
LIMERICK’S participation in the McGrath Cup is over for 2022 following a 1-12 to 0-14 loss to Tipperary at Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale.
Billy Leeโs men let go of a three point lead in the closing stages to fall to a second defeat in a week. Josh Ryan top scored for Limerick with 0-5.
Limerick now have three weeks to prepare for their opening league game which takes place against Longford at the TUS Gaelic Grounds.
Todayโs result was one that could have went either way but Limerickโs lead of 0-14 to 1-8 looked like a winning one heading into the final quarter but two points each from Sean OโConnor and Jack Kennedyโs saw Tipperary to the win.
It was OโConnor that opened the scoring with two frees but Limerick responded with efforts from Darragh Ranahan and Tony McCarthy.
OโConnor put Tipperary clear once more with another placed ball only to see McCarthy square the game up with his second point.
The Tipperary corner forward bagged his fourth point just before the water break but Limerick came out of the blocks after that with Ryan, Peter Nash and Hugh Bourke raising white flags.
OโConnor was at it again though in the 28th minute when he finished off a brilliant Tipperary attack with a fisted finish past Limerick keeper Aaron OโSullivan that saw his side 1-4 to 0-6 ahead.
Shane Foley then stretched Tipperaryโs advantage to two with a well taken score from play but Nash and a Ryan โ45 saw Limerick level at half time.
Conor Ryan and Bourke swapped scores at the beginning of the second half before an excellent Conal Kennedy point put Tipperary one clear yet again.
OโConnor then put Tipperary two ahead but they were then hit with a Limerick purple patch as Leeโs charges scored five points on the trot.
Points from the impressive James Naughton and Ryan levelled the game for a sixth time before Ryan missed a glorious goal chance for the home side.
He picked himself up to knock over two frees in a row and then a fine Cillian Fahy point saw Limerick 0-14 to 1-8 in front after 59 minutes.
OโConnorโs first point from play of the game stopped the rot for Tipperary and a free in the 70th minute put a solitary point between the teams.
Then enter Kennedy. The Tipperary substitute found room inside the Limerick full back line to level the game on 72 minutes and repeated the trick 60 seconds later to seal the late win.
Scorers โ Limerick:ย Josh Ryan 0-5 (3f), Tony McCarthy, Peter Nash and Hugh Bourke 0-2 (2f) each, Darragh Ranahan, James Naughton and Cillian Fahy 0-1 each
LIMERICK: Aaron OโSullivan; Jim Liston, Sean OโDea, Mike OโDonovan; Tony McCarthy, Darragh Woulfe, Liam OโSullivan; Tommy Griffin, Josh Ryan; Peter Nash, James Naughton, Barry Coleman; Shane Barry, Hugh Bourke, Darragh Ranahan.
Subs: Darragh Treacy for Nash (h-t), Liam OโSullivan for McCarthy (h-t), Cillian Fahy for Liston (h-t), Dara Noonan for Barry (53), Padraig de Bruin for Coleman (53), Robbie Bourke for Hugh Bourke (53), Ruairi OโBrien for Woulfe (59), Hugh Bourke for Ranahan (63).
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