Munster U20 MHC round-up: Late drama sees Limerick break Clare hearts as Tipp limp home against Kerry

O’Neill hit 1-1 in added time to snatch a late, late win for a Limerick side that were heavily fancied before throw-in.

Clare had led for most of the game and looked certain to pull off a huge shock but O’Neill proved to be the hero for the Treaty.

Limerick got the scoring underway after just 13 seconds thanks to a fine Colin Coughlan effort and less than a minute later O’Neill ghosted through the Clare defence for his first goal.

Clare responded well with efforts from a Shane Punch free and an excellent Colm O’Meara score from play.

Terence Fahy’s charges then hit four wides on the trot before Patrick Crotty and two Punch strikes saw them in front on a 0-5 to 1-1 scoreline after 19 minutes.

Cathal O’Neill ended Limerick’s scoring drought with a fine score from play but Clare soon hit the lead through a Jack Kirwan point.

Clare took full control in the final stages of the half three from Punch helping them to a 0-12 to 1-2 ahead at the break.

Keith Smyth opened the scoring in the second half but Limerick hit back through two Aidan O’Connor points and a Patrick Kirby goal brought the home side back.

Clare had navigated most of the second half but O’Neill’s late goal from a free and then a sensational point saw them to smash and grab victory.

Scorers:

Limerick: C O’Neill 2-3 (1-0f), P Kirby 1-0, A O’Connor 0-2 (1f), C Coughlan and J Quilty 0-1 each;

Clare: S Punch 0-6 (5f), P Crotty and K Smyth 0-2 each, C O’Meara, J Kirwan, D Cahill, C Hegarty and C Galvin 0-1 each.

TEAMS – 

LIMERICK – C Hanley Clarke; C Thomas, F O’Connor, E O’Leary; C Coughlan, J Quilty, E Hurley; J Sweeney, E Stokes; A O’Connor, C O’Neill, A English; S O’Brien, P Kirby, D O’Dalaigh.

Subs: P Reale for O’Dalaigh (55), C Scully for Thomas (57).

CLARE – C Broderick; I McNamara, A Hogan, J Connelly; J Collins, C Galvin, C O’Meara; O Clune, C Hegarty; S Punch, P Crotty, C Murphy, J Guyler, J Kirwan, D Cahill.

Subs: K Smyth for Guyler (24), C Leen for Collins (38), O O’Donnell for Kirwan (53), K Hartigan for O’Meara (58).

Referee: N Wall (Cork)

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Tipperary were pushed all the way by a fired up Kerry side in this Munster U-20 Hurling Championship opening round game, played in wind and rain at the Austin Stack Park Tralee. Premier boss Brendan Cummins will be far from happy with his charges after a performance riddled with basic errors.

Kerry will be pleased with their overall display but the loss of star midfielder Ronan Walsh early in the second half was a cruel blow.

In fact, the Kingdom matched their more vaunted opponents until the 48th minute when a Paddy Creedon goal saw Tipp move four points clear (2-10 to 0-12). A goal in added time by Peter McGarry gave a slightly flattering look to the winning margin.

Kerry played with a strong wind in the opening half and were very competitive against a sloppy Tipperary side that made too many unforced errors with their puck-out strategy going awry and a number of illegal hand passes.

Kerry punished Tipp with Ronan Walsh converting four first half frees while Nathan Guerin fired three points from play. Kerry also had a goal chance that saw Jason O’Dwyer produce a stunning double save from Nathan Guerin and Felim O’Sullivan.

Kerry led 0-7 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter as Tipperary began to settle and it was a goal just before half time from Ed Connelly who raced through the Kerry defence to blast the ball past a helpless Keltyn Molloy that saw Tipperary lead 1-7 to 0-9 at the interval.

The expected Tipperary scoring onslaught never materialised in the third quarter as two Kieran Carroll points and a Nathan Guerin free leveled the contest at 0-12 to 1-9.

Darragh Conway (nephew of senior player Shane), Colin Walsh and Darragh Slattery were defending with great intensity but once Ronan Walsh limped off, Tipperary took over.

Substitute Kyle Shelly converted three frees while Conor Cadell added a point and the two goals saw Tipperary escape to victory

Scorers:

Kerry: R Walsh 0-5 (4 frees); N Guerin 0-4 (1 free); K Carroll 0-2; F O’Sullivan, D Moriarty (free) 0-1 each.

Tipperary: P McGarry 1-2; S Gleeson 0-4 frees; E Connolly, P Creedon 1-1 each; K Shelly 0-3 frees; E Ryan, J Leamy, C Cadell, S Kenneally 0-1 each.

TEAMS – 

KERRY – K Molloy (Lixnaw); A Segal (Ballyduff), D Conway ( Lixnaw), K O’Connor ( Ballyduff); D Slattery ( Ballyduff), D Nolan ( Kilmoyley), R O’Mahony( Crotta O’Neills) ; F O’Sullivan ( Ballyheigue), R Walsh ( Kilmoyley); L Crowley ( Rathmore), S Brosnan ( St Brendans), N Guerin ( Ballyheigue); J Sheehan ( Abbeydorney), C Walsh ( Ballyheigue), K O’Carroll ( Ballyduff).

Subs: D Moriarty ( Ballyduff) for R Walsh (inj 42), C Keating ( Dr Crokes) for L Crowley ( 53), M Clifford ( Abbeydorney) for D Slattery ( inj 55), A O’Connor for S Brosnan ( 60), P O’Sullivan ( St Brendans) for K O’Carroll ( 62)

TIPPERARY – J O’Dwyer ( Clonoulty/Rossmore); C O’Dwyer ( Cashel King Cormacs), C Lloyd ( Moyne Templetuohy), L Shanahan ( Upperchurch-Drombane); C Quinn( Cashel King Cormacs), J Armstrong ( Thurles Sarsfields); J Campion ( Drom-Inch), D Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields); E Connolly ( Loughmore Castleiney), E Ryan ( Borris-iLeigh), S Gleeson ( Kiladangan); J Leamy ( Golden Kilfeacle), P McGarry ( St Mary’s), P Creedon ( Thurles Sarsfields).

Subs: C McKelvey ( Silver mines) for M Corcoran ( 34), K Shelly (Moycarkey Borris) for S Gleeson ( 38), C Cadell ( J K Brackens) for E Ryan ( 42), S Kenneally ( Monegall) for J Leamy ( 56), C O’Brien ( Mullinahone ) for J Armstrong ( 62)

Referee: N O’Toole (Waterford)