Munster Senior Hurling Semi Final – Limerick 1-18 Tipperary 1-15

Limerick learn winning formula

By Diarmuid O’Flynn for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Limerick 1-18 Tipperary 1-15

They didn’t want to leave the Gaelic Grounds yesterday after this superb Munster SHC semi-final, and why would they? Long after the final whistle, the Limerick players and their admiring fans were still out on the pristine sod, absorbing the rays from the still-warm sun but absorbing also the sheer joy, the satisfaction of an epic against-the-odds triumph against the old enemy. And a triumph it was, a fired-up Limerick doing what they had failed to do against both Tipperary (Munster championship) and Kilkenny (All-Ireland quarter-final) last year and this time, completing the job they had started.

Last year they had led both those games at the break, had held that lead well into the third quarter but then capitulated, overcome by an avalanche of late scores. Again yesterday they led at the break, 1-7 to 0-7, Seanie Tobin’s opportunist first-time ground-shot past Brendan Cummins (19m) the difference between the sides. Again yesterday they saw that lead whittled away, half-time Tipperary supersub John O’Dwyer slicing them apart with 1-3 as Tipp raced into a four-point lead with only 15 minutes of the second half gone (1-13 to 1-9). This time though it was different, this was a Limerick team with a new belief, a new self-confidence, a confidence epitomised in full-back and man-of-the-match Richie McCarthy. “They got the goal last year and we lost the game — this year when they got the goal we bounced back, we got a point straight away. Last year really hurt us, losing in Thurles; we weren’t going to lose in the Gaelic Grounds.”

No they weren’t. O’Dwyer’s goal had come in the 50th minute at the end of a six-point Tipp salvo that was interrupted only by a lone Limerick point, a long-distance score from midfielder and captain Donal O’Grady (one of three on the day from the Ballingarry star). It was the kind of barrage that had done for Limerick last year in those two championship losses but, as noted by Richie, this year Limerick weren’t for folding. “We learned,” said Richie, “Experience means a lot for this young team.” It does, but now it’s a winning experience. Nine points to two Limerick outscored Tipperary in the final 20 minutes, nine precious points carved from a Tipperary defence in which corner-backs Michael Cahill and Paddy Stapleton were outstanding, the other defenders — Paul Curran and the half-back trio of Kieran Bergin, Conor O’Mahony and Padraic Maher — not far behind.

Free-taker Declan Hannon had four of those, subs Shane Dowling (2, including a near 100-yd free) and Niall Moran (1) also contributed, as did Tobin and O’Grady. Defence though was where the game was won, and it started at the very back. Twice in the first half Limerick keeper Nicky Quaid found himself one-on-one at point-blank range with Tipperary attackers; twice Nicky made the save, from Seamus Callanan (14m), then from Pa Bourke (21m). It’s unfair to compare any player to his father but truly, for all those who followed Limerick hurling a generation ago, this was Tommy Quaid at his cat-like gutsy best.

Richie McCarthy we’ve mentioned but alongside him, if Cahill and Stapleton were outstanding for Tipperary at one end, Stephen Walsh and Tom Condon were equally so at the other, though Condon got a right hot few minutes from John O’Dwyer! The half-back trio, Paudie O’Brien (a few hairy moments of his own on namesake Johno), Wayne McNamara and Gavin O’Mahony, that was the wall on which this Limerick win was founded. They had a few extra bricks in that wall, however.

From the start, Limerick withdrew full-forward Declan Hannon to a half-forward position, leaving the two flyers, Graeme Mulcahy and Seanie Tobin, to forage for themselves inside. Centre-forward James Ryan then withdrew to the next line back and he — along with midfielders Paul Browne and O’Grady — offered great support to the half-back line. It all meant that a potentially potent Tipperary attack was given less and less space in which to operate, even the normally creative Bonner Maher frustrated time and again. It’s Limerick’s first Munster championship win since 2007 and puts them in the Munster final. Then they lost to Waterford; this year it will be against the Cork/Clare winner of the other semi-final. They go into that game with heads up, hopes high.

Scorers for Limerick: D Hannon 0-9 (6f, 0-1 65); S Tobin 1-1; D O’Grady 0-3; S Dowling 0-2 (1f); D Breen, J Ryan, N Moran, 0-1 each.

Scorers for Tipperary: J O’Dwyer 1-3; S Callanan 0-4 (4f); J O’Brien 0-3; E Kelly 0-2 (1f); P Bourke, B Maher, N McGrath, 0-1 each.

Limerick: N Quaid; S Walsh, R McCarthy, T Condon; P O’Brien, W McNamara, G O’Mahony; P Browne, D O’Grady (c); D Breen, J Ryan, S Hickey; G Mulcahy, D Hannon, S Tobin.

Subs for Limerick: C Allis (Breen 42); S Dowling (Hickey 49); N Moran (Tobin 62); C King (Browne 66); K Downes (Ryan 69).

Tipperary: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill; K Bergin, C O’Mahony, Padraic Maher; S McGrath (c), B Maher; P Bourke, Patrick Maher, J O’Brien; S Bourke, S Callanan, N McGrath.

Subs for Tipperary: J O’Dwyer (S Bourke 35); E Kelly (P Bourke 44); B O’Meara (Callanan 50); C O’Brien (S McGrath 64); L Corbett (B Maher 67).

Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).

Superb Limerick unseat champions Tipperary

Report from the GAA.ie web site

Munster GAA Hurling Championship Semi-Final: Limerick 1-18 Tipperary 1-15

Click to view photos from the match on Munster GAA Facebook

Limerick staged a memorable final quarter comeback to upset the odds and unseat Munster champions Tipperary in a superb contest at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on Sunday afternoon. It was Limerick’s first Munster Championship success in six years and they now go on to contest a Munster final for the first time since 2007 after a brilliant performance in the intense heat on Shannonside. Limerick looked in real trouble when John O’Dwyer’s goal put Tipperary 1-13 to 1-9 ahead after 50 minutes, but John Allen’s side showed tremendous battling qualities and admirable heart to kill off their opponents – and with it a few questions that had been raised about their character – in the final quarter.

When the sides met at the quarter-final stage last year, Limerick threw away a seven-point lead in the final 14 minutes, but they well and truly buried that ghost today, hitting five points without reply in a match-winning spell at the start of the fourth quarter before finishing with another purple patch at the end to deservedly seal their place in the Munster final. Declan Hannon was the hero with nine points, but Shane Dowling showed nerves of steel in the closing stages to hit two crucial scores while captain Donal O’Grady sealed the win at the death with his third point from play. Full-back Richie McCarthy was a rock throughout at the back.

For all the character they showed, doubts about Limerick persisted when they missed two glaring goal chances on the hour mark when the game was level, Tipp keeper Brendan Cummins saving superbly from Graeme Mulcahy and then blocking a shot from James Ryan. Hannon then drove a free wide and it looked like Limerick were about to fluff their lines again. However, Dowling put his side ahead when he landed a monster free and then sub Niall Moran settled their nerves with another score before O’Grady sealed the win in injury time, sparking chaotic celebrations from the home supporters.

Limerick made the better start in a frantic opening to the game and were 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after seven minutes, with O’Grady, James Ryan and Hannon all hitting the target for the home side. Tipperary had three excellent goal chances in the first half, but Limerick goalkeeper Nickie Quaid made smart saves to deny Séamus Callanan and Pa Bourke, while Callanan, after a super run and some stylish stickwork, was denied a picture book goal when he pulled his shot wide in the 24th minute. Limerick were more clinical, as Seán Tobin buried their first goal chance in the 19th minute, slamming home a ground stroke from a rebound after Tipperary goalkeeper Cummins, making his 72nd championship appearance, had blocked the initial shot.

Tipperary really struggled in the opening 20 minutes, but Pa Bourke pulled a score back immediately after the goal and Eamon O’Shea’s side gradually began to settle in the second quarter. They hit three points in a row – John O’Brien, Callanan and Noel McGrath all on target – in a three-minute spell to peg Limerick’s lead back to two points in the 28th minute. However, the Limerick defence coped very well in the first half, and Hannon clipped over his fourth score in the 31st minute to leave the Shannonsiders a goal up at the break, 1-7 to 0-7 clear after a very tight opening half played in intense heat at the Gaelic Grounds.

Tipp brought John O’Dwyer on at the break and he made a difference immediately, firing over three points from play to draw Tipperary level the at 1-9 to 0-12 by the 47th minute. Brendan Maher then put Tipperary ahead for the first time before O’Dwyer found the back of the net after a clever Patrick Maher pass. Tipp led by four points and it looked like there could be only one winner. However, Limerick refused to give up and their performance in the final 20 minutes, when manager Allen cleverly emptied his bench to revive his flagging charges, will live long in the memory. They will now play Cork or Clare in the Munster final on July 14.

Tipperary Scorers: S Callanan 0-4 (0-4f), P Bourke 0-1, J O’Brien 0-3, N McGrath 0-1, J O’Dwyer 1-3, Brendan Maher 0-1, E Kelly 0-2 (0-1f).

Limerick Scorers: D O’Grady 0-3, J Ryan 0-1, D Hannon 0-9 (0-7f), S Tobin 1-1, D Breen 0-1, S Dowling 0-2 (0-1f), N Moran 0-1.

Tipperary: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill; K Bergin, C O’Mahony, Pádraic Maher; Brendan Maher, Shane McGrath; P Bourke, Patrick Maher, J O’Brien; S Bourke, S Callanan, N McGrath. Subs: J O’Dwyer for S Bourke (HT), E Kelly for Pa Bourke (45), B O’Meara for Patrick Maher (blood, 48-49), S McGrath for C O’Brien (64), Lar Corbett for B Maher (67).

Limerick: N Quaid; S Walsh, R McCarthy, T Condon; P O’Brien, W McNamara, G O’Mahony; P Browne, D O’Grady; D Breen, J Ryan, S Hickey; G Mulcahy, D Hannon, S Tobin. Subs: C Allis for D Breen (43), S Dowling for S Hickey (49), N Moran for S Tobin (61), C King for P Brown (66), K Downes for J Ryan (69).

Referee: Brian Gavin

Super subs lead late charge as Treaty muzzle Tipp’s top dogs

Limerick 1-18 Tipperary 1-15

Report by Martin Breheny for the Irish Independent newspaper

FORTY-FIVE minutes after the end of a fascinating contest in the baking summer sun, hundreds of Limerick supporters were still on the pitch in the Gaelic Grounds, savouring a marvellous occasion which provided hurling in the county with its biggest boost for years. Thousands of others had fanned out across the city to begin celebrating a victory that only the most optimistic Limerick person could possibly have envisaged. This, after all, was Division 1A against 1B, reigning Munster champions against a county without a win in the provincial championship for six years, a team full of confidence against opposition which had taken some heavy hits in recent years. Everything pointed to a Tipperary triumph. Everything, that is, except a Limerick team that made a heartfelt appeal to their emotions and were rewarded with a stirring response which lifted them high above the mediocrity that bedevilled them for so long. They achieved it through an impressive combination of good technique, hard work and solid organisational structure which proved too much for Tipperary. Most of all, Limerick’s inspiring success was down to their refusal to accept their perceived role as compliant underdogs who would bark for a time before having muzzles fitted.

Instead, they buried their teeth deep into Tipperary’s confidence reserves, biting off large chunks. Ultimately, they outfought Tipperary in the air and ground wars, driving on relentlessly in 24 degrees of heat to book a place against Cork or Clare in the Munster final on July 14. Thirteen months ago, Limerick led Tipperary by seven points at the three-quarter stage of the Munster quarter-final but lost direction on the home stretch and ended up losing by four points. Yesterday, Limerick trailed by four points after 50 minutes but readjusted their focus so successfully that they managed to outscore Tipperary by 0-9 to 0-2 from there to the finish.

The final 20 minutes were the best Limerick have produced for a very long time. Trailing by 1-13 to 1-9 after John O’Dwyer goaled for Tipperary in the 49th minute, Limerick were facing the ultimate test of their character, resolve and stamina. They had led all way to the 48th minute but with O’Dwyer – an impressive half-time replacement for Shane Bourke – helping himself to 1-3 in 14 minutes, it looked odds-on that Tipperary would power on with no great difficulty. Instead, it was Limerick who raised their game, scoring five points in five minutes, interrupted only once when Eoin Kelly countered with a point. John Allen’s re-energised troops quickly made it clear that they were an altogether different proposition to the side that capitulated against Tipperary last year.

They were back level after 57 minutes and when sub Shane Dowling hoisted a pointed free from well inside his own half in the 63rd minute to restore the lead, Limerick supporters began to sense that something special was about to unfold. And so it proved. Limerick added three more points while Tipperary’s sole response was a pointed free from Kelly, their only score in the final quarter. It was as close to a complete shut-out that Tipperary have experienced for a long time and leaves Eamon O’Shea and his support crew facing serious reassessment work as they attempt to relaunch their All-Ireland bid through the qualifiers.

The first area of investigation will centre on how Tipperary were overpowered physically for long stretches. Man for man, Limerick looked no bigger than their rivals but they still managed to win many of the personal duels.  Basically, Limerick were willing to put in as much work as required in order to make things happen while Tipperary played like a team that expected their role as short-odds favourites to steer them to victory. That contrast in work ethic was crucial on a day when Tipperary’s six starting forwards, which did not include Jason Forde who had to withdraw due to a stomach bug, scored only five points between them from open play.

Tipperary looked as if they might get away with it when O’Dwyer’s intervention yielded such a high return but the extent of their problems in attack were further underlined in the run-in when the Limerick defence were dominant. Richie McCarthy and Wayne McNamara were imposingly solid down the centre of Limerick’s defence, while behind them Nicky Quaid made two exceptional saves from Seamus Callanan and Pa Bourke in the first half. Callanan had another goal chance too but shot wide. Limerick, who led by 1-7 to 0-7 at half-time, had a few goal chances too, managing to take one when Sean Tobin whipped the ball to the net in the 19th minute. That goal put Limerick five points clear, leaving Tipperary facing up to the reality that it was going to be an extremely difficult day.

Still, when they outscored Limerick by 1-6 to 0-2 in the opening 14 minutes of the second half, they would have thought that it was business as usual, especially since teams who have played at a higher level in the league tend to press on more than rivals who haven’t experienced the same level of intensity in the spring campaign. Not this time. Individually and collectively, Limerick raised their game and, unlike last year when their bench carried no real power, the subs made a telling contribution this time. Dowling and Niall Moran were especially effective and with Donal O’Grady continuing to be the dominant presence around midfield, Limerick’s self-belief grew into an unstoppable force. Tipperary replaced their two midfielders and three forwards in the second half in an attempt to increase the strike rate but, apart from the O’Dwyer burst, little progress was made against the close-knit Limerick defence.

The big challenge for Limerick now is to build on this success while Tipperary are facing a repeat of 2010 when they had to re-route their All-Ireland bid via the qualifiers. It turned into a successful adventure three years ago, ending with an All-Ireland win but if they are to repeat the recovery this year, they will need to be a whole lot more driven than they were yesterday. For while Limerick hurled very well in all but the third quarter, it was difficult to escape the suspicion that deep down Tipperary believed they could always turn things their way as required. Their pedigree and rating supported that view but it wasn’t backed up by the necessary competitive hardness when Limerick really put it up to them.

Scorers – Limerick: D Hannon 0-9 (6fs, 1’65’), S Tobin 1-1, D O’Grady 0-3, S Dowling 0-2 (1f), J Ryan, D Breen, N Moran 0-1 each.

Tipperary: J O’Dwyer 1-3, S Callanan 0-4 (4fs), J O’Brien 0-3, E Kelly 0-2 (1f), P Bourke, B Maher, N McGrath 0-1 each.

Limerick – N Quaid 8; S Walsh 7, R McCarthy 9, T Condon 8; P O’Brien 7, W McNamara 8, G O’Mahony 7; P Browne 6, D O’Grady 8; D Breen 6, J Ryan 7, S Hickey 6; G Mulcahy 6, D Hannon 8, S Tobin 8. Subs: C Allis 6 for Breen (41), S Dowling 7 for Hickey (48), N Moran 7 for Tobin (61), C King for Browne (65), K Downes for Ryan (68).

Tipperary – B Cummins 7; P Stapleton 8, P Curran 6, M Cahill 8; K Bergin, 6 C O’Mahony 6, Padraic Maher 7; B Maher 6, S McGrath 5; P Bourke 5, Patrick Maher 5, J O’Brien 7; S Bourke 5, S Callanan 5, N McGrath 6. Subs: J O’Dwyer 8 for S Bourke (ht), E Kelly 7 for P Bourke (45), B O’Meara 5 for Callanan (49), C O’Brien for S McGrath (63), L Corbett for B Maher (67).

Ref – B Gavin (Offaly)

Team News

The Tipperary senior hurling team to play Limerick in the Munster senior hurling championship semi-final on Sunday next has 2 championship debutants – Kieran Bergin at right half back and Jason Forde at right half forward.

1. Brendan Cummins (Ballybacon Grange)

2. Paddy Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh)

3. Paul Curran (Mullinahone)

4. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields)

5. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule)

6. Conor O’Mahony (Newport)

7. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)

8. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)

9. Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch) Captain

10. Jason Forde (Silvermines)

11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha and Dorrha)

12. John O’Brien (Toomevara)

13. Shane Bourke (JK Brackens)

14. Seamus Callanan (Drom and Inch)

15. Noel McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)

Limerick SH v Tipperary – Nickie Quaid; Stephen Walsh, Richie McCarthy, Tom Condon; Paudie O’Brien, Wayne McNamara, Gavin O’Mahony; Paul Browne, Donal O’Grady: David Breen, James Ryan, Seamus Hickey; Graeme Mulcahy, Declan Hannon, Seanie Tobin.

Ticket Details

Tickets available outside the Gaelic Grounds Limerick from 12:30pm on Sunday.

Covered Stand: Adult €30, Juvenile €5

Uncovered Stand: Adult €25, Juvenile €5

Stand Concession: €10 for students and OAP’s

Terrace: Adult €15

Terrace Concession: €5 for students and OAP’s

Group Discount: Adult Ticket Discount: Discount of €5 for stand and terrace tickets available when the club pre- purchases 15 or more adult tickets (no further concessions are available on these tickets). This package is only available through the County Board

Juvenile Stand Discount: Stand tickets at €3 per juvenile + 1 adult free for every 10 juveniles i.e. €30 for 10 juveniles and 1 adult mentor. Again, tickets must be pre-purchased. This package is only available through the County Board

Tickets available through clubs, selected SuperValu and Centra outlets and online through gaa.tickets.ie

Special train fare offer

Iarnrod Eireann reminds Tipperary supporters of the special offer fares that are available to supporters travelling to Limerick for the Munster Hurling Championship semi-final match against Limerick on Sunday 9th June.  Special day return fares to Limerick of €12.10 from Limerick Junction, €17 from Thurles and €17.50 from Templemore.

In addition to these attractively priced fares Iarnrod Eireann is also offering exceptional value family ticket fares from these stations to Limerick. The family ticket allows up to 2 adults and 4 children under sixteen years of age travel for €24.50 from Limerick Junction, €36.50 from Thurles and €41.50 from Templemore. A minimum of one adult and one child must travel on each family ticket.

Train times to Limerick from Limerick Junction at 11.40 and 13.35, from Thurles at 11.12 and 12.54 and from Templemore at 12.44hrs. Trains return from Limerick at 18.20hrs for Thurles and Templemore and at 18.45 for Limerick Junction and Thurles.

Details of this special offer are available on the Irish Rail web site www.irishrail.ie. or at local stations.

For the Record

Munster GAA HURLING Senior Championship 2013

Quarter-Final

Sunday June 2^nd

@ Semple Stadium Thurles           Clare 2-20 Waterford 1-15

Semi-Finals
Sunday June 9^th

@ Gaelic Grounds Limerick           Limerick v Tipperary 4:00pm

Sunday June 23^rd

@ Gaelic Grounds Limerick           Cork v Clare 4:00pm

Final

Sunday July 14^th

4:00pm throw-in

2013 Munster Senior Hurling Championship Matches played to date

Clare 2-20 Waterford 1-15 – June 2^nd @ Semple Stadium Thurles (Munster Quarter-Final)

Clare: Patrick Kelly; Domhnall O’Donovan, David McInerney, Cian Dillon; Brendan Bugler, Patrick Donnellan (Captain), Patrick O’Connor; Colm Galvin, Seadna Morey; John Conlon, Tony Kelly, Colin Ryan; Darach Honan, Shane O’Donnell, Conor McGrath

Subs used: Peter Duggan for Morey (29 mins), Padraic Collins for O’Donnell (55), Fergal Lynch for Duggan (68).

Waterford: Ian O’Regan; Darragh Fives, Liam Lawlor, Noel Connors; Jamie Nagle, Michael Walsh, Paudie Prendergast; Shane O’Sullivan, Kevin Moran (Captain); Maurice Shanahan, Seamus Prendergast, Brian O’Halloran; Jamie Barron, Pauric Mahony, Jake Dillon

Subs used: Ray Barry for O’Halloran (17 mins), Gavin O’Brien for Barron (56), Martin O’Neill for Mahony (63)

Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath)

2013 Top Scorers – Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Colin Ryan (Clare) – 0-7 (0-6 frees, 1 65)

Maurice Shanahan (Waterford) – 0-7 (0-6 frees)
Jake Dillon (Waterford) – 1-2
Tony Kelly (Clare) – 0-4

Shane O’Donnell (Clare) – 1-0

Conor McGrath (Clare) – 1-0

John Conlon (Clare) – 0-3

Darach Honan (Clare) – 0-3 each

Colm Galvin (Clare) – 0-2

Seamus Prendergast (Waterford) – 0-2

Fergal Lynch (Clare), Kevin Moran (Waterford), Jamie Barron (Waterford), Pauric Mahony (Waterford) & Gavin O’Brien (Waterford) – 0-1 each

Useful Information

Last Championship meeting

2012 Munster Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final at Semple Stadium Thurles

Tipperary scorers: P Bourke 1-7 (0-4f, 0-1 65), B O’Meara 1-2, N McGrath 0-3, S Callanan 0-2 (0-1 free), E Kelly 0-1f, T Stapleton 0-1, J O’Brien 0-1, S Bourke 0-1, S McGrath 0-1, C O’Brien 0-1.

Limerick scorers: S Dowling 0-8 (4f), G Mulcahy 1-2, S Tobin 0-3, K Downes 0-2, C Allis 0-2, D Breen 0-1, D Hannon 0-1.

Tipperary: B Cummins; D Maher (C O’Brien 48), P Curran, M Cahill; T Stapleton, C O’Mahony, Padraic Maher; J Woodlock (S McGrath 28), B Maher; G Ryan (S Callinan 50), N McGrath, P Bourke; E Kelly (Patrick Maher 42), B O’Meara, J O’Brien (S Bourke 63).

Limerick: N Quaid; S Walsh, R McCarthy, T Condon; W McNamara (T Ryan 68), D O’Grady, G O’Mahoney; P Browne, J Ryan; D Breen, C Allis (B Geary 63), S Dowling; S Tobin (N Moran 65), K Downes (D Hannon 50), G Mulcahy.

Referee: Barry Kelly (Westmeath)

Tipperary have won 10 of their last 11 matches in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship dating back to 2008, winning 4 of the 5 Munster titles on offer in that period. Their only defeat came at the hands of Cork in May 2010, a 3-15 to 0-14 defeat at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Tipperary are looking to become the first county to win 3 Munster Senior Hurling titles in a row since Tipperary achieved this accomplishment from 1987 to 1989.

Limerick have won 1 of the last 17 Munster Senior Hurling Championship matches they have played, an extra-time victory over Tipperary in the 2007 Munster Semi-Final 2^nd replay at the Gaelic Grounds. During that period, Limerick have drawn 5 times. Limerick’s last Championship victory away from Pairc na nGael came in 2001 with victories over Cork and Waterford at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

The 4 games in the 2012 Munster Senior Hurling Championship produced an average of 40.5 scores per game. There were 43 scores per game in the 2011 Munster SHC as compared to 34 scores per match in the 2010 Munster SHC. The highest scoring game in 2012 yielded 47 scores, the semi-final victory for Tipperary over Cork by 1-22 to 0-24.

Over the last 4 seasons, Semple Stadium Thurles has played host to 12 of the 19 Munster Senior Hurling Championship matches played. Pairc Ui Chaoimh hosted 5 matches while Pairc na nGael in Limerick hosted 2 games.

Tipperary’s Pa Bourke was the top scorer in the 2012 Munster Senior Hurling Championship, scoring 1-21 (0-13 from frees and 3 65’s) in 3 matches. Maurice Shanahan (Waterford) finished second with 15 points (10 from frees and 1 65). Noel McGrath was third on the scoring charts with 1-10, all from play while Pat Horgan (Cork) finished fourth with 11 points (9 from frees) from just 1 game.

Limerick and Tipperary have both lost 26 Munster Senior Hurling Finals. Cork have lost 29.

Match Coverage

This game will be shown live on TV3.

Munster GAA HURLING Senior Championship Roll Of Honour

Cork (50) – 1890, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1907, 1912, 1915, 1919, 1920, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006

Tipperary (40) – 1895, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1906, 1908, 1909, 1913, 1916, 1917, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1930, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012

Limerick (18) – 1897, 1910, 1911, 1918, 1921, 1923, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1955, 1973, 1974, 1980, 1981, 1994, 1996

Waterford (9) – 1938, 1948, 1957, 1959, 1963, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010

Clare (6) – 1889, 1914, 1932, 1995, 1997, 1998

Kerry (1) – 1891

Munster GAA HURLING Senior Championship – List of Winning Teams

Visit the Munster GAA web site History section to view the complete list of each winning team since the competition began 1888 – https://munster.gaa.ie/history/sh_teams/

Munster Senior HURLING Cup

No Name – Presented by Munster Council in 1928, new cup presented in 1990

All Ireland GAA HURLING Senior Championship

In the Senior Hurling All Ireland Roll of Honour, Cork are second on the list with 30 titles, 4 behind Kilkenny. Tipperary have won 26 All-Ireland titles. Limerick have 7 titles, their last one in 1973. Clare have won 3 titles in 1914, 1995 and 1997 while Waterford’s two titles came in 1948 and 1959. Kerry won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final in 1891.

Contact Munster GAA PRO Ed Donnelly at pro.munster@gaa.ie for more information