Jack Cosgrove hits late winner as Limerick dump Tipperary out of Munster Minor Championship

Robbie Ryan was heroic in defeat, his tally of 16 points from all angles keeping Tipp alive for much of this contest until two late hammer blows saw Limerick into the knockout stages.

The first, Robert O’Farrell’s 58th-minute goal, came from a dropped ball as Tipp tried to pass their way out from the back. O’Farrell found the net from 25 yards out with the goalie unable to recover his position to defend the whole of the goal.

It put Limerick two clear and was a fine reward for an attack that forced turnover scores all day long.

Cosgrove’s winner similarly came from a loose clearance, this time a longer one. It was excusable in the circumstances as Tipp were desperate to get off one last attack knowing nothing but a win could breathe life into their All-Ireland title defence.

Limerick struck eight of the first 10 points as O’Farrell lit the fuse with three in three minutes.

James Woodlock positioned inside forward Ryan at centre-forward with a licence to roam and he would bend the game to his will in the second quarter with eight of Tipp’s next 10 points to make it 0-12 to 0-10 at halfway.

Substitute Patrick Kearney and Darren Collopy helped Limerick regain the lead until Sam Rowan’s 49th-minute goal ignited a 1-3 streak to put Tipp two ahead.

Collopy (free) and Matthew Fitzgerald brought Limerick back level and while Tipp had three more points from Jamie Ormond, Cormac Cahill, and Ryan, those errors would cost them.

SCORERS

Tipperary: R Ryan 0-16 (9f, 1 65); S Rowan 1-0; J Ormond 0-2; C Kennedy, S Tobin, C Cahill, C Minogue 0-1 each.

Limerick: D Collopy 0-9 (6f); R O’Farrell 1-3; J Cosgrave 0-3 (1f); M Fitzgerald, T Boddy, P Kearney 0-2 each; D Ferland, H Flanagan 0-1 each.

TEAMS

TIPPERARY – H Loughnane; J Lahart, E Morris, K Loughnane; S Buckley, O O’Donoghue, D Linnane; J Ormond, D Costigan; L Loughnane, R Ryan, C Kennedy; S Rowan, S Tobin, J Hayes. Subs: C Cahill for Costigan (37), C Ryan for K Loughnane (46), C Minogue for Hayes (47), A Ryan for L Loughnane (49).

LIMERICK – J Fitzgerald; J O’Keeffe, C Bickford, S Morrissey; J Cosgrove, S Casey, C Scully; D Lyons, M Fitzgerald; R O’Farrell, D Ferland, T Boddy; H Flanagan, S Duff, D Collopy. Subs: P Kearney for Duff (h-t), M Leo for Lyons (52), D Gleeson for Scully (55).

Referee: C O’Regan (Cork).