Munster Under-21 HC Semi-final/Tipperary 5-11 Limerick 1-7: It was an occasion for Limerick to forget on their home patch as they were embarrassed by the scoreline against a rampant Tipperary in the under-21 hurling championship with the winners now going on to play Cork in the final.
With five members of their senior panel on duty, Limerick must have felt they were in with a chance of advancing when they finished the opening quarter on level terms with each team having scored just a point apiece.
Having teased out their opponents, a physically stronger Tipperary asserted their superiority over their opposition with a three-goal burst from Francis Devanney, hat-trick hero Tony Scroope and Evan Sweeney inside a six-minute period.
After that scoring burst Limerick were always no hopers and their fate was sealed at the interval as they trailed 3-5 to 0-2.
Their only forward to penetrate the Tipperary defence, in which centre back Diarmuid Fitzgerald was outstanding, was Niall Moran who remained Limerick's lone scorer for 50 minutes.
There was the odd occasion in that opening half when Andrew O'Shaughnessy threatened to pull back a couple of scores but each time was denied by goalkeeper Patrick McCormack, who was in excellent form throughout the match.
Tipperary were much too clever for a side that lacked that killer instinct although Limerick may have had thoughts of a second-half recovery when Moran rattled over a brace of points.
They were put firmly back in their place on 44 minutes, however, when Michael Farrell carved another opening for Scroope who easily beat goalkeeper Willie Tobin.
Tipperary sent in a fleet of substitutes without affecting their performance and Scroope completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minutes when he finished a 40-yard solo run by finding the net.
Substitute Richie Ruth added to Limerick's misery and most of the home fans had left by the time O'Shaughnessy, who was well policed all evening by Andrew Morrissey, claimed his side's goal before following it up with a point.
TIPPERARY: P McCormack; A Morrissey, C O'Mahony, H Moloney; D Kennedy, D Fitzgerald, E Hanley; J Caesar, S McSweeney; P Buckley (0-2), F Devanney (1-1), M Farrell (0-1); W Ryan (0-1), T Scroope (3-3, 0-3 frees), E Sweeney (1-0). Subs: R Ruth (0-2) for Sweeney, D Sheppard for W Ryan, D Morrissey for Fitzgerald, W Cully (0-1) for Scroope.
LIMERICK: W Tobin; G Heagney, S Barry, J O'Connor; P O'Dwyer, M O'Brien (0-1), R Murphy; J Ryan, K O'Mahony; P Russell, N Moran (0-4, one frees), P Kirby; E Ryan, A O'Connell, A O'Shaughnessy (1-1). Subs: C Breen for O'Connor; M O'Sullivan for J Ryan; B Murray (0-1) for E Ryan.
Referee: S McMahon (Clare).
