U20 hurling round-up: Clinical Offaly see off Kildare while Tipp hold off Limerick

A fiercely strong breeze blew at Kildare’s backs in the first half and the visitor’s started well through good scores from Conn Kehoe and Killian Harrington, with Daniel O’Meara and Daire Guerin hurling a lot of ball in deeper positions for the Lily Whites.

However a defensive error allowed Adam Screeney to play in Shane Rigney for Offaly’s opening goal after six minutes, and the Faithful County managed the game much better up to half time. 2022 minor hurler of the year Screeney struck five excellent frees into the wind and also whipped in their second goal after good approach play from Rigney, and 2-8 to 0-6 was an excellent position for the home side, who shot just two wides in that opening period.

Offaly never looked to be in trouble, but their shooting in the second half was appalling, as they racked up 11 wides and could easily have added two or three more goals at least. Liam O’Reilly did well to block one Joe Hoctor effort while Ben Loughlin produced superb saves to deny Conor Doyle and Rigney, while six missed frees will also be a source of concern. However Kildare never looked like posing any real threat up front, with Fionn Maher’s goal arriving far too late to make any meaningful difference.

Barring a big win for Dublin over Kilkenny in tomorrow’s game at UPMC Nowlan Park, Offaly will now play Galway in the quarter-finals, due to be played next weekend.

SCORERS 

Offaly: A Screeney 1-8 (0-7f), C Doyle 0-5 (0-1f), S Rigney 1-2, A Kavanagh 0-2, D Bourke 0-1, S Bourke 0-1, C Spain 0-1.

Kildare: C Kehoe 0-3, C Sheridan 0-3 (0-2f), F Maher 1-0, K Harrington 0-1, C Kirwan 0-1, D Guerin 0-1, C Treacy 0-1.

TEAMS

OFFALY: M Troy; P Taaffe, B Miller, J Mahon; L Watkins, S Bourke, B Kavanagh; C King, C Spain; D Bourke, J Hoctor, C Doyle; S Rigney, C Mitchell, A Screeney.

Subs: T Guinan for Taaffe (half-time), C Egan for King (33), A Kavanagh for Mitchell (43), E Burke for Screeney (47), L Kavanagh for D Bourke (53).

KILDARE: B Loughlin; E Ó Bríain, L O'Reilly, C O'Grady; S Gleeson, A Goss, B Hennessy; C Kirwan, D O'Meara; D Guerin, C Boran, C Flanagan; C Sheridan, C Kehoe, K Harrington.

Subs: C Treacy for O'Grady (29), O Lynam for Gleeson (45), J Dolan for Kirwan (51), F Maher for Treacy (54), C Nolan for Kehoe (59).

Ref: P Dunne (Laois).

Tipperary 1-15

Limerick 0-16

Tipperary withstood a second-half fight back from Limerick to secure a first win of this Munster U20 round robin.

The win gave their Munster U20 Hurling Championship hopes a significant boost with a first win of the campaign over a disappointing Limerick outfit. A win over Waterford in the final round would secure a knockout berth. Limerick must defeat Cork to get into the top three.

The goal, from Sean Keanneally, who ended with 1-2, proved vital for Brendan Cummins’ men.

Limerick were very wasteful early on, hitting eight wides in the opening 20 minutes. They managed just one point in this period, a fine score from Shane O’Brien. Tipperary followed this period with a fine solo effort from Eddie Ryan, his second point. He carried straight through a disjointed Limerick defence to extend the lead to five – 0-6 to 0-1.

The home side built this lead with scores from Jack Leamy, Peter McCarry and Ryan.

The opening goal arrived on 27 minutes, when a long Joe Caesar delivery was fetched by Sean Kenneally weaved his way beyond the cover to blast home.

Patrick O’Donovan tapped over a free for Limerick, with the last notable act in the first half, as Tipperary held a 1-9 to 0-2 interval advantage. The wides stat read 4-11, with Limerick’s inaccuracy in stark contrast to the sharpshooting hosts.

Diarmuid Mullins’ side did raise their game in the second half, and to some quality.

Key to their cause was eight second-half points from Patrick O’Donovan, while Oisin O’Farrell scored two from the bench.

Limerick pulled themselves back to within one entering stoppage time. But Jack Leamy landed another free, to put daylight between the sides. Limerick were unable to find a winning goal in five additional minutes.

SCORERS 

Tipperary: J Leamy 0-6 (0-4f), P McGarry 0-1, E Ryan 0-3; S Keanneally 1-2, D Stakelum, D Corbett 0-1 each

Limerick: P O’Donovan 0-9 (0-7f), O O’Farrell 0-2; C Hayes 0-1, A Fitzgerald 0-1, C Scully, R Lyons, S O’Brien 0-1 each.

TEAMS

Tipperary: J O’Dwyer; D Slattery, R Doyle, L Shanahan; C Quinn, J Caesar, C McKelvey; J Morris, D Stakelum ©; S Keanneally, E Ryan, J Leamy; P McGarry, T Cahill, D McCarthy.

Subs: D Corbett for McCarthy (45), B Currivan for McGarry (45), S Ferncombe for Ryan (56), M Corcoran for McKelvey (58) C O’Brien for Slattery (inj - 61)

Limerick: J O’Reilly; D Fitzgerald, R Lyons, E O’Leary; B Duff, C Scully, E Hurley ©; J Fitzgerald, J Kirby; F Fitzgerald, P O’Donovan, A Fitzgerald; S O’Brien, A English, S O’Neill.

Subs: C Hayes for English (inj – 30), M Gavin for Kirby (h-t), O O’Farrell for F Fitzgerald (h-t), L Dennehy for O’Neill (51)

Ref – N Barry (Waterford)