2021 Allianz Football League Division 3 South – Limerick 1-13 Tipperary 0-14

Limerick defeated Tipperary by 1-13 to 0-14 in Round 1 of the 2021 Allianz Football League Division 3 South on Saturday May 15th at the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

Limerick defeat Munster champions Tipperary in opening round of Allianz Football League

Report by Jerome O’Connell in LIT Gaelic Grounds for the Limerick Leader newspaper

LIMERICK opened their 2021 football campaign in style with victory over Munster champions Tipperary.

The Allianz Football League Division 3 South tie finished Limerick 1-13 Tipperary 0-14 in the LIT Gaelic Grounds.

Limerick were slow to start but then dominated much of the second half.

Scores from Danny Neville and Hugh Bourke helped seal the win.

Limerick go to Tullamore next Saturday for round two against Offaly.

In this tie, it was Limerick 0-4 Tipperary 0-6 at half time.

It was an opening half when Limerick were slow to settle and lacked early penetration. But they found their feet in the second quarter to ask more questions of Munster champions.

In a half where there were 10 scores, Tipperary had just one from open play, while Limerick had four. But Limerick also recorded five wides with just one for the visitors.

Two frees from All Star Conor Sweeney opened the scoring. Steven O’Brien and Sean O’Connor (mark) added scores for the men in blue and gold before midfielder Darragh Treacy finally had Limerick on the mark in the 15th minute.

At the first half water break it was 0-4 to 0-1.

Limerick were much better after the few brief words from management.

O’Connor did extend the Tipperary lead out to four points but then Limerick notched three-in-a-row.

Tony McCarthy had the first of the trio followed by two from Hugh Bourke.

In first half injury time Tipperary goalkeeper Michael O’Reilly landed a ’45 to leave them two clear at the break.

Limerick blitzed 1-4 without reply on the resumption. Danny Neville coming to life with 1-2 inside five minutes.

Just 33-seconds had lapsed when Neville had a fine point and then before the stopwatch had reached 90-sceonds Neville blasted a drive to the net. Limerick were ahead for the first time, 1-5 to 0-6.

Bourke added two frees and it was soon 1-8 to 0-6 and Tipperary yet to score in the half. Liam Boland did settle David Power’s men but Brian Donovan and another Bourke free maintaned the Limerick lead.

By the second half water break it was Limerick ahead, 1-10 to 0-8. Tipperary hit back with successive points on the resumption but Limerick didn’t panic and Bourke and Neville had delightful points to leave it 1-12 to 0-11 entering the final 10-minutes.

A second point for sub Brian Donovan left it 1-13 to 0-14 inside the final five minutes. Limerick showed great defense in the closing minutes to seal the win.

SCORERS: Limerick: Hugh Bourke 0-6 (3frees), Danny Neville 1-3, Brian Donovan 0-2, Darragh Treacy and Tony McCarthy 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Conor Sweeney 0-4 (4frees), Sean O’Connor 0-3 (2marks), Steven O’Brien and Jack Kennedy (1free) 0-2 each, Michael O’Reilly (’45), Liam Boland, Conal Kennedy 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Donal O’Sullivan; Sean O’Dea, Brian Fanning, Michael Donovan; Tony McCarthy, Bob Childs, Gordon Brown; Darragh Treacy, Tommie Childs; Cian Sheehan, Cillian Fahy, Tommy Griffin; Adrian Enright, Danny Neville, Hugh Bourke
Subs: Iain Corbett for Adrian Enright (h-t), Brian Donovan for Tommie Childs (h-t), Paul Maher for Gordon Brown (57mins), Seamus O’Carroll for Cian Sheehan (63mins), Robbie Bourke for Cillian Fahy (66mins).

TIPPERARY: Michael O’Reilly; Tadhg Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Feehan, Colm O’Shaughnessy; Emmet Moloney, Paudie Feehan, Jack Harney; Steven O’Brien, Conal Kennedy; Jason Lonergan, Colman Kennedy, Brian Fox; Liam Boland, Conor Sweeney, Sean O’Connor
Subs: Daire Brennan for Jack Harney (40mins), Shane Foley for Tadhg Fitzpatrick (56mins), Alan Campbell for Colm O’Shaughnessy (56mins), Jack Kennedy for Liam Boland (56mins), Stephen Quirke for Jason Lonergan (67mins), Padraic Looram for Emmet Moloney (69mins).

REFEREE: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).

Match Coverage

Don't miss a minute of the action from Tipperary's opening game in the Allianz Football League this Saturday. The game throws in at 5pm in the LIT Gaelic Grounds and you can see every kick on GAAGO.
Click the link to buy your viewing ticket:https://t.co/BdSDuzcsUM pic.twitter.com/PN4eo03gL8

— Tipperary GAA (@TipperaryGAA) May 12, 2021

Team News

Limerick (v Tipperary): Donal O’Sullivan; Sean O’Dea, Brian Fanning, Paul Maher; Tony McCarthy, Bob Childs, Gordon Brown; Darragh Treacy, Tommie Childs; Cian Sheehan, Cillian Fahy, Tommy Griffin; Padraig Scanlon, Danny Neville, Hugh Bourke.