MUNSTER SFC FIRST ROUND/Limerick 1-8 Tipperary 1-5:TIPPERARY MANAGER John Evans described it as "an awful game of football." He hit the nail on the head. Two teams who will ply their trade in Division Three of next year's National Football League served up some truly dreadful fare in Fermoy yesterday.
Twenty-one minutes had elapsed before the game's opening score, Limerick didn't score at all until the final minute of the half and Tipperary managed just one point during the entire second half, a free in the last minute.
Throw in a strong wind which favoured Limerick after half-time, a sending off and some dreadful kicking and you have the ingredients for one of the worst Munster championship games seen in many a year.
Although Limerick manager Mickey Ned O'Sullivan insisted that "it's the result that counts," he should be worried ahead of a provincial semi-final showdown with Cork on June 15th.
Seánie Buckley's 35th-minute goal proved crucial yesterday. Tipperary, who finished the game with 14 men, were on their way to a comfortable half-time lead before Buckley ensured that his team wouldn't finish the first half scoreless by slamming home from close range.
Barry Grogan had a 1-3 first-half haul as Tipperary looked the better side before half-time and went in with a 1-4 to 1-0 advantage.
Grogan's goal, on the half-hour mark, was finished from six yards after Eamon Hanrahan's booming free caused havoc in the Limerick full-back line.
Limerick opted for a route-one approach after half-time and it paid dividends as they inched their way back into contention. They were level 13 minutes into the second half as Ian Ryan clipped over three frees and Mike Crowley banged over a long-range point with his first touch after coming on as a temporary substitute.
Tipperary had now lost their shape and much of their discipline and the lively Stephen Kelly fired Limerick in front for the first time in the match after 49 minutes before centre back Stephen Lavin bombed forward to put daylight between the sides.
Buckley kicked a point 15 minutes from time to open up a 1-7 to 1-4 lead and any faint hope of a Tipperary revival was snuffed out with eight minutes remaining when corner back Aidan Foley was sent off for a second bookable offence after clashing with Limerick substitute John Cooke on the touchline.
LIMERICK: S Kiely; D Carroll, J McCarthy, S Walsh; P Browne, S Lavin (0-1), P Ranahan; T Cahill, J Galvin; S Kelly (0-1), J Ryan, S Buckley (1-1); K O'Callaghan, D Phelan, I Ryan (0-3 free). Subs: G Collins for O'Callaghan (33 mins), M Crowley (0-1) for Collins (42 mins), G Collins for Phelan (54 mins), J Cooke (0-1) for Cahill (59 mins), S Gallagher for Carroll (63 mins).
TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; A Foley, M Peters, C McDonald; P Codd, R Costigan, N Curran; K Mulryan, E Hanrahan; P Johnson, B Jones, D O'Brien (0-1); S Carey, S Grogan, B Grogan (1-4, 0-1 free). Subs: L Coskeran for Curran (14 mins), P Austin for Jones (27 mins), N Fitzgerald for O'Brien (44 mins), G Hannigan for S Grogan (58 mins), E Kearney for Johnson (68mins).
Referee: R Hickey (Clare).
