsiwot: who’s us? They could have moved the Munster game to today too!!
@Joe Kennedy: The Munster match was watched by millions around the world, I suspect it had more of a pull.
@Munsterman: haha….millions?! There was billions watching the hurling I believe!
@Joe Kennedy: I am from limerick and would have gone to that game if on today, was at thomond for what has an incredible match and atmosphere.
Many I know were in the same situation as well as many I met last night watching the match from both Limerick and Tipp.
They fixed that match last monday, they lost attendance and money, many were discussing it last night and could not get over the stupidity of it.
The majority of people follow all sport and not stuck to a specific mindset.
@Joe Kennedy: yes joe it is a european cup the pop of uk, france and ireland is well over 100 million, it is not stretching it to say a million saw the game. Nearly every one I new saw that match more so than the hurling match which was also brilliant.
@ktsiwot: excuses excuses. I made both comfortably. Even had time to stop in borrisoleigh for a hot chicken roll
@Tadhg Keating: good man Tadhg. Fair play.
@ktsiwot: he said “millions around the world” though!! Three European countries = the World does it?! Doesn’t matter anyway….was just laughing at the exaggeration. I follow all sports myself too by the way. Everyone I knew had no interest in the rugby…..not sure what that’s got to do with anything though!! Finally, as Tadhg said…. you could have made both if you really wanted to anyway no?
@Joe Kennedy: this match was broadcasted all over Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. I’m not at all exaggerating when I said millions watched it.
@Munsterman: haha… ah come off it!! Throw up your source for your stats there! How do you know how many watched it in those countries?!
@ktsiwot: typical privileged rugby fanboy comment. They could just as easily moved the rugby match to Sunday or even Monday but of course no one can even suggest that. The games clash so it’s the GAA’s fault. End of story.
We will win no All Ireland with Barry fullback. He is a disaster, wrong side of his man all night, no idea how to defend and running around in circles. No one else given a chance at fullback apart from Hamill who we also know is too slow. Puckouts major issue aswell, embarrassing watching last night, not 1 Tipp player able to catch a ball, even standing on their own they stick the Hurley up to knock the ball down instead of catching it. Put your hand up for christ sake and catch the ball.
@Wedger: WHEN I PLAYED hurling no one had the nerve to put their hand up.IT WAS FAR TOO DANGEROUS..
@Michael Heery: me too. Many a finger bone popped out of place from getting a smack catching the ball. Miss that on a freezing sunday morning. Used to love getting bones clicked back into place. Seriously tough game! Tipp have some panel. Hard to look past them come business end of the season.